New Video Exposes Nightmare of IRS Complexity
by Dan MitchellMy all-time favorite former intern, Hiwa Alaghebandian, has just narrated a new Economics 101 video about the cost of the tax code for the Center for Freedom and Prosperity. I won’t spoil the surprise by giving the details, but you if you’re not angry now, you will be after watching.
In the video, Ms. Alaghebandian notes that a study from 1996 (back when the tax code was not nearly as complex) estimated that a flat tax would reduce the compliance burden of the income tax by 94 percent. In my video on the flat tax, I mostly focused on how a single-rate, consumption-base system would boost growth and competitiveness, but simplicity also would be a remarkable achievment. Not only would real tax reform reduce compliance costs by hundreds of billions of dollars, it would also put a big dent in the corrupt practice of distorting economic choices with deductions, exemptions, credits, preferences, shelters, and other loopholes. That’s a profitable game for politicians and lobbyists, but the rest of us pay the price because the tax code is even more of a nightmare.
There is also an under-appreciated connection between simplicity and fairness. My colleague Will Wilkinson sagely observed that “…the more power the government has to pick winners and losers, the more power rich people will have relative to poor people.” The tax code is a good example. Many leftists want the tax system to penalize success with high tax rates. I’ve explained why this is economically misguided in a video on class-warfare tax policy, but it’s also worth pointing out that a simple and fair tax system like the flat tax makes it much more difficult for the well-connected to take advantage of complexity. Simply stated, the tax system should not punish the rich with high rates (notwithstanding the neurotic views of self-loathing trust-fund heirs), and it shouldn’t reward them with special deals.
The good news is that we know the policies that will fix the current system. The bad news is that politicians keep making the system worse. Putting the IRS in charge of enforcing key parts of Obamacare is just the latest example of why America needs a tax revolt.
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601 Comments
Flat Tax/National Sales Tax = Regressive Tax
Next!
What a blatant ripoff of the Obama Girl.
I'm ALL FOR FLAT or FAIR tax!
Obama girl left Obama. she was on Hannity and confessed he let her down.
17,000 pages of code. When Huckabee spoke, he reminded us hookers and drug dealers neither file nor pay taxes.
A flat tax would be better than the mess of a system we have now. But please, no VAT tax1
http://www.PoliticalCentrist.com News and views for independent voters
Yeah, she's attractive, but the message is wrong. If it wasn't for the IRS, we wouldn't have the funds to build highways, feed the poor, heal the sick, and stimulate the economy.
The current system put the incentives in place for special interests to be able to lobby for special treatments and costs way too much to comply with. A simple flat tax would be a huge improvement as most wealthy people just hire accountants to show them how to manipulate the system anyway. Close the loop holes and incentives for corporate lobbyists.
Wow. The trollies are just ready to pounce. Glad to see your reading the Bigs. Maybe you'll learn something!
Here is a great clip on Obama.
http://www.pjtv.com/v/3352
LOL, last year i made mistakes on the simplified 1040EZ form, LO, f-ing,L
The point being is that the IRS is a bureaucratic mess, always has been.
By the way, the IRS has no powers over stimulating the economy, only regressing it by enforcing the codes set forth.
Hubba hubba… I can see why she's your favorite intern. She can talk taxes with me anytime.
Well, you were right about her being attractive.
I would go for a flat income tax, the federal and state need no more than 7% total.
Abolish corporations,they create a pass-through tax on sales of product.
Let's see if another extremely attractive conservative women triggers another frenzy of Palin Syndrome. We're off to a good start already. The trolls are restless!
Who now thinks Obama sucks, LOL, media matters fax still broken?
No worries I am sure Obama will get right on that and get you a new one, you can pick it up at the same place you are getting your free car, house, and oh yeah health care card.
Loser
How about the citizenry just deems the flat tax as a necessary reform to avoid imminent financial collapse?
Just cut a check. Income x % = payment, good day.
That's not a good argument for the abolition of corporations, but it is a good argument for the abolition of corporate taxes!
Or raise the dead … ah wait that's Obama's job, which is probably why he is not worried about health care rationing?
LMOA – You trolls are getting more unhinged day by day
Taxes, a very naushes subject. If you can bear the subject though, attached is a video called, "The Biggest Game in Town". Actually, a documentary. The documentary has never been refutted and the author explains how the government has been keeping two sets of books. One that is all you ever hear is the national debt and the deficiets. The other only the few know of, but never dicuss. Should you watch the documentary be prepared to be outraged. The accured wealth of your tax dollars that the elite have hoarded is all found in the yearly (CAFR), Certified Annual Financial Report. Your jaw will drop to the floor over this. Fortunatly, their is a bright side in all this – "NO TAXES". Lenghty video but well worthy of your time – enjoy !!!!http://countusout.wordpress.com/2010/02/19/18662
I hate the IRS and I love her.
