While watching my interview with Dambisa Moyo, I noticed C-Span has an easy-to-use archive system that shows all previous appearances.
This was an opportunity for some narcissistic reminiscing, beginning with my first appearance in 1990 (which I shared with a friend, who laughed at my “Justin Bieber haircut”).
But I was especially pleased to find my debate with Bruce Bartlett about the national sales tax or Fair Tax.
Some readers occasionally give me a hard time about devoting a lot of time and effort to promoting the flat tax, while not paying enough attention to the national sales tax. I’ve explained that this is because I think the flat tax is more politically feasible, but the C-Span debate should demonstrate that I am more than happy to vigorously defend the Fair Tax when given the opportunity.
[…] why I’ve promoted the idea on many […]
[…] it a hidden form of a national sales tax, imposed at each stage of the production […]
[…] I imagine my friends who support a national sales tax, which they’ve labeled the “fair tax,” are very irked that Gov. Pritzker is using the same term for his awful […]
[…] are theoretical reasons why a value-added tax (or a national sales tax) might be attractive as a replacement for parts of the income tax, but we need to be aware that […]
[…] I question the political viability of that approach, but I’ve always defended the sales tax. […]
[…] my first choice for tax reform is the flat tax, I certainly think a national sales tax would be a far better way to tax than the mess we have today, but that did not justify mischaracterizing the […]
[…] fans of the flat tax, national sales tax, or other proposals for tax reform, this would be a death […]
[…] fans of the flat tax, national sales tax, or other proposals for tax reform, this would be a death […]
[…] we completely eliminated all income-based taxes, I would be willing to accept a VAT (or even a national sales tax) as a revenue source for […]
[…] not least, Mike Huckabee’s support for replacing the income tax with a national sales tax is theoretically appealing, but it’s either impractical (because there aren’t enough votes to repeal the 16th […]
[…] only caveat, for those who advocate a national sales tax or value-added tax, is that we first need to repeal the 16th Amendment and replace it with […]
[…] sales tax, I’d also be delighted to get something like the Fair Tax (as you can tell from my position in this debate), but I think a national sales tax faces even greater uphill odds than a flat […]
[…] the national sales tax and the value-added tax, for instance, are examples of consumption-based tax […]
[…] Leader, Dick Armey, had proposed a flat tax. Congressman Billy Tauzin was pushing a version of a national sales tax. And there were several additional proposals jockeying for […]
[…] And, if you’re subject to the death tax, they’ll want to know about everything you own. None of that would be necessary if we had a flat tax or a national sales tax. […]
[…] And, if you’re subject to the death tax, they’ll want to know about everything you own. None of that would be necessary if we had a flat tax or a national sales tax. […]
[…] sales tax, I’d also be delighted to get something like the Fair Tax (as you can tell from my position in this debate), but I think a national sales tax faces even greater uphill odds than a flat […]
[…] sales tax, I’d also be delighted to get something like the Fair Tax (as you can tell from my position in this debate), but I think a national sales tax faces even greater uphill odds than a flat […]
[…] is that double taxation of saving and investment is eliminated. With either a flat tax or national sales tax, economic activity is taxed only one time. No death tax, no capital gains tax, no double tax on […]
[…] is that double taxation of saving and investment is eliminated. With either a flat tax or national sales tax, economic activity is taxed only one time. No death tax, no capital gains tax, no double tax on […]
[…] I’ve testified before Congress about the benefits of a national sales tax and I’ve debated on C-Span about how the national sales tax is far better than the current […]
[…] I’ve testified before Congress about the benefits of a national sales tax and I’ve debated on C-Span about how the national sales tax is far better than the current […]
[…] sales tax, perhaps something like the Fair Tax. I’m given speeches, testified to Congress, appeared on TV, and done all sorts of things to promote that […]
[…] a quick caveat for my friends who prefer the national sales tax. Yes, that system also would be a vast improvement. But since the Fair Tax or something like that would require a constitutional amendment to ensure […]
[…] a quick caveat for my friends who prefer the national sales tax. Yes, that system also would be a vast improvement. But since the Fair Tax or something like that would require a constitutional amendment to ensure […]
Mr Mitchell, sorry if I posted some insults in my last post. I was very angry. I will never repeat such behavoir on your excellent blog.
Hey idiot, stop saying ridiculous lies. Now you are attacking CATO so you are attacking even more people, you are digging yourself deeper into the hole. Have you talked to your lawyer about what you are doing, coward? It seems to me that you are totally foolish and you do not realize.
POST YOUR REAL NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE AND ZIP HERE COWARD ASS******, so a lawsuit can be filled against you. STOP BEING SUCH A COWARD. Every time you get deeper in the hole. Talk under your real name, as Mr Mitchell and the people at CATO do.
