Reform America

Nobody likes the IRS. I believe, and I could be mistaken, that you're still confusing the prebate with some form of "welfare". When you get a refund check from the IRS when you file your taxes (if you do, myself, I always end up paying, but that's a rant for another thread), do you consider that to be "welfare"? The difference between a "refund" check, and the "prebate" check is all in when you get it. If it'll make you feel any better, look at it this way, with the FairTax, the first "prebate" check you get will be a "stimulus check" like most people got this year, and every check after that is a refund check (like you currently get once a year, only now, you'll be getting it every month) for all the taxes you overpaid.
I complained about getting a stimulus check, it was just expensive election year pandering. Money I didn't overpay - someone much richer than myself overpaid - and I get that persons money via the government. The equitable redistribution of wealth...
What fears of abuse do you have for the fair tax? What do think the worst case scenario would be and how likely...?

As I mentioned elsewhere, attaching our economy to any tangible assert in this day and age is extremely dangerous. Looking at your gold example, assume for a moment that we are able to corner the world market on currently available gold; what happens if 2 years from now Luxembourg suddenly discovers the largest gold deposits ever discovered right under their own feet, and they start producing those deposits and flood the market? Our economy could tank over night, and unless we invade Luxembourg and seize their mines, there's nothing we can do about it.

No, at this point, having our economy tied to our own productivity as a nation is the only way to ensure the long term stability of our economy. There's also the fact that there's so little gold in the entire world, that at the current exchange rate, it doesn't equal 2 years of our budget, much less the rest of the world, which would require a total revaluation of the entire worlds net worth! That alone would not only wreck the worlds economies, but would probably lead to massive wars from the fallout.

Sounds like an argument for why we should not return to the gold standard... and a very good one at that.

I know inflation and some of its causes, what kind of events or circumstances trigger Deflation? I would like to know more about ways we could deflate the currency... It would be nice to have American dollars worth so much, other countries would be asking for us to make half-pennies. Really bring some value back to our currency.

The American dollar is a standard for many transactions on the world markets. Strengthening our dollar would strengthen our economic position in the world and give us greater leverage in trade deals, would it not?
 
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I complained about getting a stimulus check, it was just expensive election year pandering. Money I didn't overpay - someone much richer than myself overpaid - and I get that persons money via the government. The equitable redistribution of wealth...

Well, you may not have "overpaid", but as hard as I get hammered every year for taxes, both for my business and personally, even with all of the deductions, I'll take what I can get! The thing I like the most about the FairTax is that, for all intents and purposes, it eliminates the IRS. No more income tax, no more Social Security tax, no more Medicare tax, no more corporate tax, no more capital gains tax, no more gift taxes, no more estate taxes, no more national federal sales tax (like on gasoline), NO MORE!

As far as any "redistribution of wealth", if by that you mean any and all Social Programs, the FairTax isn't a government reform Bill, it's a tax reform Bill, so it doesn't address those.

Election year pandering? What about the stimulus checks that went out a couple of years ago, when it wasn't an election year? No, it's not "pandering", the stimulus checks were exactly what they said they were, a way to get more money into the public to stimulate the economy.

What fears of abuse do you have for the fair tax? What do think the worst case scenario would be and how likely...?

My biggest concerns about the FairTax are that even should it go into effect, including the receipts from the untapped underground economy, that the rate will not be reduced in order to make it truly "revenue neutral", but that's not a failing of the Legislation, that would be a failing of the Congress. The only disadvantage I forsee, again, from Congress and not from the Legislation, is that Congress can raise the tax rate just as they do now, so there's no guarantee that it'll remain at 23%. The fact is, any arguments I've seen against it are far outweighed by it's advantages, and in fact the biggest arguments against it seem to be from the Hamiltonians who want to keep the IRS instead of getting rid of it.

Sounds like an argument for why we should not return to the gold standard... and a very good one at that.

Thank you.

I know inflation and some of its causes, what kind of events or circumstances trigger Deflation? I would like to know more about ways we could deflate the currency... It would be nice to have American dollars worth so much, other countries would be asking for us to make half-pennies. Really bring some value back to our currency.

The only way I know of for deflation to occur would be for the supply to outstrip demand, and no company is going to do that any more than they have to in order to remain competitive. At the present time, the biggest "deflater" I can forsee would be if Congress would stop restricting drilling, and not only allow, but mandate the immediate construction of new nuclear power plants, and new refineries to bolster our energy supply. In the past 2 years, I've seen costs go up over 20%, with no corresponding raise in wages or salaries, due strictly to energy costs, and the only reason this has happened is because Congress is too busy kissing the butts of the bunny-lovers and tree huggers, and restricting energy production.

The American dollar is a standard for many transactions on the world markets. Strengthening our dollar would strengthen our economic position in the world and give us greater leverage in trade deals, would it not?

Of course it would, but until Congress gets out of the way, and lets the market do what it does best, it's not going to happen. This all gets back to one of our original discussions, Congress hasn't restricted themselves to Article 1 Section VIII, and as a result, look where we are.
 
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Reiterating and Updating OP:
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1. Balanced budget

2. Budgetary Spending and Tax Reform

3. Removal of Omnibus Bills

4. Removal of all earmarks

5. Sunset clauses become standard

6. Military Budget and War Tax

7. All Primary's take place one the same day

8. Provisions of Congressional Reform

9. Inflation and Currency Concerns

Plenty of room if someone would like to add new proposals.
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6. We were talking about the War budget being unrestricted during times of war but I don't think anyone addressed any kind of limitations or qualifications.

I don't think the GWOT is a good enough reason to have a limitless military budget. I would rather see the limitless budget only occur during times of invasion, to repel the threat.

7. There was some confusion about having primaries on the same day.
I'm pretty sensitive about Amending the Constitution, so what are some alternatives? Federal Government is pretty good at getting states to comply by withholding federal funding until the states submit. What do you think about using federal appropriations as tool for reforming elections?

8. Ok, not very realistic but imagine if our politicians had to wear special interest patches on their clothes like Nascar Drivers do with their sponsors:
article_political_nascar_1.jpg

That would certainly make their apparel more interesting.
9/6. I wanted to mention War Bonds. Popular during WW1 and 2, they fell out of favor. What effect do you think this had on our military budget and would re-instating the sale of war bonds be a good or bad idea?
Additionally, what - short of pillaging - can our military do to bring in additional revenue? For example, America's Army was very popular but also very free - there was a CD version that cost $10 but I don't think the Military actually made any money on those sales.

Lets hear what you got!
 
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