Hello. I'm a new member and have been listening to the podcast for a long while. I'm having a "friendly" chat with this guy on another board and I don't know how to respond to the following. Can somebody help me out with my reply? The person I am chatting with is a true blue republican and we're debating about flat tax and how the government is needed for our "protection". I'm at a loss on how to reply to a person that thinks that the government and Bush can do no wrong.
Thanks!
Quote:
>On 2/11/2006 7:24:33 PM, Spud wrote:
>Now you have nuts that are pushing for a straight or flat tax as well. Think about it, a flat tax will do nothing but create a black market for each and >every product. Why would you go to the store to pay an inflated price when you could buy the same thing cheaper on the black market?.
A flat income tax will create a black market but the current income and sales taxes don't? Curious economic theory. How does it work?
...do you guys know what a flat tax is? Or do I...? Cause when I hear flat tax, I think an income tax with no brackets (or 2, with one group of lower income earners paying 0%). Like Estonia, which has an income tax of ~24% that everyone pays regardless of income.
Income taxes don't create black markets, sales tax does. The reason for this being, would you pay $1080 dollars for an uberwidget at the store (which charges sales tax) or $1020 from a black market, where sales tax doesn't matter?
EDIT- Also, debating with people who believe that Bush and/or the government can do no wrong sounds like a fruitless endeavor. I wouldn't waste your time. Who said that our job isn't to make individualists, but find them? I don't remember, but he's a smart guy.