Representation Without Taxation

Sometimes I'm amazed at users here who want to tell me to "do my homework." In view of my academic background I usually do, in fact, do just that. I posted a question, just a question, regarding income taxation and voter qualification. It was a simple question and I'm getting all kinds of answers. I've had to respond to one answer already because of the total lack of knowledge on one user's part. I won't dwell on the particulars but you can see some of the answers so far and maybe take a stab at it yourself at the link below.

This "Super Committee" concept they have dreamed up is troublesome to many people, and it should be. What are all the legislators outside of the committee supposed to be doing while this small group, 6 Senators and 6 House Representatives, meet behind what will surely be closed doors? Transparency to the public, total transparency, needs to shine upon this group. The public has the right to know what they are discussing. I suggest to the President that all meetings be broadcast on CSPAN, but not like the health care reform broadcasts he promised the American public which didn't happen.

The "Super Committee" actually has a chance to do something constructive rather than play partisan politics which is more than likely to occur. Which brings me to the title of this Hub. I am speaking of income taxation and only income taxation. It's an accepted fact that 51% of income earners pay zero income tax, not a penny. In fact, some people receive back far more than they put in. So that percentage of people are happy that they get representation without taxation. I would be too but I happen to be in the 49th percentile that pays for my representation even though is extremely poor representation at the present time.

Here are some things they should be looking at. I keep hearing lawmaker after lawmaker talk about how the taxation system needs reformation. Hear! Hear! The tax code, as written, is full of loop holes which allow more than the wealthy in this country to take advantage of the system. Bear in mind that it isn't the "wealthy" who are writing tax law but the people we elect to represent us. A good CPA just applies the tax code to what exists when the final tally is in. It does seem rather odd that the present tax laws allow more than a majority to pay nothing. This is where I see indifference by many to the size of the federal government and the cost of having the bloated bureaucracy that it has developed into. They have no skin in the game. The mentality of the pay nothing crowd is to demand more services. The reason why is rather obvious in that they aren't paying for those services.

If everything is "on the table," which I don't disagree with, then lets not nibble around the edges but get down to the meat of the subject. Currently they are nibbling by discussing eliminating three big deductions. The consequences of eliminating those deductions need to be thoroughly thought through and some of our lawmakers don't think past the end of their noses and campaign war chests. Those biggies are interest on home mortgages, eliminating deductions for state and local taxes and charitable giving.

Lets consider the consequences of tinkering with those items. Eliminating the interest paid on home mortgages could have a very negative impact on home values. For those of us who have skin in that game, we're already seeing our property values taking a dive. For those who want to talk about the poor and less fortunate, what will be the effect on non-profits who assist those in need if that gets the ax? Eliminating the tax deduction of state and local taxes will be detrimental to those states which presently have a very high state and local tax base. To those residents that deduction has great value. Why not just tell them that they need to seek another place to hang their hat because many of them will.

That is what I term "nibbling around the edges" of tax reform. The "Super Committee" actually has the opportunity to do something productive in the area of tax reform. Thinking outside the box would be helpful. If they don't want to scrap the entire present tax system and go to a regressive tax plan or the FAIR tax, then consider lowering both the income tax rates for both individuals and corporations and make up the difference with a national sales tax. Lets really talk about the redistribution of wealth and have some of that 51% hard earned dollars hitting the till. Makes them uncomfortable to even think about it I'm sure.

It makes perfect sense to me that if every citizen of this country had to pay a national sales tax they would begin to question where the money is going and how much "service bang" they are getting for their buck. When, and if, it had to be raised to cover any additional spending it would require them to do a bit of cost comparison to see if the value is there or not. The present system of allowing 51% to dodge the bullet requires them to do nothing more than demand more.

The "Super 12" actually will have the opportunity to reform the tax system as it exists in this nation. Can you imagine how much money would "not" be spent if the IRS disappeared from the picture or got severely scaled back? This Hub is intended for you, the reader, to share your ideas about how to reform what is broken so that all citizens and wage earners contribute to the cause and have some skin in the game.

They need to think outside the box and stop worrying about getting reelected and put the interests of this country and its citizens to the forefront. Right now we are drowning in debt and future generations are in serious economic peril. If you want to put it all on the table then put everything there, not just nibblets. They're good with the right sauce at Chik-Fil-A, but we need something with a bit more beef to it.