You make suppositions in your deranged mind, you say things that are clearly false and you get ever deeper in the hole. In my country you would be sued for libel, you would be asked to rectract from the libelous statements that you made and if you do not retract then you would land in jail and probably penniless because at moment you fault gets bigger.
Go on with your idiotic fraudulent libelous behavoir and you may end penniless and in jail. I do not know U.S. law but probably there your libelous behavoir has penal consequences too. Or perhaps you are already in jail, doing life time and that is why you engage in such behavoir but then your prison cell should be located to stop your criminal behavoir.
Your statements are totally unsustained and that is the most important part. They are a figment of your sick mind, there is not a single proof or your libelous statements.
I am not answering anymore to your posts, coward a*******. Your cowardice has been proved, you have never posted your REAL name, address, zip and phone. And it must be verified that at such address a person claiming these libelous statements lives
LuvB,
I can’t speak for Dan, but believe me, the LAST thing he wants is for there to be some trial, where he has to defend calling the most unflat tax possible a “Flat tax”.
Dan is much smarter than you (and me). I just told the truth — the flat tax espoused by CATO is a big lie, it’s not flat. If Dan got up there said “up is down” it would be as valid as his “Flat tax” crap.
Do you seriously fucking think he is going to SUE me for telling the TRUTH, when he knows he is lying his ass off?
I guess you can call it “salesmanship” — trying to sell this most lopsided unflat tax in history as “flat” — I call it lying.
Did you notice Dan’s comment? His short answer was about “double taxation”. That’s bogus too — but at least it’s rational to claim that. You can sincerely believe certain income is “taxed twice” — but that’s a separate argument.
His plan isn’t called “End (supposed) double taxation” Notice that, you lunatic? It’s called the FLAT tax. Instead of flat, it’s the OPPOSITE of flat. Dan knows he would shit his pants if they had a real flat tax — if all income types were treated the same, he would need a bunch of new BVD’s and a bottle of valium.
He knows — like I do- that the whole point of their efforts is to get no tax on their favored income — and have only earned income (from work) to pay ALL taxes. He knows that.
But he knows that won’t sell. They already milked that cow, they already should be ashamed.
It’s sorta like the slave owners in the SOuth. They wanted more and more slave territory. In 1820, they demanded more, or promised war. They got more slave territory. Instead of being satisfied with their own vile expansion, they wanted even more in 1850. They again promised war if they didn’t get more slave territory. They got more.
By 1861 — they were even dissatisfied with that, and demanded all the territories have slavery — even though Kansas had just voted 98% to keep slavery out forever!
Only, Dan and his kind are not for slavery, but they just want more. And they don’t mind lying to get it. They don’t mind calling a very UNFLAT tax flat, to fool stupid people.
We all know the stupid vote is the swing vote. Dan knows smart people will see thru his lies — and not care, if they are getting benefits from it. He knows even more people will be fooled by calling it “FLAT” — that’s why he calls it flat, to fool stupid people.
And it pretty well works. That’s how they got the deal they have now. But CATO, who Dan works for, can’t sit there saying “Oh hell, we got the gold mine, and they got the shaft, sit back and relax”
Hell no. They are gonna pretend they are taxed out the ass, and that they shouldnt pay ANY tax AT ALL.
Its a fucking wonder they don’t want us to give them 10 dollars for every dollar they make.
Oh wait, Wall Street already did that, it was called the bail out.
Greed has no known limits.
Dan doesn’t seem anxious to sue me, why don’t you? What are your damages? Is someone forcinng you to read this?
If you don’t like the truth, don’t read anything I say. Turn on Glenn Beck and find others to hate. So many people for you lunatics to hate, so little time.
Every post by you makes stronger the case for a libel lawsuit against you. I think with what you said now a libel lawsuit against you will be utterly succesful
I think perhaps you are seriously mentally deranged because you may not understand the obviously libelous nature of your ridiculous clownish comments.
So stop being a coward and post your REAL name, address, zip and phone number so a succesful libel lawsuit can be launched against you.
I do not understand why Mr Mitchell allows you to post such libelous garbage and I do not have the slightest idea about what he plans to do with such a clear libel case. Maybe he is waiting to have enough stuff to sue a super-winning libel case against you? Now, with all that you have posted I am sure that in any country with a decent law system a libel case against you will be won.
I do not want anymore to discuss with a libelous attacker like you. So stop being a coward and post your REAL name, address, phone and zip code so someone can be sued. As I said before, if Mr. Mitchell decides to sue -I do not know what he thinks about your libelous posts- I offer my help here.
