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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (24647)	7/15/2000 1:37:07 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Neo, that's interesting. Many years ago I was for a flat tax instead of a consumption tax. The main reason being that border states would have quite a few people buying products on the other side. But my mind was changed primarily because of two things: 1. Simplicity- I have come to believe that the simpler a tax is to understand, the more in-tuned the electorate will be with how much taxes are costing them. A flat tax still requires an action on the part of the electorate in the reporting of income and such. Complexity rises the more steps we have in the process. With complexity comes the willingness for future politicians to alter the system. It's relatively easy to go from a flat tax, to a graduated tax, then to a progressive tax and back to the convoluted system we have today. 2. Heightened Awareness - With a consumption tax people SEE the tax every time they purchase something. I've heard many people complain about the 1.00 surcharge at ATM's, but I've rarely heard them complain about the thousands pulled out of their income under FICA and such. A heightened awareness exists when you see a receipt and realize the tax is what it is. Awareness (by the public) of how high our rate of taxation is, is vitally important if we are ever going to roll back the wasteful social programs designed by Washington to suck the life energy out of the people. Heightened awareness is practically the only thing possible to defend the "starve the children" "starve the elderly" "starve the poor" sound bites which dominate the lefts playbook. Best, Michael

To: Neocon who wrote (24647)	7/17/2000 8:29:27 AM
From: Tom Clarke	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

In what way was Huey Long a fascist? You object to FDR being demonized, but you have no problem demonizing those who opposed him. Long was shot on September 8, 1935. That day should live in infamy. FDR probably had him whacked. Long had announced his intention to seek the Democrat nomination for president in 36, and his movement was a juggernaut, he likely would have won. Not that the country would have been better off. The flamboyant demagogue was just as socialistic as FDR, maybe more so. Populist does not equal fascist, contrary to what those inside the beltway believe.