King for a Day

[GoldenCaneKC]

Here’s the game: Name one simple change that you would make to our nation’s governance that you think would lead to benefits far exceeding the cost to implement it.

Here are the rules: One sentence for the Reform. One sentence for the Rationale. Bonus points if it’s not an overtly partisan issue. More bonus points if it sounds a little bit crazy.

Dialogue and debate to follow, of course.

I’ll go first...

Reform: Eliminate tax withholding so that everyone must pay their taxes out of their own bank account or in cash.

Rationale: If everyone was more conscious of the fact that the tax money being spent by the government is THEIR money, they would put more pressure on the government to spend it wisely.

 

[astonmartin708]

Here’s the game: Name one simple change that you would make to our nation’s governance that you think would lead to benefits far exceeding the cost to implement it.

Here are the rules: One sentence for the Reform. One sentence for the Rationale. Bonus points if it’s not an overtly partisan issue. More bonus points if it sounds a little bit crazy.

Dialogue and debate to follow, of course.

I’ll go first...

Reform: Eliminate tax withholding so that everyone must pay their taxes out of their own bank account or in cash.

Rationale: If everyone was more conscious of the fact that the tax money being spent by the government is THEIR money, they would put more pressure on the government to spend it wisely.

Eliminate having to file your own taxes altogether and move to an electronic system.

 

[aTUfan]

The government should calculate my tax bill and send it to me. I would either concur or challenge.

also eliminate bogus business expenses.

 

[GoldenCaneKC]

The government should calculate my tax bill and send it to me. I would either concur or challenge.

I’d be down with that. We’d probably have to drastically simplify the tax code in order to make that feasible, but that is also something I would definitely be on board with.

 

[Weatherdemon]

Here’s the game: Name one simple change that you would make to our nation’s governance that you think would lead to benefits far exceeding the cost to implement it.

Here are the rules: One sentence for the Reform. One sentence for the Rationale. Bonus points if it’s not an overtly partisan issue. More bonus points if it sounds a little bit crazy.

Dialogue and debate to follow, of course.

I’ll go first...

Reform: Eliminate tax withholding so that everyone must pay their taxes out of their own bank account or in cash.

Rationale: If everyone was more conscious of the fact that the tax money being spent by the government is THEIR money, they would put more pressure on the government to spend it wisely.

I love this idea. Taxed on what you spend.
Saves the government money, eliminates hiding income, allows illegal earnings to be taxed appropriately.
This would certainly make folks be smarter with what they earn.
Downside is that it could also harm the middle and, especially lower classes more than the others.

 

[Weatherdemon]

Reform:
Term limits capped at 8 years in government. Period.
Elected people receive whatever benefits the average US worker in their district gets. Medical, retirement, etc.
Earnings from “speaking engagements” limited to $10K/year.
Campaign funding limited to $50K for city, $100K for county, $500K for state and $1M for federal positions.
Earnings from an elected position capped at $100K except $150K for the VP and $200K for POTUS.
Pay and benefits terminated at end of term.

Rationale:
The government is supposed to be “for the people.” Elected individuals are “servants” to the people. They should be paid well for taking on the role but, should not be allowed to get rich, be a “lifer” or have their own set of benefits that exceed what the average citizen receives.
This helps hold them accountable for what they vote for and as they have to return to the life of a citizen when their term is over.
Campaign limits makes it possible for tens of thousands of others to run for an elected position and eliminates having predominately rich people run for offices thus, keeping elected officials more in line with their constituents.

 

[HuffyCane]

Here’s the game: Name one simple change that you would make to our nation’s governance that you think would lead to benefits far exceeding the cost to implement it.

Here are the rules: One sentence for the Reform. One sentence for the Rationale. Bonus points if it’s not an overtly partisan issue. More bonus points if it sounds a little bit crazy.

Dialogue and debate to follow, of course.

I’ll go first...

Reform: Eliminate tax withholding so that everyone must pay their taxes out of their own bank account or in cash.

Rationale: If everyone was more conscious of the fact that the tax money being spent by the government is THEIR money, they would put more pressure on the government to spend it wisely.

The government prints its own money, and at least for now, it’s stability and use as the standard rate of currency internationally protects us from inflation.

There’s no stopping the log rolling. They aren’t just drunk sailors. They are drunk sailors with a mint.

 

[HuffyCane]

Term limits means that unelected people determine who gets elected and who is in leadership and what gets passed and what is crap canned. They are not subject to scrutiny or oversight and wield alarming power.

Florida has strict term limits. 2 terms in each house. I can tell you who will be the Speaker of the House in 2032.

There are several groups that do nothing but proactively interview potential candidates for seats that will open 8 years from now. They groom them, get them involved in local things to raise their visibility, etc., they go on retreats etc. In 2012 I went fishing with about 20’dudes who had never run for office. They were all running for the house six year later in 2018. About 80% of them won. They already voted on who would be Speaker two years prior in 2010.

It’s more casting than campaign. If you don’t pass the vetting, you don’t get the money, and if you don’t get the money, you aren’t getting elected. And once youre elected, you need money to stay elected and you owe for your past elections. And people term limited are vacating their spots so you might be moving up ... if you want to owe the right people.

Term limits are really really bad if you value good government. What’s bad is the log rolling. And modern committee structure and the power the chair hold is the problem you want addressed, not kicking them out so we can bring in somebody brand new every 8 years who has no idea what’s going on and owes some lobbyists a million dollars.

 

[HuffyCane]

Reform: A constitutional amendment that all laws that Congress exempts themselves from are unconstitutional and any attempt to exempt themselves collectively or individually is void.

Example: Executive and judicial branch office holders and employees can be indicted for insider trading for using information they get on the job. Due to the routine rider in each bill that Congress and its members are exempted from the law, and the speech and debate clause, it’s virtually impossible to stop insider trading in Congress. There are tons more examples. This is just one.

 

[Clong83a]

The government should calculate my tax bill and send it to me. I would either concur or challenge.

also eliminate bogus business expenses.

I absolutely agree with aTUfan!

Seriously, most everything related to my finances gets reported to the IRS anyhow, including mortgage interest payments, capital gains from stock sales, and charitable donations of more than $500. They know more or less what I owe.

 

[astonmartin708]

I absolutely agree with aTUfan!

Seriously, most everything related to my finances gets reported to the IRS anyhow, including mortgage interest payments, capital gains from stock sales, and charitable donations of more than $500. They know more or less what I owe.

They can figure out exactly what you owe, or how would they know if you paid too little? The only thing that is holding this up is the tax software companies.

 

[Clong83a]

They can figure out exactly what you owe, or how would they know if you paid too little? The only thing that is holding this up is the tax software companies.

That's the only flaw I can think of... There is very little incentive for me to challenge their assessment if I run a cash business or something and they underbill me. But I think the people that have lots of invisible income to the IRS are already pretty much on the "honor system".