"FairTax" Boosts Huckabee, Despite Critics

GOP Contender's Support For Questionable National Sales Tax Drawing Supporters

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Jonathan Weisman.

---

To former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, supporting a national retail sales tax is more than a policy proposal. It has provided much-needed muscle for his campaign, filling rallies and events with fervent supporters hoping to replace the entire income and payroll tax system.

There's one problem: A national sales tax won't work, at least not according to tax experts and economists of all political stripes. Even President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform dedicated a chapter of its 2005 final report to dismissing such proposals.

"After careful evaluation, the Panel decided to reject a complete replacement of the federal income tax system with a retail sales tax," the panel said. It concluded that such a move would shift the tax burden from the rich to the poor or create the largest entitlement program in history to mitigate that new burden.

Under the proposal, known to supporters as the FairTax, the Internal Revenue Service and the entire income and payroll tax system would be abolished. Americans would then pay a sales tax on virtually everything: a new home, yard work, food, health care. Only education would be broadly exempted.

FairTax advocates say a 23 percent tax rate would maintain the same amount of money flowing into the Treasury, though that number is debatable. An item priced at $1 would actually cost consumers 30 percent more, or $1.30. FairTax advocates say that amounts to a 23 percent rate, because 30 cents is 23 percent of the product's after-tax cost of $1.30.

To offset the burden on the poor, the FairTax system would send monthly checks to everyone in the nation, compensating for taxes paid up to the poverty level and ensuring that some minimum standard of living would go untaxed. The president's tax overhaul panel, in its final report, estimated that such a program would cost $600 billion to $780 billion a year, making "most American families dependent on monthly checks from the government for a substantial portion of their income."

But the biggest criticism is that the tax cannot be administered. Many economists say a black market would develop overnight, especially in the service sector.

"Under the FairTax, every time you purchase a service, you would probably get two prices -- one you can pay with a check or credit card that includes the FairTax, and one you can pay in cash and save 23 percent," conservative economist Bruce R. Bartlett wrote this week in the publication Tax Notes. "Because there would no longer be any audits of income, since the IRS would have been abolished . . . massive evasion is inevitable."

At the same time, federal spending would shoot up because the government would have to pay sales taxes on purchases. To compensate, the sales tax rate would have to rise to more than 40 percent for the government to take in as much as it does now, said William G. Gale, a tax economist at the Brookings Institution. State and local governments, facing a new burden on purchases, would have to increase taxes to maintain current levels, as well.

To Huckabee, there seems to be no downside to a national sales tax. By eliminating federal income and payroll taxes, businesses would save considerable sums and pass on the savings. The FairTax would lower the cost of retail goods, make U.S. companies more competitive internationally, send the economy into overdrive and even encourage thrift, since the national sales tax would apply only to new goods.

"Am I running for president to shut down the federal government? Not exactly," Huckabee says on his Web site. "But I am running to completely eliminate all federal income and payroll taxes. And I do mean all -- personal federal, corporate federal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment. . . . Instead we will have the FairTax, a simple tax based on wealth."

Once an advocate of a single, "flat" income tax rate, Huckabee was converted by FairTax advocates who peppered town hall meetings while he was governor. Now, FairTax supporters pack events to cheer him on. A May rally in Columbia, S.C., attracted about 10,000 FairTaxers, who cheered rapturously when Huckabee declared: "I realize that the FairTax organization does not endorse candidates, but let me be very clear: I endorse you."

Nonetheless, FairTax's detractors are legion. In Tax Notes, Bartlett spent 15 pages attacking the proposal and its advocates, whom he accuses of being ignorant or dishonest. Dale W. Jorgenson, a Harvard University economist and elder statesman on tax overhaul, called the FairTax "reform by focus group."

"These people have to be taken seriously," Jorgenson said of the organized campaign for the FairTax. "They're not terribly experienced in politics. But they have this grass-roots movement out there. They have cornered the market, and nobody in the political world is out there saying this is nuts."