LuvB,
While I admire your spunk, too bad you don’t have a clue what you are talking about.
Dan is a liar and he knows it. He is paid to lie. He is paid to call something with drastic peaks as “a flat tax”
What part of that escapes you? A flat tax that isn’t flat?
The reason you shouldn’t believe Dan, is the same reason you shouldn”t believe any guy who lies his ass off selling something. The same reason a jury doesn’t have to believe one word a witness said, if they find out he knowingly lied about a basic fact.
IF a guy came to your house and told you about a great roof he can put on, it will pay for itself in a month, and it will last forever — then you find out in the fine print, its not even a new roof, it’s a roof they took off some old house — you can rightly assume the guy is a liar on whatever he says. Don’t trust the guy. Don’t depend on him for any truth about roofs.
Dan lied his ass off about this flat tax, because it’s not flat. Too compllicated for you?
Need some more time?
Maybe a little valium? Take your time. It will come to you. A tax plan that is the OPPOSITE of flat, calling itself a flat tax is, guess what? It’s bullshit deception.
Dan knows his plan isn’t flat. He knows it has ZERO tax on trillions of dollars, while it puts ALL — I repeat ALL tax on earned income.
Dan probably is doing this lying and distorting for a practical reason. No one is talking about making unearned income pay like earned income. This is probably the real goal of CATO. They know they already screw the pooch, they know they should be laughing and appreciating the deceptions they already succeeded at.
So maybe this insane deceptive lie about a “Flat tax” is just a way to keep stupid people unaware — look, it worked on you.
Dan and everyone like him would shit their lying pants if they had a true flat tax — if all income was treated alike.
As far as suing, you stupid shit, the blog owner has approval rights – whoever decides this. I send in my opinion, you dumb fuck. IF they make it public — great.
Dan looks like a nice guy (which is why they hired him). He probably IS a nice guy. But if you paid me 200K a year, I would lie too! He has every right to lie his ass off about taxes — people lie about taxes more than they lie about sex. And they lie about sex all the time.
Go learn some law, maybe a little logic, go sue your momma, but most of all, go learn what Flat means, and how Dan”s BS Flat tax is exactly the opposite of flat.
I threw the Fairtax in there because it’s even goofier than Flat tax. I’d love a true flat tax — Dan would hate it — but I would love it.
Fairtax is literally a farce. Flat tax is not a farce, it’s just a lie, it’s name is a lie, and that is why they named it that way.
The name FLAT TAX SHOULD be – “earned income should pay all the taxes” . But honesty in naming tax plans is a lot like suicide — there is no future in it.
By the way, dumb fuck, you are the one came in here and called me a liar, then you cry like a pussy that someone calls someone a liar.
Here is a clue, pussy, if this is too hard for you to deal with, get out of the kictchen.
You talk about COURAGE Mark while you ANONIMOUSLY post LIBELOUS, CLOWNISH FRAUDULENT LIES in order to damage Mr. Mitchell well deserved good reputation?
If YOU post here YOUR REAL name, address, phone number and zip code in such a way that a lawyer can be sent to your house to file a LIBEL suit against you, and if such lawyer can verify that it is actually your address and not the address of someone else then, when that is done, you will have shown your courage. So far, you have not shown it here.
I showed that your statement that “we should not believe a single word from Mr Mitchell” is a lie, because you know that Mr Mitchell say true things. I showed that your statement is a lie, and instead of refuting me you start throwing at me a child tantrum of undeserved and ridiculous insults.
Probably you are just a fool with some emotional problems that does not think before posting in a gentleman’s forum like this one. I do not know US law but in my latin american country, if you sustain your statements, any decent judge would rule that they are false and therefore will rule that you are guilty of LIBEL against Mr Mitchell’s good name. And since Mr Mitchell is perhaps the world Nr 1 authority on taxation then millions could be won on such a lawsuit.
I do not have the slightest idea about what Mr. Mitchell wants to do regarding your libelous statements, I am just talking by myself because I was infuriated by your libel. But Mr Mitchell is a world class hero, he says truths that many of us do not dare to say and he fights for freedom and prosperity and his work was crucial in stopping OECD very opressive and freedom and prosperity destroying world taxation schemes. Mr Mitchell should be protected against people like you and I am willing to help in this protection.
Myself I handle a forum and you would have been banned from the first post, since it is obvious that you are unable to hold a gentleman’s conversation and to see the truth. I wonder why Mr. Mitchell has allowed you to post here, perhaps Mr, Mitchell respect of freedom of speech is so extreme that he thinks that even your libelous anonymous posts should be accepted and broadcast.
Dont get me wrong — I want you tards to pass any of this crap. PLEASE.
