OT: Yet Another Call For Imposition of a Value Added Tax
lawh...@hiwaay.net
Value Added Tax (VAT) will only increase. The latest volley in this
unrelenting campaign comes from a writer for Business Week magazine.
I have a serious problem with Mr. Farrell’s point of view. Mr.
Farrell presents his argument as if adoption of the VAT is a foregone
conclusion, the unavoidable solution to the problem of growing debt
and deficits. He gives short shrift to fiscal constraint and cutting
spending as a means of getting our house in order. In his view,
massively raising taxes through imposition of a VAT is the only way.
Mr. Farrell derides the views of conservatives and anti-tax advocates
such as Grover Norquist who have long argued for restraining the
growth of government. Apparently, in Mr. Farrell’s world, ideas such
as “starving the beast” and pay-as-you-go are antiquated thinking that
no longer applies to the real world – or his version of the real
world. Mr. Farrell portrays the VAT as an “efficient solution” to our
fiscal problem when what it really represents is a giant (terribly
regressive) tax increase - the bulk of which will fall on the middle
class. (You can bet that if Congress votes in a VAT, there will be
numerous exemptions on items such as food and prescription drugs in
order to protect the poor. Make no mistake about it, the VAT is a tax
aimed squarely at the middle class.)
Mr. Farrell suggests that a 12.5 percent VAT (combined with
“simplification” of the income tax) would solve our fiscal problem.
(Does he really believe that all the lobbyists and special interests
who have spent years – and countless campaign contributions –
obtaining all those tax loop holes for their clients will sit by
quietly and let Congress eliminate those breaks in the name of
fairness and equity? Give me a break!) Why is there no suggestion
of freezing government spending at current levels and matching each
one percent imposition of a VAT with a corresponding one percent
across-the-board spending reduction? If politicians impose a 12.5
percent VAT tax, then NASA, the Department of Defense, the Department
of Agriculture (and every other Government agency) must tighten their
belts to the tune of 12.5 percent. If our elected representatives
insist upon saddling the middle class with a massive new tax, there
must be corresponding spending restraint. This problem cannot be
solved simply by raising taxes.
If any proposal for imposition of a VAT is brought forth, there might
be public support if such a proposal was conditioned on permanent and
real reductions in the size, scope, burden (and cost) of Government.
In the absence of such restraint, the answer must be “No” to a VAT
tax.
Alan C. Lawhon
Huntsville, Alabama
Stephen Jacobs
<lawh...@HiWAAY.net> wrote in message
news:71fc37bc-31c9-4f71...@t41g2000yqt.googlegroups.com...
As I�ve previously noted, the clamor for adoption of a European-style
Value Added Tax (VAT) will only increase. The latest volley in this
unrelenting campaign comes from a writer for Business Week magazine.
...............................
The only US politician I can recall trying to get elected with a VAT in his
platform is Steve Forbes...and he doesn't need the job.
Fred V
news:E-GdnXNyWoNS5AjW...@earthlink.com:
>...
> The only US politician I can recall trying to get elected with a
> VAT in his platform is Steve Forbes...and he doesn't need the
> job.
One of us has bad recall. IIRC Forbes hates the VAT concept, his big
campaign plank was the flat tax.
Alim Nassor
> "Stephen Jacobs" <jac...@comcast.net> wrote innews:E-GdnXNyWoNS5AjW...@earthlink.com:
>
> >...
> > The only US politician I can recall trying to get elected with a
> > VAT in his platform is Steve Forbes...and he doesn't need the
> > job.
>
> One of us has bad recall. IIRC Forbes hates the VAT concept, his big
> campaign plank was the flat tax.
Correct
Frisbieinstein
>
A VAT would be wonderful for rich people.
nonmous
b8c0-2df...@t9g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
> On Mar 8, 4:46�pm, "lawho...@HiWAAY.net" <lawho...@HiWAAY.net> wrote:
>
> A VAT would be wonderful for rich people.
>
Are you saying rich people don't add any value to the economy, so they
wouldn't have to pay a value-added tax?
lawh...@hiwaay.net
> Frisbieinstein <patmpow...@gmail.com> wrote in news:a9ef0a25-7813-4705-
> b8c0-2dfd8df43...@t9g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
>
> > On Mar 8, 4:46 pm, "lawho...@HiWAAY.net" <lawho...@HiWAAY.net> wrote:
>
> > A VAT would be wonderful for rich people.
>
> Are you saying rich people don't add any value to the economy, so they
> wouldn't have to pay a value-added tax?