Alvin Rabushka, the father of the flat tax and a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, said anyone who professes to be an independent businessman or contractor would label every purchase as a wholesale transaction or business necessity, because business-to-business purchases would not be subject to the tax.

"For me at least, a national retail sales tax is an attractive idea," Rabushka wrote on his blog this month. "Only fools pay retail."

Charmaine Yoest, a Huckabee spokeswoman, said that all tax systems have their flaws, and that Huckabee would address issues of compliance as president.

In all these criticisms, FairTax advocates see sour grapes. Ken Hoagland, a spokesman for Americans for Fair Taxation, said Bush's tax panel was headed by tax lobbyists, including former senators Connie Mack (R-Fla.) and John Breaux (D-La.), intent on maintaining the current system and their livelihoods.

As for Rabushka, a hero in many conservative tax circles, "This is a guy who's been trying to sell an idea on tax reform for years and gotten nowhere with it," said David G. Tuerck, an economist at Suffolk University in Boston and a FairTax advocate. "He's showing some signs of panic, now that we've got at least one serious presidential candidate backing us."

[sharncedar]

What problem does this solve? The problem with our tax system is the unfairness, that those who make the most pay the least by percentage, and that those who receive most or all of the income from the Fed or directly from FedGov are not only the richest individuals but pay the least taxes. How does this bizarre proposal solve that problem? The old saying is that if the government wants to discourage something, it should tax it. The thing we want to discourage in our economic system is waste, and the biggest waste is the super-rich and their fraudulent income sources. They say as much as 17% of all corporate profit growth of the entire nation over the last 8 years was stolen/taken by the top officers of the corporations, the "CEO/CFO" level. How does this insane tax idea discourage that kindof pilfering of the national substance? It doesn''t even tax such forms of income, whereas today they are at least taxed at 15%, about 1/2 of the rate that hard-working honest people pay.

This is really getting crazy. It''s bizarre to think we can solve the problem of the indolent corruption permeating our system by lowering taxes on the most corrupt.

[dutchman57-2009]

Huckabee is a huckster. Ron Paul has a fairer and flatter tax than the Huck. Try 0%. Is that flat enough? Ron Paul is the people''s choice.

[incog-nito]

SharnCedar: How is this idea "crazy" or "bizarre"? The tax is only paid when you make a purchase. What''s bizarre is the current system where you have to spend substantial amounts of time and money, just to figure out how much to pay the government, then are penalized if you make a mistake. Also, the government should not be in the business of social engineering, taxing this while exempting that, depending on how powerful the special interests are that push for these deductions, rebates, exemptions, etc., not to mention the myriad of loopholes. Right now you have a huge entity called the IRS that creates and enforces an enormous set of complexity, and then a cottage industry of bean counters and paper pushers (accountants) to take your money to alleviate that complexity. The whole system is wasteful, stupid, AND bizarre.

[gkc99]

"Alvin Rabushka, the father of the flat tax and a senior fellow at Stanford University''s Hoover Institution, said anyone who professes to be an independent businessman or contractor would label every purchase as a wholesale transaction or business necessity, because business-to-business purchases would not be subject to the tax.
"For me at least, a national retail sales tax is an attractive idea," Rabushka wrote on his blog this month. "Only fools pay retail."


So Huckie trots out one of the ultra-Righties from his sinecure at the Hoover Institute, aptly named after the president most responsible for the Great Depression, to promote this ridiculous scheme. Of course the Darth Bushit crowd and their puppet masters want to keep their billionaire constituency from paying taxes! Only fools pay retail?--the billionaires can buy it all offshore when they visit their mansion in the Cayman Islands. Only you poor peasants will be picking up the slack for Bushit''s billionaires, the folks Huckleberry is now sucking up to, every time you buy groceries.

Suckie this, Huckie!

[mrvolleyba11]

But Ron Paul is also ANTI-Choice, so he will NEVER get my vote because NOBODY and I mean NOBODY has the right in a FREE Society to FORCE their religous beliefs on me!!! they can practice it all they want but don''t make laws based on your beliefs and force 300 million American''s to follow along!!!

