Daily Agitator
I know we all have had a WTF moment and find ourselves scratching our heads…..one of mine came this morning watching a talk show……there is a conversation between a couple of people and one of them was obviously pro-business…..Gov. Rendell brought that Exxon paid NO taxes in the US in 2010….but paid $56 billion (I believe) in taxes to other countries…..there was my WTF!
You are telling me that a company that is protected by the US does not have to pay its way in the country? And then this pro-corporate dude said that they keep taxes low in this country so that business will create jobs and that would mean more people would be paying taxes and the nation’s income will go up…..WAIT! Another WTF moment!
You are telling me that that is the plan? Hire more people and get massive taxes breaks and the revenue will go up? In other words it is still on the backs of working stiffs to keep the country going. right? So it is all about the working class, middle class, whatever you would like to call it to pay all the bills? And business gets the usual free ride?
Let’s keep with that line of thinking……corporations have just gotten a massive tax break thanx to Obama and the Repubs….we all know this…..then where has the rush to create jobs been? It is NOT the tax code that is preventing the creation of jobs……it is greed!
People keep trying the old tired and lame theory of trickle down economics….they only re-package it every decade or so to fool the voter with unbelievable promises of prosperity…..and they BUY IT!
You guys really want an idea?….here is one……everybody, personal and corporations, pays 10%…no breaks, cuts or deductions….working stiffs will have more on their checks…corporations will be paying the lowest corporate tax rate…and the country will once again have a revenue…..ya like it?!
Oh yeah…..and stop making plans that will go economic NOWHERE! The truth is the best this country can ever do is a 2 year plan that coincides with elections….that is REALITY!
Welcome to the theater of the absurd–price of admission/Your Mind!
That is what they are hoping for…….people would ratyher worry about what they will do this season on Jersey Shore in Italy…..have a good Friday!
I think “trickle down theory” should be re-named “passing the buck”.
The “trickle down” theory does actually work, but ONLY if you force it to do so by ensuring a completely level playing field. THAT is not easy to achieve even under normal circumstances – and you don’t have normal circumstances because corporations, the very wealthy and other “special interests” own the government.
However, I come back to the question of VAT, so how about this for a broad blueprint…? Do away with ALL other taxes – income tax, corporation tax, customs duty, purchase tax, fuel tax, road tax – ALL of it! Dump it all in the trash!
Then add 80-100% VAT to EVERYTHING except food, water, sewage and power The only other exception that I would consider is perhaps a 10% rate just for housing – both new and old???
Phase out over five or ten years, ALL welfare except for ALL Medical, education and VERY limited unemployment/sick pay. These few welfare services should all be TOTALLY FREE to ALL, poor or rich (if they want to use them, but I doubt they’d provide TV, ADSL and caviar for breakfast in every room – THOSE sort of “luxuries” are where the insurance companies come in). basic pensions are, incidentally, NOT welfare since you have paid for them during your working life. If you haven’t worked and paid (or had a spouse/partner who has paid on your behalf), you don’t get one. Tough! If you COULD have worked and didn’t, that’s YOUR problem! If you have children and cannot afford to keep them, expect them to be put into care.
Remove ALL trade barriers, both within the country as well as for imported goods, ALL of which attract VAT – except on exports to similarly “free trade” countries who also agree to apply their own VAT taxes (most countries – in Europe at least – apply VAT these days). Remove all “perks”.
Make election campaigns four or five yearly for ALL and fund them SOLELY from public funds (at a VERY low level). FORCE all media as a civic duty to provide EQUAL airtime free of charge for official cadidates from all parties during the final six months of an administration term.
Prevent by law, ANY special interest from interfering or funding ANYTHING political – with guaranteed jail terms for both the giver and receiver, if caught doing so.
That’s all very simplistic I know, but the money generated by such a level of VAT would be huge and with little government to fund, the economy could then come FIRST and be made to blossom – particularly since the vested interests would have no power to control it – it would actually be, for the very first time, in the government’s direct interests to see ALL trade flourish.
OK, OK – it’s just a theory, but it has more going for it than the current ideas of trickle down… 😆
Trickle down is a humorous antidote…..a slogan and a lie to gain support for the polkicy of letting some get a free ride with the promise of prosperity for all…..ha ha , at best……
A single tax or a VAT would get my support completely……
I agree with your description as it IS, but not as it should be, or some have dreamed it COULD (would?) be.
The real problem is that those TRULY in power are very rarely the politicians the people elected, but rather the shadowy figures who own and control them – and THAT’S down to the SYSTEM!
Yep and you and I have been bitching about the system of a long time…..and I keep asking…will the people ever wake up to their problem?