Flat tax support is a pretty good asshole indicator.

Well let's not stop there...let's apply the Federal tax structures at the state income tax level...W00T!

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That's everything that is wrong with our political culture. People with different opinions than your own are jerks, assholes, or some other derogatory term. You'd fit right in on B&B after Dan gets fired.

"I'm right; you're an idiot."

Bernstein wins.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

People supporting the flat tax is far worse, too bad.

Go, rich guys, go!

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Freedom is our Strength.

that day is coming very soon.
Churches could simply not try and make money on weddings, that would help.

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Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

The tax code could and should be greatly simplified. However, a flat tax is not the answer. I could see some sort of graduated tax with limited or possibly no deductions.

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Mr. Trump is unfit for our nation’s highest office.- JD Vance
If you committed violence on that day, obviously, you shouldn’t be pardoned.- JD Vance on the J-6 insurrectionists

When you have a large standard deduction, it is essentially a graduated tax. People below $50k pay 0%, people at $100k pay half of the flat tax rate (14.5% in this proposal), and so on. At $161,000, the tax payer finally pays a 10% tax rate. That looks progressive to me. In any case, one could certainly argue about the 14.5% rate being too low.

In this particular proposal, you are eliminating the individual's payroll tax, which is 6.2% for SS and 1.45% for Medicare.

I'd love to see the math on the Federal revenue loss. That is where I would have a problem. Low income tax payers would benefit greatly from this change, but I think the Federal budget would go very deep in the red. Thus, it may ultimately hit the poor hard with Federal spending cuts.

If you disagree with a flat tax, I respect your different of opinion. You're ok by me.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

that day is coming very soon.


Where are these churches making all this money on these weddings?

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This guy was on the right track 5 years ago with legalizing drugs , cutting the defense budget in half ..I don't know what happened but he's unrecognizable now.

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Well his dad ran on those things, and they don't win national elections. I would vote for that stuff, but that's me and less than 10% of the population.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I thought his dad was a senator in the 60's. Times have changed. He'd get my vote..he could win n be himself.

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...Ron Paul ran for President in 2008 and 2012.

Does your disability severely impact your day to day life?

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Ron Paul was a house rep from Texas. His book, The Revolution, almost exactly outlines my political beliefs. The only issue I strongly disagree with is the Paul's position on abortion. I believe it is a 10th amendment issue whereby each state should decide the legality. They take the moral road and believe it should be illegal nationally because it is akin to murder. I understand their reasoning but disagree with the conclusion.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I thought his anti Jew stance and age was why he couldn't get the nomination? His son is young and much more polished.

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Well I am sure there are plenty of reasons why 90% of the population would not vote for Ron Paul. The country loves its big government whether it's a strong military, Medicare, national rules, or whatever. There is only a small slice of the electorate that truly believes in small government and state's rights. I have to admit that Libertarian ideals went away because of the practical problems of the real world crept in, so we need laws against discriminating, anti-trust, the environment, child labor, etc.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Ron Paul and Rand Paul strike me is flavor of the month politicians. Ron is not a factor any longer…he’s old and done. He did run for President twice and didn’t come close. Rand has since taken over from his Father. He was a Physician prior to going into politics. I’m not sure of his motivations, nor do I care. He’s there and I believe his intentions to be as pure as the other ass-clowns in office…translation...I don’t trust him.

Rand Paul (and his Father) seemed to have identified a niche…the Liberatarian leaning Republican. Much of his premise I do agree with, but not all. Yes, spending needs to be cut. Yes, government is too big. My problem is I don’t trust him and like all theories, there’s always reality. Once upon a time we had small government….it didn’t work. The result was bigger government. It’s a nice fantasy to envision power to the States, but most of the States can’t run themselves, so that’s not really the solution either.

Rand Paul may be the lesser of evils but he doesn’t have the financial backing to win the nomination, so he’ll fail.

I’ve still yet to hear a logical argument as to why the flat tax isn’t fair. Yes, you need to have earned income credit and a reasonable floor which allows bottom incomes to be exempt. You also need to ensure the deductions are erased and simplified. With that you have the rich paying more since the earn more, and those earning less paying less. THAT is fair.

I don’t like Rand Paul, but he’s the only one to bring anything forward of substance. The other candidates won’t.

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And you never will. Opponents of a flat tax ignore all the arguments of the protections for the poor and how the rich and corporations will pay more. For some fair is always going to be equal to the meaning that the rich must pay more. There are many reasons for this thinking I assume but it was never like this before the IRS existed and made progressive designed system. Like many things having to due with government it becomes ingrained as the right way and can never be changed.

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Elections have consequences.

What makes you think 5% of Americans deserve 60% of America's wealth?

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Freedom is our Strength.

Why do you hate hard working people?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

You and I know that's the stock answer, but does anyone really believe the top 5% works hard enough to deserve 60% of the pie?

A flat tax would be fantastic if everyone made close to the same amount. But $2,500 hurts a $25,000 a year guy far more than $1 million hurts a $10 million a year guy.

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Freedom is our Strength.

I know what will help!

Wealth inequality is a far bigger problem than the complexity of the tax code. Maybe the rich should figure out a way to address that before their mansions are surrounded by starving mobs. Or at least before the average guy can't afford whatever junk they're selling.

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Freedom is our Strength.

Why do you just ignore Denis' point your 25k guy pays nothing?

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Elections have consequences.

I think a better question is why you and deni$ identify more with billionaires than you do with the $25,000 a year guy.

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Freedom is our Strength.

I don't identify with anyone. I want the government to stay the hell out of the way of the free market. While a necessary evil, I want its role to be as limited as possible. In no world is taking 50% of someone's income fair. When you add the combined federal and state marginal tax rates, there are places in this country where that is exactly the case. If the government cannot fund itself on the large take it already has, then something is wrong with the system.

Income inequality is a massive problem. Only good education, including technical track training, along with a robust economy will help alleviate the problems at the bottom. When CPS graduates about 50% of high school seniors, well, you're going to have a lot of adults working at hambuger joints, if at all.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

I'll answer after you do.

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Elections have consequences.

Well said & spot on.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

The flat tax is nonsense rolled out by Republicans during every national election cycle under the canard of "simplification". In fact, it's an attempt at implementing a regressive tax system and putting even more dollars into the pockets of those who already have the most.

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Freedom is our Strength.

Well then I just cannot agree but you feel free to stick to your guns.

At a 14.5% tax the way I see it:
-10k pays 0
-100k pays 14,500
-1,000,000 pays 145,000
-1,000,000,000 (Billionaire or corp) pays 14,500,000

So I am going to assume with all the current policies and loopholes, write offs etc that would be more. Seems fair. What I do not see as fair in any context is:

-10k pays 2%
-100k pays 10%
-1,000,000 pays 24%
-1,000,000,000 (Billionaire or corp) pays 36%

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Elections have consequences.