No, what he's saying is that the rich and the poor will be less
impacted by the VAT than people in the middle class. Due to the VAT's
regressive nature, many of the items purchased by the poor - such as
food and prescription drugs - will be exempted from a VAT if you can
demonstrate that your income falls below a certain level. On the
other end of the income scale, the rich won't be as severely impacted
since they spend a lower proportion of their disposable income on food
and drugs than the middle class and the poor. The folks who really
get screwed by a VAT are middle class consumers. The VAT is aimed
squarely at soaking the middle class.
Arlo-Payne
> Some stuff
VAT is good.
A VAT would within a few years end most problems the goverment has with
funding.
If you want the rich to pay more in taxes add a VAT.
If you want more loans add a VAT
If you want different medical choices add a VAT
If you want savings to go up add a VAT
If you love freedom add a VAT
If you want a fair and just tax system then add a VAT
If you want our children to have a chance add a VAT
There is not a chance in hell anyone can find a real problem with a VAT
system that would be of major concern to the masses.
I have supported the idea of a VAT system in the USA for well over 20
years. it is the correct answer. Death to the present IRS system.
_____________________________________________________________________�
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Beldin the Sorcerer
"Arlo-Payne" <arlo_...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7n2i67x...@recgroups.com...
> On Mar 8 2010 1:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
>
>> Some stuff
>
> VAT is good.
> A VAT would within a few years end most problems the goverment has with
> funding.
> If you want the rich to pay more in taxes add a VAT.
> If you want more loans add a VAT
> If you want different medical choices add a VAT
> If you want savings to go up add a VAT
> If you love freedom add a VAT
> If you want a fair and just tax system then add a VAT
> If you want our children to have a chance add a VAT
>
> There is not a chance in hell anyone can find a real problem with a VAT
> system that would be of major concern to the masses.
> I have supported the idea of a VAT system in the USA for well over 20
> years. it is the correct answer. Death to the present IRS system.
Are you secretly very poor, or independently wealthy?
Stephen Jacobs
"Fred V" <nor...@postonly.invalid> wrote in message
news:Xns9D35B82...@69.16.186.8...
Ok then. No prominent US politician who is trying to get elected (or
recently was trying) has a platform that includes a VAT.
da pickle nospam
wrote:
> "Arlo-Payne" <arlo_pa...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
Neither one. Just stupid.
Alim Nassor 1
You don't actually think that if they passed a VAT the IRS would go
away do you? Hell no, a VAT would be another monstrosity of a
bureaucracy on top of the already out of control IRS and that
horrendous tax code.
nonmous
4492-a642-c...@e1g2000yqh.googlegroups.com:
> get screwed by a VAT are middle class consumers. The VAT is aimed
> squarely at soaking the middle class.
You mean they get soaked in a vat?
bub
<arlo_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>I have supported the idea of a VAT system in the USA for well over 20
>years. it is the correct answer. Death to the present IRS system.
do you honestly think they will do away with your present taxes?
it will be the vat and keep taxing your income with no change at all
nonmous
@recgroups.com:
> There is not a chance in hell anyone can find a real problem with a VAT
> system that would be of major concern to the masses.
The real problem with a VAT on top of all our existing taxes is that the
total revenues to the government would be so high that the politicians and
bureaucrats would have to work overtime to find ways to increase goverment
waste and corruption enough to be able to use all the money. Please, don't
do this to them. Don't make our poor politicians and bureaucrats work
overtime. They wouldn't understand what was happening to them.
Pepe Papon
<arlo_...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On Mar 8 2010 1:46 AM, lawh...@HiWAAY.net wrote:
>
>> Some stuff
>
>VAT is good.
>A VAT would within a few years end most problems the goverment has with
>funding.
>If you want the rich to pay more in taxes add a VAT.
>If you want more loans add a VAT
>If you want different medical choices add a VAT
>If you want savings to go up add a VAT
>If you love freedom add a VAT
>If you want a fair and just tax system then add a VAT
>If you want our children to have a chance add a VAT
>
>There is not a chance in hell anyone can find a real problem with a VAT
>system that would be of major concern to the masses.
>I have supported the idea of a VAT system in the USA for well over 20
>years. it is the correct answer. Death to the present IRS system.
A VAT would probably be in addition to, not instead of an income tax.
It would be great if there were a VAT instead of an income tax, as the
income tax is too intrusive on individual privacy.
Unfortunately, it's all too easy to find a real problem with a VAT
system. It's regressive. It shifts more of the tax burden to the
middle class.
--
~ Seth Jackson
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