[soulsamurai]

Search YouTube for "All About Huckabee" to see what some ordinary people think.

[nativewoman]

Not only does a national sales tax fall hardest on those least able to pay it, what about the jobs it will do away with?

In 2004, the IRS had +- 115,000 employees. That''s a lot of jobs to do away with. I guess some of them would be shifted into other government positions to administer the entitlement programs associated with sending "monthly checks to everyone in the nation". Interesting that a political party that often and loudly decries entitlement programs wants to create an entitlement program for the entire nation.

What about all of the other jobs associated with the chain tax preparers? H & R Block, Jackson Hewitt, etc. and the little mom and pop companies all over the nation? Lots of unemployment potential there.

[quetzal666]

In recent days, Mike Huckabee has tried to answer long-standing questions about who is on his foreign policy team. On Friday morning, he listed former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton as someone with whom he either has %u201Cspoken or will continue to speak.%u201D
................................................

yikes.....thats reason enough not to vote for this biggot!!!

[incog-nito]

NativeWoman: The tax system is not created solely for the unproductive employment of people.

[nativewoman]

Posted by incog-nito at 05:44 PM : Dec 28, 2007

I did not say that it was. I was pointing out another consequence of moving to a national sales tax.

How is it to be implemented? Overnight? Hundreds of thousands of people find themselves without jobs when they wake up tomorrow?

I would think there would be a phase-in time. Which means that they would phase in a "small" national sales tax while keeping some of the income tax and all of the "unproductive" employees you speak of to administer the remaining income tax program.

Then, lo and behold, they would decide not to do away with an income tax but also to keep the new national sales tax.

And the special interests would remain pushing to have their products and services exempt from the national sales tax. Why should food and medicine, necessary for survival, be subject to sales tax? Then we get into fuels. Fuels are necessary to survival in order to heat the home, cook the food, commute to work. Why should fuels be subject to sales tax? And clothing. Clothing is necessary to survival. Why should clothing sales be taxed?

[incog-nito]

NativeWoman: You make a lot of assumptions about that may or may not happen if the national sales tax comes about. I''m sure some goods will be taxes differently, similar to the current sales tax. That''s the form of social engineering I can live with, because at least it doesn''t create unnecessary waste and burden on people. Right now food is taxed lower than other goods, and other items like gasoline is taxed differently. I don''t see why the new sales taxes would need to be much different.

[excoachken]

The Huckster was originally going to call it a Fair Tithe, but thought 10% would be right for millionaires,while the rest of us pay 66.6%.

[nativewoman]

Some of my assumptions are based on this article:

~Under the proposal, known to supporters as the FairTax, the Internal Revenue Service and the entire income and payroll tax system would be abolished. Americans would then pay a sales tax on virtually everything: a new home, yard work, food, health care. Only education would be broadly exempted.~

Some of my assumptions are, admittedly, conjecture. If the IRS is abolished, where do those people find jobs? I guess administering the national entitlement program also mentioned in this article:
~To offset the burden on the poor, the FairTax system would send monthly checks to everyone in the nation, compensating for taxes paid up to the poverty level and ensuring that some minimum standard of living would go untaxed.~

If the FairTax system seeks to mitigate the burden on the poor, why would monthly checks be sent to everyone in the nation?

[humberston]

One must be crazy to support the fair tax idea( or rich) this would guantee a permant oligarchy of the wealthy. there are numerous books on this subject w/ detailed explanations as to its flaws. this is aimed at all of us who don''t like to pay taxes w/o thought of te consequences. while our current system is certainly flawed this is no solution. do your homework folks, and don''t be fooled.

[humberston]

One must be crazy to support the fair tax idea( or rich) this would guantee a permant oligarchy of the wealthy. there are numerous books on this subject w/ detailed explanations as to its flaws. this is aimed at all of us who don''t like to pay taxes w/o thought of the consequences. while our current system is certainly flawed this is no solution. do your homework folks, and don''t be fooled.

