re: #455 calochortus

Assuming FIT is a flat income tax, I don’t see one passing any time soon. I won’t bore you with the details, but based on what otherwise reasonably intelligent people have said to me, they’d rather have deductions-even if it means they pay more taxes-than pay the same rate as everyone else. I suspect it is related to the deep need to feel “special” many people have. Being a homeowner, having children, unearned income, whatever. It seems to make a lot of people happy to have their life choices enshrined in the tax code.

By FIT I mean Federal Income Tax. I do not favor a “flat tax”. Taxes ought not fall on money that isn’t really available for discretionary spending. Survival rations level of spending on food, clothing, shelter, and medical care ought not to be taxed. Hence, deductions. Oh, and news brief: children, too, need food, clothing, and shelter. An income of $X split five ways is not as easily shared with the IRS as $X split between me, myself, and I would be.