on "reform": it depends on what you mean by "better." On 11/17/07, ken hanly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > 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 >
-- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante.
