We are going to have to pay for our commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan sometime, don't we?

And the extra entitlement spending program the Republicans passed in 2003.

Once again, the "hate Bush" sentiments come out. I cannot exonerate either side of the aisle for their role in digging this grave, but when Obama signs into law in the first 60 days commitments for twice as much money as the Iraq War cost us in 6 years (the porkulus and the earmark-ibus total around $1.2 trillion) your argument of "at least he's not Bush" doesn't help make you or him look intelligent.

OK, your assessment of a "DC drone" is true -- after all, it is DC bureaucrats who set the federal poverty level. Your assertion about "Equal Protection" is your assertion and will be your assertion regardless of my belief on the matter.

As for the "services" aspect of the FairTax, that's in Neal Boortz's and John Linder's books and all the pro-FairTax info you want can be found at Fairtax.org. Also, since 18-26% embedded taxes is found on every retail dollar spent for goods and services now (also in the book and at the site), and some pay as much as 1/3 to 1/2 of their income towards taxes, why is 23% such a ridiculous number? I find it unattractive, but not comparatively unacceptable.

In the CURRENT political...

"Any changes to our tax system must be done by Constitutional Amendment. If the change is done by passing a law, the next batch of liberals will just change it to make it worse. You will NEVER get 2/3 of this nation to approve a Constitutional Amendment to tax their purchases at 23%."

The Fair Tax agrees with you: one of the key proposals involved repaling the 16th Amendment.

As for the 2/3 needed, the prevailing theory of the Fair Tax is that once enacted and no further income taxes are charged (and the aforementioned embedded taxes are removed), retail prices will drop to a degree that assessing the 23% Fair Tax will be inconsequential compared to the facts that: Americans will get more money back in their pockets with...

"Your so called 'Fair Tax' only taxes products, not services, and even then it makes exceptions for certain products. They want the rate to be at least 23%. Not only is this unConstitutional, it is politically untenable."

YOur first statement is COMPLETELY incorrect. THe Fair Tax is assessed on services as well as goods. The only thing currently listed as exempt from the Fair Tax is educational costs, i.e. college tuition. The rate of 23% was determined to be revenue-neutral to equal the share of what the government receives. Also, according to one of the primary studies the Fair Tax was based on, between 18 and 26% of every dollar spent on all goods and services RIGHT NOW goes to pay the tax burden of someone else. As for...

Normally Joel, I agree with your work. However, you do not have all of the facts straight here.

"The Fair Tax proposal involves a prebate. This is based on "average monthly consumption" as determined by some D.C. drone."

The average monthly consumption is determined by the federal poverty level. People under the poverty level are currently not paying taxes anyhow, but there are a number OVER the poverty level that are not paying them.


"For any tax to be Constitutional, EVERYONE in the nation must pay it. Everyone here benefits from the protection our military provides, ergo, everyone needs to pay."

Everyone in America WILL be paying it whenever they pay for something. Everyone in America will also be...