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The GOP did the estate tax nix and are now accused if helping the rich. Several people are saying taxes are designed to punish. The best examples being progressive and estate taxes. That's why I'm pointing out that the GOP seems to be complicit with at least some of this "punishment".
I'm aware of alternative tax methodologies. I mentioned them. They never seem to gain traction. One economic thing to consider with a flat tax or sales tax is that lower income earners tend to spend whatever money they have. Increase taxes on them and you're essentially taking money out of the economy and giving it to the government.
Some of the flat tax proposals have minimum income levels...so the very poor would still pay nothing.
But ultimately, the real problem is we simply spend too much. The federal government's gone from spending 7% of GDP in 1900 to spending nearly 40% of GDP today. If you want to look at the real source of our economic woes, there it is. How much of GDP do you want the government to spend? 50%? 75%?
The answer isn't to find new sources of revenue. The answer is to halt and reverse this trend, or we are doomed.