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1) Get rid of all our poverty programs, except those aimed at the disabled, and temporary unemployment assistance, and institute the negative income tax. That is to say, the system should be continuously progressive, from a steep negative rate of up to 100% on very low earners, gradually declining until it zeroes out around $28,000 a year, and then rising gradually until it maxes out around 35% on the top brackets.
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Someone forgot employment and training services for high wage occupations, increasing literacy and basic skill levels of low-income parents (including GED services) and a myriad of other programs that are necessary to address the issue of poverty directly. The negative income tax is kinda interesting, though.
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2) Eliminate FICA and pay for Social Security and Medicare out of general revenue. It's time to stop pretending it's a pension system, when there are no assets in the "trust fund"
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Sounds good.
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3) Eliminate the corporate income tax
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No way, Jose. Those who earn more should pay more. It's a simple concept.
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4) Eliminate the special treatment for capital gains. All income should be taxed at the same level, regardless of its source.
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Capital gain refers to investments that grow themselves, so of course they should be taxed a bit more.
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5) Eliminate all deductions. Period, end of statement. No mortgage, student, child, etc. All causes are equally worthy in the eyes of the person who possesses the deduction; it is a waste of our time as a nation to sit around arguing about who deserves what.
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Okay, sounds good.
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6) Just say no to the Value Added Tax. In theory, it's a good tax. In practice, because it is extremely hard to tell what proportion of the price of anything represents the tax, it removes the good and natural pressure upon tax rates.
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I could care less about this one, actually.
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7) Get rid of the estate tax, and tax the capital gains on whatever is sold.
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My brain hurts. Actually I think this is a good idea, too.