Sounds great…after the abomination misnamed as a "progressive" tax is repealed.
Flat Tax/National Sales Tax = people like you being forced to WORK for the things you want and need instead of stealing from those of us who already are.
After spending hours and hours using turbotax to file my (admittedly complex) taxes, I am all in favor of a flat tax. Why should we be spending excessive hours to tell the gov't how much we owe them?
That's either a big lie or an unfortunate mental disorder expressing itself.
I guess the Tea Party has more relevance than ever. Hiwa is a doll.
I'm living the nightmare right now. Just received a notice from the IRS, probably along with millions of others, of back taxes, penalties and interest due. Five figures. This all due to a bureaucratic error that in the will cost me hundreds in lawyers fees and time off work. I do not owe the tax.
Sc**w the IRS, we need A FLAT TAX. POSTCARD. NO ROOM FOR ERRORS NO NEED FOR LAWYERS OR CPA'S.
Uhhh Scott, I hope your not serious. The IRS just COLLECTS the taxes. They have nothing to do with building highways, feeding the poor, etc. If we had a flat tax, the government could still do their job (national safety, infrastructure, etc) without the BILLIONS we spend on the wasteful, inefficienct, bloated beauracracy.
So "all men are created equal" actually means that the rich are more equal and must be forced to pay for services used by non-tax paying citizens? Is this the gist of your argument Steve?
The top 25% of wage earners pay 86% if all taxes!
If we simplified the tax system how would I hide my money in my non-profit 'foundation'?
Unfricking believable………….and then where will you get your anything you need. The fact that corporations pass through their taxes to their consumers is Econ 101, it is a cost of business…………..same as the rent. So where else is it supposed to go.
Instead of vilifying those corporations, I think that anger would be better focused on those in the halls of Congress that continue to tax, spend and waste. Us true taxpayers are about past feed up with these morons we call government.
So let's focus on where the real problems are in this country and stop using corporations as the scape goats, or is it that you would like this fine tuned government of ours to run all business too. Take a look at the bread lines in Russia and let me know back if that is really what you advocate.
Our government has such a stellar track record of running things well, lets see the IRS, USPS, Medicare and Medicade, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Social Security and on and on. I REST MY CASE!!
Wake up man!!
I think a VAT would be preferable to the income tax. That said, I'd only accept a VAT with the caveat that the 16th amendment were repealed. So yeah, please NO VAT!
You're not fooling anyone with that phony name Geithner.
Only to the moochers of society.
Nice job Parrot, what ever you do don't take any intiative and lear to think for yourself….Nah, jst keep repeating you mantra….
Barack Husein Obama Mmm Mmm Mm
Barack Husein Obama Mmm Mmm Mm
Equal Pay For Equal Work Mmm Mmm Mm
Barack Husein Obama Mmm Mmm Mm
Don't know if that's a good idea. Nobody would want to post them on their wall as a trophy.
OTOH, they would make good scarecrows.
Are you really that stupid?
Steve you got it right, afraid It's hafta be a little higher rate than that, but will you see this idea getting a big push…Eastern Europe, a lot of the 'stans' and Georgia are doing it with great success…
Too bad the Obama girl decided to be the NOT Obama girl.
Eastern Europe, a lot of the 'stans' Russia, and Georgia are flat taxing with great success…
That video was about taxes?
By opening an ACORN office silly.
http://www.TeaPartyExpress.com http://www.TeaPartyRevolution.com
This Thursday on Tax Day, hundreds of thousands of citizens will take to the streets to show President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid that freedom loving Americans have had enough.
We have had enough of their willingness to saddle future generations with unprecedented debt.
We have had enough of being told that the liberals know how to spend our hard-earned money better then we do.
We have had enough of being dismissed and derided by the Washington, D.C. political elite.
Now is the time to Take America Back from these advocates of Big Government. Click Here to Support Tax Day Tea Party Events All Over The Country!
With the April 15th Tax Day Tea Parties rapidly approaching, we are working around the clock to ensure turnout is through the roof at every one of the 500+ local rallies across the country.
But we need your help.