Go on – go pass a tax you call “FLAT” and then have people find out your lied your fucking ass off. PLEASE do that, moron, I would love it.
Go on, retard — pass what you call “FAIRTAX” God that would even be better.
Pass them, go one, fuck tard PASS them. Quit your bullshit and pass them. You fucktards will be shit on for a generation. It would be well worth it.
A Flat tax that is the opposite of flat — GO FOR IT TARD. A Fairtax that is literally a farce — GO FOR IT TARD.
I want you fucktards to pass your own shit. Seriously.
Coward my ass you piece of shit, say that to my face.
You want to learn about taxes? Don’t pay attention to Dan.
Fairtax official spokesmen have trashed their own “plan” by admitting they have hidden over a trillion dollars in taxes — see it here -http://fairtaxfineprint.blogspot.com/
Forget what I say about Fairtax, you moron, see what it’s OWN FUCKING SPOKESMAN say. Got that retard? Go see what they say you piece of shit. Go see THEIR own fine print, and THEIR OWN explanation for that crap.
Guess what dumb ass– a flat tax that isn’t flat, is bullshit too you stupid shit.
The best money I ever made was from capital gains, and I loved it. And I paid NO taxes on it — NONE. Not once fucking cent. Not a dime.
If you want a real flat tax, you piece of shit, have a REAL flat tax, and watch scum sucking pigs like you and Dan squeel like scum sucking pigs.
People pay taxes you piece of shit – money does not. SO your whole “it was taxed before” is nonsense. First, it wasn’t taxed before, and more than OTHER income was “taxed before”
But since you are too fucking stupid to grasp that PEOPLE pay taxes, not money, you are stupid enough to fall for the bullshit cliches they stuff up your ass.
If a dentist makes 50K a month, when he employes 6 people, pays all kinds of taxes on that, and supplies a needed service, why the FUCK should he be taxed 1000% higher than someone like me, who bets on Canadian mining stocks.
I made money on Canadian mining stocks, Tanker stocks, and Chinese solar panels stocks.
But the dentist, you stupid shit, spent 12 years in school, investing say 300,000, plus his time. Plus, he bought or leased a building, pays FICA property, works comp, and THEN if he makes a fucking dime, he is taxed ALREADY three times higher than me, who gets NO taxes on some of my cap gains, and very low rates on what I do pay taxes on.
In other words, you piece of shit, the guy really doing the work and taking risk isn’t me, dumb fuck, it’s the DDS. And a million others.
If you had a true flat tax, you fucking moron, the unearned income crowd would pay HIGHER taxes than they do now, MUCH higher. That would be a true flat tax, and your pussy Dan and your pussy self would shit your pants.
So get real about taxes you fuck tard.
You are a clown Mark. And a liar too. I have challenged you to discuss the Flat Tax here but you just disppeared. And it is a blattant lie by you to say that we should not believe a single word from Mr. Mitchell since thousands of Mr Mitchell statements are facts that can be demostrated true and you know it. Opinions are more difficult to show true but Mr. Mitchell good faith is obvious while your bad faith has been proved by your statement.
Your lack of answer does not surprise me. I know leftists and the pile of garbage -like John Keynes General Theory- that they accept as science.
For any normal person it is obvious that Keynes General Theory is pure nonsense, but the corrupt -mainly liberal- mainstream academia and media accepts such junk as “science”. Keynes garbage theory promotes more power and control and trillions for the political class, so it is not surprising that mainstream academia accepts such garbage as gospel
Oh yeah Mark. You go on writing nonsense, as usual. The same income from capital, under the current tax code, can be taxed 2, 3, even 4 times. You do not understand that -or perhaps you do not WANT to understand that-
Those leftists, they spent years demonizing Bush Tax cuts and once in power they extended them: Even extreme leftists understand how damaging is the tax on capital.
And there is no economic reason to tax capital. You tax capital, it flees, bringing with it jobs, productivity and economic growth. The USA is the biggest tax haven that ever existed, foreigners that invest in the USA are exempt from capital gains and interest tax. If the USA was not such a HUGE tax haven your US economy would be much much worse, any superficial analysis of capital entries into the USA immediately shows how important are capital entries for the USA. Capital is the foundation of prosperity, leftists have been trying to deny such an obvious fact with fraudulent Keynes’ pseudoscience
Dan looks honest.
But he is a deceptive con artist. His goofy “Flat tax” is as flat as Pike’s peak, as flat as Dolly Parton, as flat as Dog the Bounty Hunter’s wife.
In other words — not flat at all.
So this deceptive con artist wants to tell you about a flat tax that is flat like Pike’s peak.
Don’t believe a word this guys says. Not one word.