[humberston]

One must be crazy to support the fair tax idea( or rich) this would guantee a permant oligarchy of the wealthy. there are numerous books on this subject w/ detailed explanations as to its flaws. this is aimed at all of us who don''t like to pay taxes w/o thought of the consequences. while our current system is certainly flawed this is no solution. do your homework folks, and don''t be fooled.

[myidoncbs]

Someone said, "Search YouTube for "All About Huckabee" to see what some ordinary people think."

You could have saved me some time by just admitting up front that you are not talking about "ordinary people" in the sense of a representative sample of the general population, but rather, you mean "ordinary Hucksterbee supporters".

Ask the people of his home state of Arkansas if you want to know what the average (ordinary) person thinks of Hucksterbee. Read the AK Times if you want to learn about some of the things Hucksterbee did to arouse their ire.

Religious nutjobs: No Thanks!

Repressive Tax Schemes: No Thanks!

Hypocrites Who Oppose Stem-Cell Research but Take Money From Those Who Do The Research (Novo-Nordisk): No Thanks!

Governors Who Secretly Work To Parole A Rapist Who Then Rapes And Murders When Set Free: No Thanks!

Criminals Who Wipe and Crush $335,000 Worth Of Government Computer Hard Drives to Hide Embezzlement of $60,000 Yearly: No Thanks!

"Christians" Who Proclaim Their Religion To Get Votes: No Thanks!

etc... (I could go on for a loooooooong time!) There''s just SO MUCH about Hucksterbee to dislike.

[merlgrey]

anyone hoping that huckabee will be a fresh change should read into this politico piece about whom he is starting to align himself with foreign policywise... these people are central to laying the groundwork for the last 20 yrs or more for reorganizing our placement in the middle east. cfr''''s, neos, super wealthy elites... etc... of course they would love the opportunity to stay on course. they likely will with any of the ''''media'''' darling top tier candidates from either party regardless.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories
/1207/7602.html

ronpaul2008

[seafang]

One must be crazy to support the fair tax idea( or rich) this would guantee a permant oligarchy of the wealthy. there are numerous books on this subject w/ detailed explanations as to its flaws. this is aimed at all of us who don''''t like to pay taxes w/o thought of the consequences. while our current system is certainly flawed this is no solution. do your homework folks, and don''''t be fooled.

Well the "fairtax" is for idiots; and certainly isn''t a tax on the rich.
In the first place, you can only tax a renewable resource; aka a profit making enterprise; which is what income is.
So think about all of those retired folks who have paid income taxes all their lives, and managed to save some for themsleves for retirement (even their savings interest were taxed). So now their income is zero, so their taxes should be zero, but now "Huckabaloo" has a new plan to tax what they have left every time they spend some. The rich don''t pay income taxes, nor do they spend what they have; most of it is invested in non-taxable enterprises.

So I can just see the old folks in Florida jumping at the fairtax. Ron Paul and his sheeple are Utopians with no common sense, and Huckminster is just as nutty.
The only fair tax is a flat tax on all income, and nothing else; no ifs, ands or buts.

[usayesterday]

The current IRS tax system is so well established in our country that it would actually cost a lot more money to change it than it would be to simply improve it. A "fair" tax or a "flat" tax would clearly cause a rift in the distribution of tax revenue to the various governmental agencies for many years, AND, cost a lot of money as I mentioned before.

It would be a logistical and economic nightmare!

Just shave off some more of the income tax and increase the estate and windfall taxes to compensate. People should keep more of what the EARN as opposed to what they WIN.

(Inheritance is a form of "winning" by the way. If you are born into wealth... you''ve won the lottery of life. Just ask Paris Hilton, Steve Forbes, or the Trump kids).

[likeitis5050]

Nothing fair about the fair tax. Instantly, overnight, those who didn''t have the cash to fall back on would be totally wiped out. Sure, the next check would be bigger, but they would already be in debt from having to pay 23% more for every single thing purchased. The only ones who would skate through the entire process would be the rich, next in line would be the poor, and the ones getting no deal at all would be the middle class, as usual. Huckabee has proven himself unworthy to lead if he can''t see what a disaster this is, and those who haven''t thought it through are simple minded idiots. The fact his campaign has gotten a ''boost'' from this idea is scary.