First and most importantly, please be sure to show up at one of the many Tea Party rallies taking place all over the country. Better yet, enlist your family and bring your friends! A list of protests nationwide can be found by clicking here, so find one nearby – or make the trip to Washington, D.C for our Tea Party – and take to the streets this Thursday.
Critical efforts are underway to ensure the Tax Day Tea Parties are the biggest ever. But we need additional resources to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people to show up and make their voices heard. You can help by supporting us by participating in your local event.
God Bless America
Or finance Wall Street, or Buy banks, Or buy car companies, or pay for Pelosi's 767, or pay for "Jose" my undocumented local drug dealer– to recieve free medical, food, and housing
and schooling for his equally undocumented rugrats. Its this mentality and the people behind it that need to go away, They are neither competent or mentally stable enough to manage a country , mush less a Hot Dog stand.
So did I—However they amended my return and was delighted to recieve a paltry 700 extra——Go figure
It could be both. Likely, in fact.
Please, wasteful, inefficienct, bloated bureaucracies is what the federal government is all about. I for one, would love to go to the Flat tax. The only problem is, the government would still be able to bone us with high tax costs and still grow the bureaucracies elsewhere, and then we would be back to square one. Shrinking government is the only way to get ANY of this done.
[...] an interesting and educational video about tax compliance costs and what can be done about [...]
Wow, Mitchell, nice thinly veiled admission that you're defiling a girl a third of your age. Pure class…I'm sure your kids are proud.
True enough, RedWhiteAndJew. Thanks for the reply.
I love reading your comments. You're a helluva conservative thinker!
I was going to be nice and clever and joke about his.
YOU SUCK YOU F_ING A$$HAT!!
Why is it that a conservative girl gets no consideration for her brains or vocal skills,
you go right for calling her a slut.
in the words of the great Dick Cheney: "Go F#CK yourself!"
Be embarrassed. The OBAMA GIRL caught on–what's YOUR problem?
between the fair and flat tax, the fair tax seems to make better sense to me. Everyone pays ie, people working for cash. We also benifit from people visiting our great country. I would love to hear some thoughts on the 2.
I think we're seeing "wailing and gnashing." Threats to one's demon possession will do that.
I can see why she is his favorite
Hahahahahaha….
She's the one F-ing the 52-year old father of 3, Dr. Daniel J. Mitchell. I don't have to call her a slut, the facts speak for themselves.
Spin it how you want to, bucko, but don't get so upset next time. Your emotions really get the best of you, and it really makes you look bad.
By the way, do you think "a$$hat" is really even an insult? (For what it's worth, it just made me laugh. A lot.)
In the words of the great William F. Buckley, I'd take you seriously, but to do so would affront your intelligence.
that is why I felt the fair tax made more sense, am I wrong?
you guys in CA do have some pretty screwed up stuff going on there. the unions are beating you up too, Give that job to a private contractor, you would have it done.
Flat tax is great. Workers of the world unite —- just to mooch?
Flat tax is how we get the moochers to stop mooching and make them help the poor and the black and the needy.
We don't need posers who just talk and break windows.
.
Progressive taxation is right out of the Communist Manifesto.
That's a good one – go Bamm girl! Obama girl hates Obama now — he's such a liar. Who doesn't hate him?
Oh, that's right, Chris Matthews still has the mancrush thing………
You're such a caring person — that's why all marxists kill people — so they can build the roads they desperately need.
Get in line commie, I'd defile her too and I'm only 14 yo. I got my sex education in 2nd grade public school and ready to go.
Your street girl is out getting her penicillin or new tattoo, Tiger. She thinks you da bomb.
She is hot like the lava and makes a good poiiint of IRS costs. We don't need no stinkin IRS army, we need higher revenues from lower tax rates.
Note to catatonic dems: lowering tax rates, increases tax REVENUES. It's a counter-intuitive thing, try to keep up.
Hey 14 year old, I know you're desperate and will F anything, that's why you're 14 and pathetically horny. Let your sack drop and then you can talk like a man. Meanwhile keep shining your knob, someday a real live human girl will give you a chance…
BTW, you think a commie would quote William Buckley? Dumb azz…
She got some purty lips. What did she say again?
It's not worth it, spaceracer. The thing is having a little problem with projection, is all.
stimulate the economy….. HAHHAHAHHAHAHAA
Ever used a national highway? A public beach? Guess you're a moocher. Truth hurts sometime, don't it?
Oh you got me, not like you creative types SOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMTELEPROMPTRZSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISMSOCIALISM
What, Obama invented using hot chicks to sell stuff now? What ELSE do we owe him?
