Posted by
Da Coyote on Friday, April 20, 2007 4:19:36 PM
"The power to tax is the power to destroy." John Marshall
I could sit here all day and rant against the income tax. I know this for a fact. I've done it before. But that would be singing to the choir, for even here on the "left coast" I've rarely met a person that didn't share my desire to repeal the income tax. Instead allow me to suggest a replacement for that twisted and corrupt monstrosity of American bureaucracy.
I've seen many proposals for a new national system of taxation- a national VAT, a national Sales Tax, and of course the "Flat" income tax, among others. And though just about every proposal I've seen would be better than the mess we have now each one has the same problem: it's a Federal Tax.
Now I understand the need to fund the Federal government. And, yes, we would do better to fund a lot less of it. But any direct tax on the citizens by the Federal government risks abuse. Sales taxes can be too high or too selective. Property taxes can be assessed unfairly. Income taxes seem to demand annual tinkering by bored Senators who more often than not are encouraged to make things worse rather than better in regards to taxation. As long as the power to tax is held by a single legislative body we're going to have problems. And so I suggest we take that power away from Washington and give it to the local governments.
Repeal ALL "internal" Federal taxes (Income, Corporate Income, Capital Gains, Gasoline, Tobacco etc) and fund the Federal government with a share of the revenue (taxes, fines, fees, donations etc) of all other American governments (states, counties, cities, and territories) that fall under Federal protection. Off hand I don't know what percentage would be appropriate, but let's say half just for argument's sake.
In this grand scheme of taxation our corrupt Federal government would be incapable of raising or lowering taxes, causing it to become less corrupt. Tax rates would be determined by literally thousands of competing American governments, which would create an inherent downward pressure on taxation that currently doesn't exist- not to mention an inherent drive towards efficiency. And citizens would have much more control over the nature and rate of their taxes because all taxes would be enacted and administrated on a local level.
And the best part of all? No more IRS.
Well I can dream, can't I?