Should we call the Fair Tax the "French Tax"?

[Francine Frensky]

The french have this value added/sales tax, right, I believe it's called the VAT.
So these right wingers who want the US to get rid of the income tax and go to the flat tax, they are suggesting that we follow the lead of France.

I just think it's important for the Fair Taxers to know who their heros are.

[papau]

1. Cute - but the French also have an income tax! But if Fair Taxers become

more French like, I might be coming over to their side!

:-)

[TheFarseer]

2. nice, might actually work n/t

[Francine Frensky]

3. I think they'd get a little queasy at the thought

that they might be following the lead of the frenchies.

[ieoeja]

4. "But Europeans have a sales tax."

To that statement the correct reply is: "Yes, France has a national sales tax AND a national income tax. While we have a STATE sales tax and a national income tax. Personally, I don't think the Republican proposal to apparently eliminate the taxing authority of the states and move everything to the federal level is a good idea.

"You have to remember that we have individual states larger than any country wholly in Europe. Our society is not nearly as homogeneous across the vast expanses of this country as are societies within individual countries of Europe. Moving everything to a federal level might not be the best way of addressing varied local concerns."

REPUBLICAN: "I'm not suggesting we eliminate states' rights to tax their citizens."

ME: "So you're proposing we have both state AND national sales tax taxes? Republicans used to claim, 'Democrats never saw a tax they did not like'. But you know, that statement is so back asswards. It should be 'Democrats never saw a tax they DID like except for income taxes, while Republicans never saw a tax they did NOT like except for income taxes'. You guys just love taxes."

[Selatius]

6. France has a unitary form of government (VAT comparisons are tricky)

Unlike the US, French provinces don't have taxing authority, and they generally hold less authority than individual states in the US. In France, only the central government levies taxes--at least I believe that is correct--but under federalism in the US, both states and the fed have that authority. By adding a VAT at the federal level, they are simply punishing consumers at the local level who already pay state VATs. To the individual person, he or she will now have a double-burden when purchasing products.

There are states like Mississippi that levy a 7 percent sales tax, and what they want to do is levy more taxes on top of that? What will it be? 5 percent on top of 7? I'm sure that will surely help poor folks in the South, especially those ruined by natural disasters.

[welshTerrier2]

5. "fair tax" should mean "ability to pay"

ability to pay should not be based on either income or spending ...

a better indicator of "ability to pay" is a person's wealth ... a multi-billionaire who earns and spends very little still has a much greater ability to pay than someone earning $50K or spending $50K ...

taxes should be based primarily on WEALTH ... a variety of accomodations can be made for those living on limited fixed incomes and for some form of a primary residence exemption ...

if you really want "FAIR" taxes, ability to pay based on wealth should be the standard; not income and not spending ...

[Selatius]

7. Careful there, you're wandering dangerously close to that socialist saying

"From each according to ability, to each according to need" Everybody has told me we do not live in a socialist country nor should we move the country towards one because socialism is "evil."

[welshTerrier2]

8. oh no ...

i've been outed ...

it's also crazy giving tax "discounts" for capital gains while taxing earned income at higher rates ... they like to point out that 85% of Americans are in the "investor class" ... i just love that one ...

if you're dependent on a paycheck, whether you have investments or not, you are NOT a member of the "investor class" ... if you have sufficient investments that you can readily live off their proceeds, then you're in the investor class ...

it's time we forced our corporations to put the interests of their workers ahead of the interests of stockholders ... if we don't, we'll all soon be sweeping floors at Walmart ...