[hypnotoad72]

Hmmm. Of all the things to tax, it''d be put on what makes our economy work - SALES.

I thought Republicans hated taxes? Money for nothing and the chicks for free, I suppose... Repubs are right on a lot of things, but for once, it''s not regarding taxes. Ironic, isn''t it?

[hypnotoad72]

I should have continued reading; "To offset the burden on the poor, the FairTax system would send monthly checks to everyone in the nation, compensating for taxes paid up to the poverty level and ensuring that some minimum standard of living would go untaxed. The president''s tax overhaul panel, in its final report, estimated that such a program would cost $600 billion to $780 billion a year, making "most American families dependent on monthly checks from the government for a substantial portion of their income." "

Okay, that''s not so bad then. Nice to see such things mentioned. Mr Huckabee, Please accept my apology for my rash thinking/oversight/not reading. Though I''d also admit, why include "everyone"? I''ll agree there''s such a thing as "too much tax", but should "too little" be a factor, especially when we have this national debt and how some wouldn''t even notice an extra nickel coming out of their coffers?

I dunno; but in theory the practice in general is a good one.

[kansas1946]

Although, a sales tax can work for selected projects and can work in certain cities areas, it would not be workable on a national level. I looked at this years ago when Forbes made it part of his platform, and it really would be a disaster. Huckabee is just not very bright, but it sounds good to people who are sick of the current system and tax tired. We need someone bright in the Whitehouse, not someone who can''t understand complicated issues. We have had that for seven years.

[kansas1946]

Mike Huckabee,
Similar to Bill Clinton in some remarkable ways (not including their politics) will he also make it to the White House?
**********************
I just saw this comment on the politics page. Who ever wrote that blub must be either insane, or the dumbest reporter alive. The only thing similar between Clinton and Huckabee is that they are both from Arkansas and they both need to watch their weight. Other than that, they are about as much alike as GWB and a Nobel laureate.

[cfin5]

One thing I want to discuss is the "fair tax RATE"......Am I right at saying it is to be 23%????? You have got to be joking me?! We need to enhance our Comptroller Generals authority to the level of being able to walk right into the Oval Office ANY *** time he pleases and slap down ANY spending bill with an "ECONOMIC VETO" that nobody can override. Especially when it involves borrowing the money. Somebody in government has to be able to stick up for us taxpayers on both sides. The lobbyist bought politicians sure don''t!

[incog-nito]

Instead ot debating the sales tax on its merits, people are arguing about how disruptive it is to change the current system. It''s like saying, "Well I don''t like ..., but I''m so used to it that I won''t change it." Sounds like a copout to me.

[rowdytexan2]

Why not just have a ''Fair Income Tax''? EVERYBODY pays the same percent on their income...and there are no loopholes or exemptions or write offs?

If you make the money it''s taxed! I''ve been taxed that way all my adult life!

[sandzz-2009]

"they would already be in debt from having to pay 23% more for every single thing purchased. "

No they wouldn''t, the tax is already included in your current price because a healthy chunk of the price you pay for say a product are the exact taxes that would be waived from the producer/manufacturer and the retailer. These guys already pass the ''savings'' along to the consumer. In short, the 23% is already included in today''s sales because of the imposition of those same taxes on those on whom you purchase from.