Every Flat-Tax proposal I have ever read/heard about employed a cut-off income rate. That is, income earners that earn below a certain value are completely exempt from the Income tax.
Even us heartless, cruel, Conservative haters-of-the-poor understand that some people should be assisted.
But, there is no fairness (nor wisdom, nor sanity, nor maturity) in 50% of the US population being exempt from income tax.
We know the Internet AND Global Warming belong to algore.
You left out punishing the Rich and soon to come: discouraging the use of fossil fuels, eating, or breathing.
I'm not sure who that speaks about more…
Flat Tax/National Sales Tax != Regressive Tax
Flat Tax/National Sales Tax = More Fair Forms of Taxation
There, fixed that for 'ya.
You left out walking on water.
Perhaps we should get Ms. Alaghebandian one of those lifts that Al Gore used.
Then maybe the trolls could keep up.
Leftist Translation Filter Engaged …
Regressive = Boo Hoo for Handout Queens
Regressive = Wa Hoo for Economy
Judyrose–Some of you sickos can't stand having an intelligent discullion made by a pretty woman. Would it sound better to you if it were an old coot with a beard and a beer belly?
This is why the tax system is so complicated=to keep the attorneys & CPA's employed.If only we could buy an open season tag on attorneys!There's an idea that might actually fix the country…
Just to put road building into perspective…In the rural CA county I live in ,Caltrans(the state road building agency)is widening a major road that has needed widening for 15 years.$160 million later, 1 1/2 miles are being widened! Why, because 80%(!!) of the money went to administrative,study costs…It isn't the tax amount being collected, its the bureacracy…but I think the readers here know that.
I'm not sure if you've noticed but women also have personalities and brains. No where does Mr. Mitchell say that he "defiled" this young lady. If you are referring to him saying that she was his all time favorite intern, it could be for many reasons such as: perhaps she's smart; perhaps she has a great personality; perhaps she demonstrated leadership skills; perhaps she has great people skills. When a man says a compliment about a woman, it doesn't necessarily mean "she was great sex", it could, as shocking as this may seem, mean that he truly values her as a human being.
Instead of attacking Mr. Mitchell (and Ms. Alaghebandian) with falsehoods and male chauvinism, why not just address the issue this intelligent lady brought up?
I think I'll make her my favorite intern too…….
Sorry to go off topic…I know it's sexist….but hey, at least I still have it in me for an old guy !!
[...] Read the rest here: » New Video Exposes Nightmare of IRS Complexity – Big Government [...]
Yea I do. And what is the remaining 98% of my taxes buying me?
Oh, btw, I would love the national highways and beaches to be private. They would be far better maintained.
Hurts to think sometime, don't it. (I borrowed your improper grammar so that you might understand.)
I like the idea of a "regressive" tax. Its about time the "poor" started paying their "fair" share.
Dear CommonSense, if you spent any time around the libertarian movement, or any time around the policy institutes you support here, you would have seen Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Alaghebandian traveling together to numerous Cato events and others, making no secret about the fact they are openly dating. You can ask anyone else who has such knowledge or access, and they will confirm that point as well as the fact that both are disgusting.
Obviously you agree, because you don't defend Mr. Mitchell and Ms. Alaghebandian, but rather vainly argue that talk of their partnership is nothing but a "falsehood". This implicitly concedes that you, like me, would be disgusted to know they're actually in a sexual (not just a professional) relationship.
I'm glad you'd like me to ignore this and pretend its a "falsehood" and "male chauvinism", but unlike you, I know the truth. It might behoove you to remove the wool over your eyes and realize your beloved tax policy wonk is a disturbing lecher, and your beloved video hostess is riding a grandpa. If anyone's a chauvinist, it's the 52 year-old Mitchell nailing the girl barely over a third his age!
Wake the heck up!
I guess you're talking to me, Jew. You make me laugh, too – for the love of God, please go to a Cato Institute event and observe these two together and all over each other, and then come back and apologize to me. Or if you can't believe your eyes, ask around and confirm that everyone knows they're together and everyone thinks it's gross. I'll even give you an advance on the acceptance for your apology – that's what a great person I am.
Wow, I love it when wingnuts fight with each other.
I frankly don't care whether she has or had some sort of relationship with Mitchell. I care about a more humane society and disagree with the message of the video.
But it's amusing that Dyg12 obviously is very jealous.
[...] Read more here on the wonders of our perverted tax system and some saner alternatives. What do you think of this [...]
LOL! That's a great video! And so very true.
Thanks for sharing the link.
