Time for a flat tax

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Hog1

Before dismissing the flat tax, or solutions that sound good, ONLY to fall short of revenue needed, consider this.
Our government is out of control and lacking any real accountablilty. Our social programs desperately are in need of radical overhaul. The people that really are in need are being over-shadowed by those that don't. We now have a national debt in excess of how many Trillion???????? Is..........it..........8...TRILLION, and, an ever growing deficit. When are we going to face the music, and when are we going to demand some kind of accountability from our elected officials?
If SERIOUS change is made in some of these things, and then a flat tax, or other alternative might work, as MUCH less revenue generation by the Fed would be required to maintain the satus quo.
Check out the Debt clock. That's some spooky stuff

http://zfacts.com/p/318.html

While I am for eliminating waste and prosecuting fraud in the expenditiure of public dollars, I don't believe a draconian reduction in the governmental revenues will accomplish anything other economic chaos.

As Schneed indicated, what are u cutting? how much? where? Let's say we reduce government spending 20% across the board. A military budget already strapped for cash will have to further increase the burden on individual soldiers. Okay, will exempt the military. Since that is the single biggest expenditure of the federal government (social security is based on an entirely separate tax), we will be cutting many additional services - parks, museums. Oh, and how about all those things that get regulated behind the scenes - like standardization of food production? Remember the dog/cat food issue we just had? Who do you think ensures that weights and measures are standardized in the production, transportation and sale of goods across state lines (You know, like gas and EVERYTHING in your supermarket)?

If you put 1 out of every 5 (20% for those non-math majors) of federal employees out of work, what is your proposed employment plan? Let them starve?

The budget can be reduced by a vigilant and educated electorate. How do we hold the government accountable? It's called the election process. What projects did your senator and/or representative fund? Have you questioned him/her on the reasons? If dissatisfied, did you become involved in the electoral process to bring the abuses to light?

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

While I am for eliminating waste and prosecuting fraud in the expenditiure of public dollars, I don't believe a draconian reduction in the governmental revenues will accomplish anything other economic chaos.

As Schneed indicated, what are u cutting? how much? where? Let's say we reduce government spending 20% across the board. A military budget already strapped for cash will have to further increase the burden on individual soldiers. Okay, will exempt the military. Since that is the single biggest expenditure of the federal government (social security is based on an entirely separate tax), we will be cutting many additional services - parks, museums. Oh, and how about all those things that get regulated behind the scenes - like standardization of food production? Remember the dog/cat food issue we just had? Who do you think ensures that weights and measures are standardized in the production, transportation and sale of goods across state lines (You know, like gas and EVERYTHING in your supermarket)?

If you put 1 out of every 5 (20% for those non-math majors) of federal employees out of work, what is your proposed employment plan? Let them starve?

The budget can be reduced by a vigilant and educated electorate. How do we hold the government accountable? It's called the election process. What projects did your senator and/or representative fund? Have you questioned him/her on the reasons? If dissatisfied, did you become involved in the electoral process to bring the abuses to light?

Your plan is to do..........nothing? It's to hard? It won't work? To scary?That's a recipe for disaster in this country.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Hog1

Your plan is to do..........nothing? It's to hard? It won't work? To scary?That's a recipe for disaster in this country.

Hog, you have offered no plan. JR is simply telling you the things you won't be able to do.

You said we need to cut spending, that will fix our budget problems. Really, Sherlock? You think?? You haven't really told us anything we don't know.

HOW is the hard part.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Hog1

Your plan is to do..........nothing? It's to hard? It won't work? To scary?That's a recipe for disaster in this country.

MY plan is to, as I have always done, carefully evaluate the voting records of my representatives and to campaign and educate others on behalf of appropriate government spending. Central to every candidate's election should be how he/she spent my money for the public good and what he/she did to prevent the misuse of those public monies.

When was the last time you spoke to your representatives about the budget? They will actually listen AND if you have good ones, they act on your concerns. Have you worked on any inititives, collected signatures, joined with others to pool your efforts in electing candidates that WILL effect real change?

THAT is hard work - slow, sometimes depressing, hard work. As a veteran of many campaigns (both local and national), I can tell you one person can make a difference BUT only if you commit, work hard and don't look for the cheap and easy solution.

But you're right. Let's just get ourselves a dictator who can do all that for us and we won't have to worry about investing anytime into holding our representives accountable. Real democracy is just too damn hard to make work right.

[Hog1]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

MY plan is to, as I have always done, carefully evaluate the voting records of my representatives and to campaign and educate others on behalf of appropriate government spending. Central to every candidate's election should be how he/she spent my money for the public good and what he/she did to prevent the misuse of those public monies.

When was the last time you spoke to your representatives about the budget? They will actually listen AND if you have good ones, they act on your concerns. Have you worked on any inititives, collected signatures, joined with others to pool your efforts in electing candidates that WILL effect real change?

THAT is hard work - slow, sometimes depressing, hard work. As a veteran of many campaigns (both local and national), I can tell you one person can make a difference BUT only if you commit, work hard and don't look for the cheap and easy solution.

But you're right. Let's just get ourselves a dictator who can do all that for us and we won't have to worry about investing anytime into holding our representives accountable. Real democracy is just too damn hard to make work right.

When was the last time you spoke to your representatives about the budget? HHmm, not recently....GUILTY!
However, as I have already stated, I don't have all the answers. I DO know, we are going down a dangerous path on several fronts. Probably nothing more so than the budget. We need to start moving in the right direction, not more of the same.