Big Ol' Smitty

FactCheck.org I already explained why this can't happen while maintaining revenue neutrality. But you don't have to take my world for it [/readingrainbow]: FactCheck.org Because they would end up with less money than they had before. A "3% increase in tax burden" is not the same thing as a "3% tax increase". If you increase the tax burden on a group of people by 3% given a 2 and a half trillion dollar budget--that's a 75 billion dollar tax increase on that group. That doesn't mean your taxes would go up by 3%, that means that group will be paying 75 billion more dollars in taxes that year.

William Jennings Bryan wanted bimetallism. McKinley wanted the gold standard in the 1896 election. Bryan gave the whole Cross of Gold speech...gold wasn't a good thing in that speech.

I'm going to bed but I'll try to respond/discuss more if I have time tomorrow.

Upon further thought, the claim that the FairTax will lower prices by 20% is prima facie ridiculous. Again, the claim is revenue neutrality. Payroll and income taxes collect about 2 and half trillion bucks a year for the federal government. The FairTax would have to replace every single one of those dollars. If prices somehow dropped 20%, then the gubmint would just have to jack up the tax rate to replace revenues. So either the prices won't drop 20%, or the tax rate will be a lot higher than 23%.

The 23% number is what the FairTax advocacy groups claim will be required to remain revenue neutral...most economists think you would actually need a higher rate in order to do so. Somehow a 30% income tax is going to cause a 20% drop in prices? Oh do tell. Marvin, you could (tenuously) make the argument that tax rates would decrease for everyone at the margin, but you're not doing that. The FairTax would increase the tax burden on middle class families. Let me repeat that, MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES WILL PAY MORE TAXES THAN THEY DO NOW WITH THE FAIRTAX.

Right now a great deal of government revenue comes from income and payroll taxes. Every year, Americans put shitloads of energy into avoiding paying those taxes. My brother doesn't pay income taxes and he makes more than I do. Right now, sales taxes are pretty low, so most people don't put much effort into avoiding them. If the majority of the tax burden shifts from income & payroll taxes to a sales taxes, Americans will begin to put much more effort into avoiding sales taxes. Hello black market.

Marvin, the tax claims to be revenue neutral...that means the tax will generate just as much income as income and payroll taxes do now. The rich will pay a smaller percentage of their money in taxes, since they spend less of their money on average. Not even the FairTax proponents dispute this. The poor will get the "prebate" to make up for their increased taxes. Tell me Marvin, where does the rest of that tax revenue going to come from? Here's what happens to the tax burden under a national sales tax with a "prebate": FactCheck.org

It would be a massive tax hike on the middle class, if it really is "revenue neutral" as proponents claim. Also, are you aware of the term "black market"? Because if that passed, you would learn it very quickly.

My campaign promises for next year's tourney:

The FairTax is bullshit.

I rather see a Dignam gimmick. "You thenk am facking retawded? I might just end up creating the whole cast of The Departed. Though every Martin Sheen post would be just a gif of him plummeting to his death. I wanna go back and vote for KOAB after this post.

I was rooting for Uncomitted on the Democrat side. Putting some truth into "Nobody can beat a democrat in 08" . Me too, Marv. I am very pleased with the Romney win, which would seem to keep this clusterfuck of a campaign the clusterfuck that it is.

Dear God. Not all of us can devote an entire evening to shaving. I shave the face everyday, in the shower, with shaving cream (usually Old Spice or Barbasol). Shave the head every other day, again, in the shower with shaving cream. I use the triple or quadruple blade razors.

Agent-More subtle humor than Milky's. kkk-crotchety old curmudgeonly turd King-I like sports. Slayer-Wow, Slayer's rolling through the competition and into the Final Four like an actuary through a homeowner's insurance premium calculation. Czech-I bet he'll like the George Wallace cartoon I just posted in the Pictures I Like thread (lol) VX-Hummus! E-Mac-Easiest choice of round. abstain-I don't care.

Didn't Bigolsmitty once claim to have 6.5% bodily fat? Probably not anymore. My wife is a really good cook.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Milky-again, I must post in other folders than MiB Agent-edges out Ripper because of humor and fewer asinine arguments Canadian Guitarist-stands out more to me than Venkman, also, I guess I came here post-Tuxedo Mask, or missed it somehow Matt Young-see, I found it annoying and lame that he trolled for votes, but Cena's Writer's meltdown in the last thread made me sympathetic to Matt HIAR NYU-I'm just not all that familiar with KKC for some reason King-easy vote Slayer-another easy vote Mole-Battle of Who Gets to Get Slaughtered by Slayer in the Next Round CBR Czech-BARACK OBAMA RISING STAR Snuffbox-smug Vitamin X-brings the pain in the food folder Torn Condom-solid poster PF SJK-I don't have any problem with BL, but I don't get the crazy love he gets Edwin MacPhisto-this was the toughest vote of this round, but Incandenza's cock posts pushed him down a notch Al Keiper-meh Scroby-meh

It's the Olympics of Oppression! Slavery vs. the Holocaust!

Man, Byron, I can't believe you ragged on me for reading liberal blogs! I think you read all the same ones that I do...considering your use of "St. John of Arizona" and your post of a graph from Matthew Yglesias.

I was very wrong here.

IBS Milky-good stories, be they real or false Luke-O-I must go to other folders than ManInBlak Ripper-dumb sometimes, but good people Agent-he's funny Dr. Venkman-I'm not very aware of Cartman Canadian Guitarist-his experience edges out the young up-and-comer Nightwing Matt Young-can be amusing, if unintentionally KKK-sucks HIAR KKC-lucky seed NYU-liked his thread King-this was a tough call, both of these guys are alright KOAB-another tough call, both of these guys suck pretty hard Slayer-antiquarian Socksquatch-poop-a-poo Cyber Mark-by default Jingus-contrarian gas station philosopher CB Czech-I think Timmy posted a lot in intensifier's disturbing "Make Your Own Porno" thread Alfdogg-who's devo? Kinetic-has been bringing his A-game lately snuffbox-AuH2O VX-left wing solidarity gary floyd-needs to change name back to lovecraft to shake things up El Dandy-yeah, him Bob Barron-not aware of that other gentleman PF BL- SJK-don't come into contact with bored much Incandenza-Spiff drew a bad seed here MacPhisto-so did Byron the Bulb Al Keiper-didn't Chav, Paul, & Zack Malibu flood the board with crap about a year ago? AndrewTS-I like video games Smues-Alaskan Marvin-maybe he'll freak out if he keeps winning

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/1...naval-incident/ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/world/mi...nyt&emc=rss http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/0...#comment-281887

Czech was being annoying like this 2 and a half years ago. I was being annoyed by it too, quite frankly. My comment was actually referencing an old Onion article. I don't get your comment about "ALLOW CITIZENS TO DIE", though. It wasn't my comment.