Triple G

That's what voting and Attorney Generals are for. I'm pleased to see drug policies enacted snd then removed in Oregon, abortion and IVF policies thwarted in AL, KS, Etc. and school policies overturned in FL and other states. Slowing the roll is good advice for local, state and federal levels.

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tracking-regulatory-changes-in-the-biden-era/

What is overreach in one state is not overreach in another. With States' autonomy, that's how it should be.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/04/30/the-sweet-smell-of-government-overreach-485141

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

I was not talking about the presidency itself but rather the Agency that has matured under the office of the presidency. Regulations have just been set in place that further insulates that agency from the president and his agenda, how can you have an executive branch that works counter to a president's agenda. I am sure that you are comfortable with the so called experts setting policy yet they are not exposed to the recall from the voters and clearly an overwhelming majority of federal workers within those agencies support the liberal agendas, it is not like we have political balance within them.

As far as you're calling out bad actors.... They exist on both sides, there are plenty of republicans as well as democrats who are influenced by the money surrounding politics and Washington DC, after all that is why it is widely known as the Swamp, corruption is accepted even by our national media as they well know how the game of influence in DC is played.

If the government wanted to fix tax cheats they would move to a simplified system of flat taxes with some provisions to protect lower income individuals and families and Value Added taxes replacing the Corporate income tax. A simple solution that will never pass.

Triple G

I vote for a simplified tax system, but a flat tax is not the answer. It inhibits growth and does not allow for wealth redistribution. That's big ole discussion I don't have time for now. Off to a neighborhood progressive card party. TTYL

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Well we have had those discussions before on this forum but I would gladly participate in another.

Effate Loc: El Dorado Hills, Ca.

Wow, everyone on the left preaches that the rich shouldn’t pay less than their secretary yet when someone suggests everyone pay at the same rate (you know everyone having some skin in the game which may change some opinions on federal spending) your complaint is not enough wealth redistribution? I hope you didn’t show your cards that fast at your card party tonight!

Triple G

Read up on how it impacts the ability to move out of poverty. I know how the tax code helped boost my family out of poverty with deductions, etc. With a flat tax, the outcome for each individual will depend upon what the flat amount general deduction is for everybody. It usually ends up with a bigger disparity between rich and poor than there is now.

I've read a lot of studies I convinced there are other ways to generate the revenues to boost GDP growth and boost people out of poverty. In the meantime, I'm a huge proponent of greater accountability and justification for spending budgets and better controlled oversight over disbursements

Effate Loc: El Dorado Hills, Ca.

I believe for millions in poverty just giving them more with no skin in the game has proven to do nothing for personal accountability and has perpetuated generational cycles of dependency. With half the population paying no income tax there is little incentive for concern regarding the import, consequences or costs of legislation. I don’t want to over simplify it as it is complicated but what we do today is clearly failing both those impoverished and those paying the freight.

Triple G

Actually, studies say differently. States such as TN with no income tax are fairing better than states with flat taxes. I don't believe that extrapolates to fed taxes, but the actual data of before and after the tax policy changes provides quite a bit of insight. A federal flat tax would also need to include what the state and local entities need. The complexities of the collection and disbursement are almost as bad as the current tax code.

srg

I dunno about that, Sometimes I respond to raQ

ArtzDarkroom Loc: Near Disneyland-Orange County, California

Trump will sell something for more money, he is always "closing" a deal somewhere.

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

Amen.

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

My idea would be to retain personal deductions in a flat tax system to help lower income earners, the point is that even as Warren Buffet himself says he should not be taxed at a rate lower than his secretary, a flat tax would cure that and if personal deductions were set at a level that allowed a family of 4 earning $50K to have no tax liability it would make little difference to high income earners. It would also go a long way to rid the system of tax shelters and other advantages that seem to only be available to the wealthy.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

These items will be instituted at roughly the same time term limits for Congress and judges are written into law.

Triple G

Theory and practice aren't always in sync. Look to how the research shows that flat tax systems at the state level haven't delivered as hoped and administration didn't lessen -- applying it at the federal level is even less effective.

Effate Loc: El Dorado Hills, Ca.

There must be some vehicle to fairly tax “all” because if half the nation gets to make their voting decisions solely on who offers the most free stuff then I wonder how they will vote. Everyone needs some skin in the game to realize the import and consequences of their vote otherwise it’s just another version of “Swilling the Planters with Bumbo!”
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/swilling-the-planters-with-bumbo-when-booze-bought-elections-102758236/