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re: Taxing food.
azstrummer — (archived)

Mary Anne. Wow, I've been reading your posts all afternoon and of course we've been in agreement but here's one place where I have different thoughts.

Taxing systems work best when the rules can be written on one page. As soon as we begin granting exemptions for anything, Pandora's Box is open and we end up with everyone wanting one. As we can see from our own taxable history, those exemptions and exceptions multiply exponentially.

Please remember that poor people are already being taxed on their food and in great amounts. Whatever increases they'll see at the checkout register will be completely offset by the fact that their gross wages should go up (corporations are no longer taxed so more is available for payroll). There is no longer withholding tax so every penny earned is brought home. Of course I also envision true single payer universal health care so even more cash is available for the necessities.

A pure and equal consumption tax means that if one saves money they pay less taxes. Good financial training for folks. The truly rich buy all the time and can still save even when they're spending like drunken sailors. It's much tougher for them to hide purchases than it is for them to hide income.

I have long advocated for a flat rate consumption tax with no exemptions and the elimination of all other taxing systems. It's really a pipe dream though. The people in power have created the complexity because they can hide behind it.

Art

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