I guess you're talking to me, Jew. (emphasis mine)
Don't care for Jews much?
No, I was talking about, as you and your unsubstantiated nonsense was not worth addressing directly.
Still molesting children?
…
…
…
See how that works?
The venerable William F. Buckley would never desire to control a woman's sexual activities. Too many Democrats (alongside a handful of nominal conservatives) had attempted it during the past year with a particular woman and it backfired supremely, but the man you quote would stop short of promoting gossip and laying restrictions on others' sexual fulfillment. As you appear quite a bit envious I would choose my words a little more carefully to prevent your feelings from pain, but the facts present themselves in such a way I cannot accept your claims to being anything but a Democrat. Evidently your account on Big Government consists entirely of five (5) entries and all derived from your little chat concerning Ms. Alaghebandian. A chap would argue that you obviously felt a little shame else you would not have bothered to conceal yourself–that is, provided your right-of-center beliefs truly define your person, but had your concern for these folks been anything genuine I might have expected you to reveal your identity, whereas quite the opposite occurred. Hence I can tell you that jealousy is quite probable in any case but you must be in truth a Democrat and I would advise you to put on the big boy syntax prior to uttering the names of better men, namely at present William F. Buckley; and until you reveal your identity you will assuredly be regarded as nothing more than a troll in the service of Barack. While nobody can stop your from trolling, I sure as hell can hold BHO responsible for it. Food for thought.
Jew is in your screen name, Mr. Sensitive. Why does calling you that evince any bias? Would you prefer RedWhite? More fundamentally, do people normally use screen names whose mere mention is an indication of intolerance? Only you I guess.
Nice attempt at an insult, but if you didn't notice, it's Mr. Daniel J. Mitchell who is molesting children. Okay, maybe she's legal, but barely.
Oh, and yes, indeed – it's substantiated. Talk to someone who runs in the circles Mr. Mitchell runs in, and you'll get all the substantiation you need, my friend. Just because you hang around on the internet all day doesn't mean these things don't happen in the real world.
No, now I am talking to you. I'd ask for your evidence, but I know you have none. Not one shred.
As for me hanging around on the internet, your response immediately above was tendered not 10 minutes after my immediately preceding post.
Like I said before, your projecting.
Wow, your reasoning is amazingly shoddy. For the demolition of your argument, I must announce the following facts: First, I believe B. Obama is nearly singlehandedly orchestrating the destruction of the American Republic, and it is the responsibility of every thinking person to oppose his reign. Further exposing your assumptions as ignorant, I am a Ron Paul fan myself, as I find him pretty much the only politician who gets most of it right. If we don't stop this runaway entitlement spending, reckless taxation, and innovation-choking regulation, we're going the way of France, Greece, or worse.
Further obliterating your point, I should remind you that I never advocated the young vixen to cease her servicing of Mr. Mitchell. Thus, I never tried to "control" anything. I merely pointed out that Mitchell was being quite glib with his hyperlink diction, and that the word of his shenanigans (and the near universal revulsion for such behavior by a father of three) was out. I supported no regulation or restriction. I'd urge you to read everything again, carefully this time.
I'm not the only one who thinks he's gross. I'm just the only one willing to leave a comment on a website.
Now that I've exposed your post as illogical rubbish, I'll finish the job by explaining my presence here. I received the link to this page through the many free-market newsletters I regularly receive as part of my fidelity to the cause (which you'd know nothing about). I clicked on and was rather amused by the read, so I left a brief comment. God forbid!
I never planned on staying, except for the credulous trolls who hilariously thought I was making something up, and proceeded to insult me. I received these responses via email, so I then responded, as even the most elementary theories of social contracts hold that self-defense is a proper exertion of force. You can check that yourself, again.
If you all stop trying to argue with me, I'll stop posting. I don't intend to stay. I just want to spread the truth, and the truth shall set you free. So will we live and let live? Honestly, it would be better for everyone involved.
Right on! Why do they get to live for FREE! They drive, walk on the sidewalk, go to the library, interact with law enforcement, and have the oppurtunity for a k-12 education! Eveyone needs to contribute to their life. "FREE stuff has no value to the receipient!" That is why the constant cry for MORE!!!! Also imagine how far the "Rich" peoples contributions (taxes or otherwise) would go if more people carried their own weight? You want Utopia…Now we are talking! ~C
***This statement exempts the physically disabled, mentally disable and those who could under NO circumstance care for themselves.***
[...] » New Video Exposes Nightmare of IRS Complexity – Big Government [...]
Red State Update, anyone?
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