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June 06, 2006
Equally Taxing Matters
by Tina Grazier
Americans have wrestled with equal rights issues for decades.
Today we are still made constantly aware of descrimination and
abuses of the citizenry either against one another or upon
ourselves. Substance abuse, verbal and physical abuse, and
road rage top the list of abuses we endure. People loudly cry
"descrimination" based on age, size, color, sex, religion,
handicap, smoking...the list is never ending. We seem to be
genuinely interested in equality, so why do we "concerned
citizens" so willingly put up with extreme tax abuse year after
year? A 2002 article entitled "Top Ten Civil Liberties Abuses
of the Income Tax" by Chris Edwards, director of fiscal policy
studies at the Cato Institute reveals the nature of these abuses.
The following is Mr. Edwards list of ten civil liberties abuses.
Equality under the law is undermined by:
1. "Vertical" inequality-income tax law treats citizens unequally
with different tax burdens at different levels of income.
2. "Horizontal' inequality-people of similar incomes pay differing
amounts based on deductions, credits, marital status, children
and other provisions.
Certainty in the law is necessary for protection against arbitrary
& abusive government. Certainty is undermined by:
3. Complexity and Ambiguity-tax law uses no consistant definition
of income resulting in a code that is too complex for accurate
reporting.
4. Constant changing law-citizens are required to know the law
and comply yet the rules are complex and changing.
5. Lack of financial privacy-the nature of current tax laws requires
that citizens reveal private financial information.
6. Denial of Due Process-the IRS engages in summary judgements
and enforces them prior to judicial determinations.
7. Shifting of Burden of Proof-the IRS, in most cases, does not
have to prove the correctness of it's determinations against the
accused.
8. Legal recourse-the rules and procedures for obtaining a jury trial
effectively illiminate the right to trial by jury in most cases.
9. Unreasonable Searches & Seizures-Section 7602 of the tax code
allows the IRS to obtain records of any description from anyone
without showing probable cause and without a court order.
10. Forced Self-Incrimination-Citizens are required to sign tax returns
sworn under penalty of purgery which invalidates the fifth Amendment.
Equality with respect to rights was a recurring theme of the last century
and remains the focus of political and social discourse today. But
equality, if it is ever going to mean anything, must include equality of
responsibilities. A tax system that reduces some citizens to childlike
status by exempting them from fiscal participation while overly
burdening others leads to resentment and civil unrest. A tax system that
offends our civil liberties descriminates against all. A consumption tax
would effect all citizens equally at the point of purchase creating a greater
sense of equal participation. Similarly, the flat tax offers simplicity and a
more equitable system. We must end tax abuse by scraping our current
tax code but don't go postal...just INSIST!
Posted by Melody at June 6, 2006 08:36 PM
Comments
And the tax alternative everyone is talking about is the "Fair Tax".
I heard about it locally first and most recently I heard it discussed on Sean Hannidy's show. There is a lot of support for the Fair Tax and anybody fed up with the IRS ought to be at least willing to take a look and consider it:
www.fairtax.org
Posted by: Jack Lee at June 6, 2006 07:01 AM
well I guess that makes us 1 up on libs...:)
Posted by: Nick at June 7, 2006 10:26 AM
It may be a mistake to call it the "Fair Tax" since the word fair has been used by liberals in tortured terms with much whining and complaining. The words I chose were equitable, equal and simple. However, the dictionary offers the following on "fair":
*Characterized by honesty & justice
*A fitting & right balance that is free from undue favoritism
*Reasonable
*Just
*Unbiased
*Impartial
*Equitable implies fair & equal treatment of all concerned....hmmm, I like that.
The synonym was: see also beautiful!
Tax Reform-IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING
Posted by: Tina at June 7, 2006 08:17 PM