Re: "You have a point. If we could limit the government to a single method of tax collection it would limit their ability to grow without limit."
Correct. Allowing the government multiple methods for raising revenue only emboldens them to grab for even more --- and seek to disguise their predations, at that.
Re: "It is not clear how that would work though."
Also true. One possibility: we could BAN taxes on income (by constitutional amendment, presumably), which would leave consumption taxes and tariffs in the government playbook.... Or ban consumption taxes and enable 'income' taxes, for example....
Re: "For instance many taxing jurisdictions do not levy income taxes, choosing to go after property instead."
With the 50 States and many localities, that is known as the "laboratory of Democracy". Allowing the STATES to try out new things and see if they work well.... If they do, often many other States, or the federal government, may adopt the practices.... I believe local freedom to experiment is generally a *good thing*.
Re: "It certainly is true that property taxes become a holding cost for assets help in property. That is probably wrong as well..."
Taxes on PROPERTY, or taxes on INCOME... what makes *either* of these things 'moral'?
Re: [there is GREAT NEED for tax reform and simplification in MANY, MANY areas.] "Good luck with that."
Eventually, I believe, the public demand will be great enough. In past years (years that saw Forbes or Perot make political gains...) it was *almost* at the very top of the national agenda.
Re: "The lawyers and accountants are strong lobbies that are solidly against any reform of the tax code. If it were easy, they and all of the other tax preparers and tax preparation software would lose a huge revenue stream. They probably don't even have to lobby to have their positions known."
You are correct: MASSIVE forces are arrayed against tax reform, against any 'fairer' tax system.
Re: "At the same time, it does not change the fact that the death tax assessed on the corpus of the estate is immoral."
I never said I thought it *was* moral... but perhaps you can answer this: what makes you think that taxing income earned by working or investing is 'moral'? Or taxing 'property values', raking off a little bit each year... what is 'moral' about that? |