[dharris69]

Fair Tax is finally here and we finally have a chance to end tyranny! Finally our productivity isn''t taxed! Finally, our savings won''t be taxed! Ten trillion dollars hiding off-shore comes back into the economy. Federal taxes added to consumer goods that the manufacture passes on to the consumer are no more. The cost of consumer goods lower. Employers who had to do all that tax paperwork can now invest their money back into their businesses and hire new employees. Jobs come back to the U.S. Even if it''s wrong, at the very least we end a tax code that is unfair and nobody understands. Do I care if a bunch of IRS employees have to hit careerbuilder.com or monster.com? HELL no! Serves the *** right! They seized my life savings before I even had a chance to defend myself! It cost me almost as much as they seized to prove myself innocent! If, in the remote possibility, the Fair Tax fails, at least we''ll start out fresh with a simpler tax code! This is a no-brainer to me! Give me the Fair Tax, I''ll jump on it! Only those with a vested interest in the current system are the ones screaming the loudest against the Fair Tax! Do I care if H&R Block goes under? What do you think?

[dharris69]

Fair Tax is finally here and we finally have a chance to end tyranny! Finally our productivity isn''t taxed! Finally, our savings won''t be taxed! Ten trillion dollars hiding off-shore comes back into the economy. Federal taxes added to consumer goods that the manufacture passes on to the consumer are no more. The cost of consumer goods lower. Employers who had to do all that tax paperwork can now invest their money back into their businesses and hire new employees. Jobs come back to the U.S. Even if it''s wrong, at the very least we end a tax code that is unfair and nobody understands. Do I care if a bunch of IRS employees have to hit careerbuilder.com or monster.com? HELL no! Serves the *** right! They seized my life savings before I even had a chance to defend myself! It cost me almost as much as they seized to prove myself innocent! If, in the remote possibility, the Fair Tax fails, at least we''ll start out fresh with a simpler tax code! This is a no-brainer to me! Give me the Fair Tax, I''ll jump on it! Only those with a vested interest in the current system are the ones screaming the loudest against the Fair Tax! Do I care if H&R Block goes under? What do you think?

[formrusmcsgt]

"Because there would no longer be any audits of income, since the IRS would have been abolished . . . massive evasion is inevitable."

You bet your sweet bippy. This sounds like a panacea to some, but they fail to comprhend that a good number of people will avoid paying taxes on services and no one will be there to enforce evasion.

Which will increase the percentage of the tax rate which will lead to even more evasion.

It''s a fool''s solution. And only fools think it''s a practical solution.

[formrusmcsgt]

Why not just have a ''''Fair Income Tax''''? EVERYBODY pays the same percent on their income...and there are no loopholes or exemptions or write offs?

If you make the money it''''s taxed! I''''ve been taxed that way all my adult life!

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 12:05 AM : Dec 29, 2007

What you''re describing is called a "flat tax", and is far supeior to Huckabee''s proposal.

[rowdytexan2]

lol, we can''t let them abolish the IRS...those are good government jobs! About the only good jobs left!

It''s just another republican scam to put thousands of people on the streets vying for your $8.00 flipping hamburger jobs!

[rmsdm4]

It always befuddles me how critics of the fair tax have to change it so that they can reject it. The writer of this article is either ignorant or just stupid. If the fair tax is ennacted, the imbedded taxes on items wil be removed. Thus, a $1 loaf of bread would now cost $.77. The seller would then add the fair tax on, thus the bread will then cost $.95. All anyone has to do is read the bill. The amount of investment is this country would be 10fold in a year. Wages and jobs would skyrocket because businesses would not have to pay taxes on their earning. Wages would go up to keep good people. And just think, all the drug dealers, john kerry''s(evil rich) would actually pay taxes. I think the real reason liberals are afraid of it is because they won''t have a nanny state to coddle.

[david_45]

Be afraid, very afraid. Huckabee%u2019s fairytale tax reform has enough morons convinced they''ll vote for him. So sad that people fall for these fairytales and elect demented individuals that have NO CHANCE to implement the fairytale tax program.

[jn122736]

Social Security is and has been a highly successful government operated program.
It was established, as a result of the great depression, as a Security wall for retired senior citizens.

Social Security is a national retirement-insurance program, financed, MANDATORILY, by fees deducted directly from employees paychecks, or by quarterly estimates, paid in advance, by the self-employed.

I, like every other working American have paid into the Social Security program all my working life. I have, fortunately, lived long enough to receive benefits, while others like me paid SS taxes all their lives but died before reaching retirement age. That is what makes it a workable INSURANCE program instead of welfare.

