How do you like paying taxes?

Think taxes in the U.S. are fair? Naw, everyone knows it's not fair - the friggin' rich are getting away with murder! Right?! Well , you may want to sit down and take a look at this:


That's right - the bottom 50% pay virtually no taxes! So, when you see a report about how some proposed tax cut didn't help those with low income you'll know why: there's no tax to cut!

Politicians that regularly decry that the rich are getting cuts while the middle class is not are pandering to the masses to keep their power. It's all about money all right - the money in their pockets that they get a thousand ways (PACs, "business expenses", ...) in their powerful positions.

Lets face it, with a tax law that is 7500 pages long and largely indecipherable, the only ones that are benefitting are the accountants and the special interests.

If you think there must be a better way than the IRS, take a look at the fair tax proposal. If we can get this proposal passed, it would mean:

• No more tax forms to file
• Full funding of the government at current levels, including Social Security and Medicare
• No taxes for those below the poverty line
• No tax on any income - only a sales tax would be collected on what you choose to spend
• Read more here
  

How fair is that?! What's the downside? There's isn't a downside. But if you and I don't push for it, it won't happen. The special interests don't want it. The accountants don't want it. The lawyers don't want it. And they will fight against it. So, unless we want it enough to fight for, we will keep paying others to help us go through those 7500 pages every year. And people and businesses will keep cheating to avoid paying their fair share (putting a heavier burden on those of us who do pay). So, do us all a favor and get behind the fair tax by signing the petition and writing to your politicians.

OK, back to doing my taxes again...if I can figure them out...

P.S. If you question the validity of these numbers, you can look at other sources, including here and here.