[sanjuro]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123958260423012269.html

Everyone Should Pay Income Taxes
It's bad for our democracy to exempt half the country.

By ARI FLEISCHER

If you thought Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme was bad, wait until you hear about the inverted pyramid scheme the federal government is working on. While Mr. Madoff preyed on people who trusted him with their money, the federal government has everyone's money, and the implications of its actions are worse.

It's also what's called redistribution of income, and it is getting out of hand.

A very small number of taxpayers -- the 10% of the country that makes more than $92,400 a year -- pay 72.4% of the nation's income taxes. They're the tip of the triangle that's supporting virtually everyone and everything. Their burden keeps getting heavier.

I favor the abolition of all Social Security, Medicare and estate taxes. In their place, we should create a simple income tax system that has no deductions or credits at all. The result would be a progressive, multitiered income tax in which everyone pays. The bottom 50% won't be excused from paying the cost of government and top earners will no longer have the loopholes they're used to.

BTW, I cut this down a bit.

There is two points I want to make (actually a third one as well)

1. Suggesting we throw out the tax code is a specious argument. There would be Republicans as well as Democrats fighting this. Making this point is really just spray painting on the Obama stronghold.

2. Even if we were to try to change the tax code, it would involve changing the entire way we legislate. Many loop holes are last second bill add-ons. Even Obama can't change Congress.

and...

3. Why didn't Fleischer suggest this last year?