Instituting a national sales tax and eliminating the, IRS collected, income tax, will effectively end social security as an insurance program and turn it into an absolute welfare program.

It will then be eliminated, just like so many private corporations, supposedly guaranteed, retirement programs have been.

[gkc99]

"business-to-business purchases would not be subject to the tax. "


This brain-dead scheme of Huckleberry''s would encourage massive cheating. Anyone and everyone would now be in "business", buying supplies for their "business" and avoiding the tax. Example: "I''m in the rabbit raising business and all that caviar I bought is to feed my rabbits."

Only you poor *** who have to buy groceries at the Piggly Wiggly and clothes at retail will bear the huge tax burden, while the billionaires avoid any taxes whatsoever, as they buy their groceries in France and have them flown in on the Concord.

[omega39-2009]

Only you poor *** who have to buy groceries at the Piggly Wiggly and clothes at retail will bear the huge tax burden, while the billionaires avoid any taxes whatsoever, as they buy their groceries in France and have them flown in on the Concord.

Posted by gkc99

That''s why so many countries have went to a value added tax, they have found that once a sales tax reaches a certain level (certainly less than 23%), there are massive amounts of sales tax evasion going on.

[macusweil]

Huckabee has no original ideas of his own. His pandering to religious rights will not carry him far in the current political climate. His tax increases as governor speak of his true colors regarding fiscal responsibility. His call for a move to a ''fair tax'' that will place the tax burden squarely on the poor and middle class.

What is really required is a clean up of BIG government and true fiscal reform.

To quote Congressman Ron Paul ~ "Real conservatives have always supported low taxes and low spending. Real conservatives have always supported low taxes and low spending.

But today, too many politicians and lobbyists are spending America into ruin. We are nine trillion dollars in debt as a nation. Our mounting government debt endangers the financial future of our children and grandchildren. If we don%u2019t cut spending now, higher taxes and economic disaster will be in their future %u2014 and yours.

In addition, the Federal Reserve, our central bank, fosters runaway debt by increasing the money supply %u2014 making each dollar in your pocket worth less. The Fed is a private bank run by unelected officials who are not required to be open or accountable to %u201Cwe the people.%u201D

Worse, our economy and our very independence as a nation is increasingly in the hands of foreign governments such as China and Saudi Arabia, because their central banks also finance our runaway spending."

I''m voting for Ron Paul in the Feb 5th New York state GOP primary.

[l8c6]

The threat to the common american, in any society in history that''s been a good 90% of the people, is private corporations. The kings and queens, the royal families of the old world and the dictators of 3rd world countries are private entities unaccountable for the most part to popular opinion. They always rule by the sword and a good dose of fear.

Roosevelt policies balanced with regulated capitalism produced the strongest nation and strongest middle class the world ever knew. Self serving arrogant narcissistic elitist anti-social non-visionary fools are in the process of destroying it.

A person born in the late 1930''s in the United States enjoyed the best era that any working class person will ever hope to live in this world. Not one republican can be thanked for this.

[l8c6]

Perhaps the most disturbing thing Bush has done in this country is divide the people and open them up to radical knee jerk proposals. It took over 200 years for the United States to reach the place it is. Change has always been a part of the equation for good reason. To radically shatter the infrastructure overnight would take this country back to the early days for sure as the Ron Paul cult followers aspire to do. The early days of internal war, revolutionary war, civil war. Storm clouds are forming. A major difference now is that foreign nations are not so far away. How much can other world economies bring the United States to its knees in this rich man''s global economy?

[l8c6]

And just think, all the drug dealers, john kerry''''s(evil rich) would actually pay taxes. I think the real reason liberals are afraid of it is because they won''''t have a nanny state to coddle.

Posted by rmsdm4

It never ceases to amaze me, the twisted mind of the "liberal" hating whack jobs like you.

