Russia's Flat Tax System

[George]

Russia -- leading the way

    It's never fun to admit failure. But Russia's 13 percent flat tax forces me to confess a certain degree of incompetence. For 10 years, I have been working in Washington to replace our convoluted tax code with a simple and fair flat tax. But as every taxpayer can attest, my efforts have not borne fruit.

    Yet in Russia, President Vladimir Putin

[Guest shadow2b]

Russia -- leading the way

[martyr]

Not only should the United States adopt a flat tax system, but so should Canada. History and common sense go hand in hand in showing that the more financial freedom people get, the more they tend to spread it around. I realize that a lot of folks try to cover up their big government agendas by turning the poorer against the rich. These same folks take credit for times of wealth, when the ball was rolling that way prior to their empowerment.

The nation is now in a downward slide, mainly because of Mr. Bush's predecessor. I would add one stipulation to a flat tax rate. If the liberals are so against paying an equal percentage and lower taxes, then just let them cover the amount they fear we are losing. If that were the case, I bet the truth would come out sooner, and a lot of red tape would be eliminated.

[Guest shadow2b]

MY OPINION------WeLL, I guess "TRUTH" just isNOT a factor when it comes to taxes----THE revolution that founded this nation wasNOT just about { NO taxation without representation} that was part of it BUT the AMERICAN people were being { robbed, raped,murdered,homes invaded, daughters raped,stock stolen etc. etc. etc.} the NO taxation without representation is a LIE -----the people said NO TAXATION PERIOD-----

BUT king georgie's tax enforcers, collectors, { the redcoat army} were the ones doing ALL the robbing,raping,

murdering of citizens-----THE PEOPLE said--ENOUGH IS ENOUGH-----can everyone understand ------NO DIRECT OR INDIRECT TAX OF THE PEOPLE--??.??

[boblandis]

A flat tax would be superior to the system we have now. But that would mean that the Big Brother would lose some control over us.

[Guest Lazarus]

Friends, I am obviously new here, so forgive me if I seem a bit unorthodox in my opinions. I intend no disrespect. However, I am quite puzzled by the meaning of Shadow2b

[Guest shadow2b]

Friends, I am obviously new here, so forgive me if I seem a bit unorthodox in my opinions. I intend no disrespect. However, I am quite puzzled by the meaning of Shadow2b

[Guest Lazarus]

"INvoluntary servitude= a tax on personal income is INvoluntary servitude"

Good point, but I'm am still trying to figure out where I am 'INvoluntarily' paying an income tax. I knew the consequences of earning a wage as soon as I entered the workforce. I am a responsible adult that may voluntarily earn a personal income above what is considered the 'poverty line'. I could choose to earn less, live from the work of my own hands to feed myself, or live in another nation. I could also attempt to change a law that I see as repressive, while choosing martyrdom for my cause by not obeying the law, or to work within the confines of the system to right a wrong.

With involuntary servitude we have no choices, but ay least we wouldn't have to pay taxes...

By the way, Gary, is a flat tax that is placed on our personal income any more 'voluntary'? I have the impression that you may believe that a poor person that is poor though no fault of his/her own is just as able to pay taxes as a wealthy person.

Personally, I live off an income of less than $20,000 per year. I work only part time. Much of my free time is given to volunteer work for my community and my church. If I was forced to pay a flat tax rate, I would have to come out of semi-retirement and to severely curtail my work in the community. This is of course dependent on my finding full time employment paying significantly higher than the present minimum wage rate. This is not an easy task for an aging skilled laborer whose skills have been eclipsed, or made redundant by new technology.

"when you file & sign an income tax form you are being a witness against yourself"

Well, if you are committing a crime, then I suggest you not sign the form or file your taxes. On the other hand, you could choose to sign a fraudulent tax form and later use the Fifth Amendment as your defense. Either way, the Fifth first requires a Grand Jury indictment, (or at minimum, a criminal trial), for self-incrimination to be considered an issue. If you have broken no law, then your signed and properly dated tax form can as easily be used for your exoneration.

as far as a murderer video taping his murder,IF he gave the video to the police "voluntarily" it could be used as evidence against him just as a verbal confession would be used against him

Agreed, but 'voluntary' wasn't the question. If the police found the tape through a legal search, and therefore was not given up 'voluntarily' by the accused, would it be self-incrimination in court, and therefore, in your view, not admissible?

And, I rechecked 'Flora'. I found a few things I didn't necessarily agree with, but if you are going to claim the Court handed down an opinion that does not pass a test of Constitutionality, then you will have to reference your own opinions. I cannot do the work for you.

Also, I double checked just in case I had the wrong Flora. The Supreme Court lists no case of Flora v. United States in the 1959. Only the two I linked above. See;

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/cas..._1949-1970.html

Constitutional law was a hobby of mine long before I accepted Jesus as my personal savior. Plus, I was once a skeptic and self-identified Rationalist. So, if my debate style seems a bit stodgy and unrelenting, please forgive me. I intend no disrespect.

Well, I have to give the computer up now. The grand kids are up, and school's out. God bless you all.

Tim...

[peaches]

all i can say about all this talk about tax is. . . huh?

[nagwalk]

It is interesting to note that the advisor to Puten is a LIbertarian student of Ayan Ryan, a proponent of Libertarianism which seeks to reduce the role of government and monopolies in our lives. Russia is also one of the only countries to include the right to own private property in their constitution.Major parties in the U.S. and Canada, left or right are at the mercy of major special intest groups. The left promising abortion on demand and a social worker and teacher and gov. agent for every house and the right promising to the fundamentalists no abortion on demand and new highways and bridges that don't go anywhere. It is all about power and control. It is time for the vast silent majority to take back our countries and promote true freedom and liberty in north america.

In other words, YES to flat tax for Canada and the U.S.