JULY 3, 2013
IRS Scandal may drive tax reform
The current tax system is 'complicated, onerous and downright unfair'
BOHEMIA, NY – The cloud hovering over the IRS as the result of its targeting scandal may have a silver lining, a new and urgent focus on the need for tax reform, according to Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American Citizens.
AMAC has long favored a flat tax with two brackets, combined with the elimination of most loopholes. "But we're open to suggestions as long as they make sense. The fair tax is another option but polls show many folks don't understand it. The important thing is that our lawmakers get serious about totally revamping our system of taxation. The current way we pay taxes is complicated, onerous and downright unfair and the proof is the debacle in Washington over the past two months caused when it was revealed that the IRS was targeting Conservative organizations," Weber said.
He explained that the IRS had a simple, straightforward purpose when it was established: to collect taxes in order that the government would have the monies it needs to operate on behalf of the citizenry.
"Over the years it has become a means of social engineering. This so-called progressive system of taxation is, at best, a way for the government to incentivize what it considers to be the proper way to live our lives. At worst, it is a way to achieve objectives such as the redistribution of wealth."
The IRS scandals show that the tax authorities may have found new ways to use the system to promote a liberal political agenda, according to Weber. "It seems that the tax authorities dragged their feet when new Conservative organizations filed for tax exempt status. But liberal causes were green lighted. All of this occurred in the months prior to the 2012 Presidential elections and there are many that believe this gave an edge to President Obama and put Mitt Romney at a disadvantage."
The number of advocates of a simplified tax system has been growing over the past several years, polls have shown. "In fact, one poll showed that the majority of Republicans [85 percent], Independents [83 percent] and Democrats [71 percent] say that everyone should pay taxes and a balanced flat tax system would accomplish this goal in a fair and equitable way," Weber said.
He also referred to an opinion article posted on the FreedomWorks.org website some time ago in favor of an affordable flat tax system. The article pointed out that "any tax reform should be accompanied by significant spending cuts. The flat tax would remove special interest loopholes from the tax code and allow individuals to file their taxes within five minutes on a form the size of a postcard. It can be implemented through the normal legislative process and it has been successful in dozens of other countries.
So far, the flat tax has been adopted in roughly 24 countries. There's a flat tax revolution going on around the globe and the U.S. needs to jump on the bandwagon.”
