You say: (One of the reason why old laws often seem more progressive was that the balance of political power was more leftish back when the legislation was implemented.)
"seem" why seem and not are? Also, if a "reform" is to the right it is not a reform at all. The term "reform" is a misnomer since a reform is to make things better. Cheers, Ken Hanly -- --- Jim Devine <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On Nov 16, 2007 6:36 AM, ken hanly > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > This guy [Rogoff] is a Harvard economist. Does he > belong to the > > flat earth society as well as the flat tax > society?... > > > How on earth is the flat tax supposed to help > reduce > > income inequality? It does the opposite by doing > away > > with a progressive tax system.. > > in theory, at least, a "flat tax" can be made more > progressive by > exempting necessities (or incomes up to a certain > level). But then it > becomes a "simple tax." And simplicity is the only > attractive aspect > of a "flat tax" idea to me. > > the problem with even a simple tax is defining > income. It's easy for > accountants or economists to define income (though > the two groups will > come up with different answers). The problem is to > actually tax that > income involves all sorts of paperwork -- and it is > the latter which > motivates many people to favor the "flat tax" or (if > they're smarter) > a "simple tax." > > so some favor the idea of a value-added tax (a > national sales tax) > which meshes with the popular idea that only > consumption, not income, > should be taxed. I understand that that kind of tax > is hard to > implement, though I've never had any experience with > it. > > Most importantly, as with all "reforms" (left, > right, and center), the > _actual implementation_ depends most of all on the > current balance of > political (and economic) power. With labor on the > ropes and other > "progressive" forces very weak, these reforms are > likely to have a > heavy rightward tilt. (One of the reason why old > laws often seem more > progressive was that the balance of political power > was more leftish > back when the legislation was implemented.) > -- > Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le > genti." (Go your own > way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing > Dante. > Blog: http://kenthink7.blogspot.com/index.html Blog: http://kencan7.blogspot.com/index.html