So divisive, so hateful, so offensive, so assuming. How dare you and the likes of you insult the citizens of the United States. Many of those you attack are dying in Iraq as you write your right wing trash. Many who are called "liberals" by the fascist fools in this nation have contributed immensely to this nation.

You do not own the flag, you have not single handedly made this a great nation. Your trash has brought it to the state it is in now. You undoubtedly voted for this thing in office.

True patriots need to take this country back from those who parade around bullying with words from their back *** with the United States flag draped about them. Many of these have committed high treason against this nation and its people.

---%u201CI don%u2019t give a *******,%u201D Bush retorted. %u201CI%u2019m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.%u201D
%u201CMr. President,%u201D one aide in the meeting said. %u201CThere is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.%u201D
%u201CStop throwing the Constitution in my face,%u201D Bush screamed back. %u201CIt%u2019s just a ******* piece of paper!%u201D

[l8c6]

can anyone believe this country and it''s corporate media?

CBS online news censored the word "o*rif*ice"

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by rmsdm4 at 09:02 AM : Dec 29, 2007

This is just what we need, big business NOT having to pay any taxes. THEY DON''T PAY TAXES NOW! They live out of their businesses like royalty and claim NO profits to be taxed!

The only fair tax is a flat tax on EARNINGS! If you earn it, pay taxes on it, with no loopholes, write offs, or deducations!

[jedi08]

The CLINTON Broadcast System (CBS) is out their again playing politics, and not doing any research.

Anyone who has actually looked at the fair tax knows their are many more positives then Negatives.

They talk in the article about how their would be a black market for things like yard work. Well guess what there already is now.

Jonathan Weisman is a Ignorant fool

[antoniof123]

Are there really this many stupid people in this country?

[gfuss2]

Hey Guys, Gals, & (Stupid Patriots) of America, etc,
For those of you who are doing "just fine economically" now, check out what FOOLS we really all are! Right wingers, Liberals, and All Americans could be "REALLY DOING JUST FINE" if not for what our wonderfull self serving polliticos have been allowing to be perpetrated on "US" the American public for decades! We''re in total servitude & have been for decadws! Go ahead, I Dare you to go to this Link & Discover the Real Truth! Do you have the nerve to discover what kind of Gov''t we really have? Go then. Just learn & enjoy, then puke figuring the tax money that has been "STOLEN" from all of us. Then copy & paste this link in all of your e-mails to start a grassroots effort to end this *** & reclaim our country. Go here for the real truth about our Gov''t, Good ol Boys & Girls Club. (Dems & Reps) alike. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ueEfRXZCVA
Go- Go-Go-, Ron Paul baby!!

[gfuss2]

Guys, Gals, For those of you who are doing "just fine economically" now, check out what FOOLS we really all are! Right wingers, Neocons, and All Americans could be "REALLY DOING JUST FINE" if not for what our wonderfull self serving polliticos have been allowing to be perpetrated on "US" the American public for decades! We''re in total servitude & have been for decades! Go to this Link & Discover the Real Truth! Do you have the nerve to discover the kind of Gov''t we really have? Just learn & enjoy, then puke figuring the tax money that has been "STOLEN" from all of us. Then copy & paste this link in all of your e-mails to start a grassroots effort to end this *** & reclaim our country. Go here for the real truth about our Gov''t, Good ol Boys & Girls Club. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ueEfRXZCVA
Go- Go-Go-, Ron Paul baby!! I''ll Definately Vote for you, (the only Honest face running!) All the rest are a bunch of "self serving" Liars & Crooks! They''re all = Dems & Reps, BEHOLDIN to Big Oil, Big Pharma, Humongus Insurance, lining their pockets, etc! Maybe we "thru - you" Ron Paul can save our country from all the rest of these Corrupt Power Hungry Politicos. Good Luck Ron Paul. Discover the Tyranny perpetuated on the American people for so many yrs! The "powers to be" NEED a Grass roots movement as the to even begin to put enough pressure on our "howdy doody" gov''t (puppets)to feel the desire of the people to be able to cut these strings of sevitude that has existed for so long.