Rick Perry to propose a flat tax
To put is as nicely as I can possibly put it, since Rick Perry has entered the race I have been less than impressed with him as a candidate. I wanted to like him, and I tried to like him because I wanted a viable option to Mitt Romney, but the more I learned about him the more I was forced to turn my attention to the lesser known candidates such as Herman Cain and Rick Santorum.
During last week’s debate Rick Perry promised to release his economic plan within three days, but as of yet that plan is still forthcoming–with the exception of his energy policy with which I agree–and last night be promised that his plan would be made public within a week or so. I took this with a grain of salt because we have heard him promise to release his plan before and he has not, but today we are beginning to hear a little bit of what might be included in that plan.
Rick Perry is floating the idea of a flat tax, and I have to say that this is an idea that I agree with whole heartedly. You may have heard about Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan, and while I like Herman Cain, this plan is simply something that I have a hard time supporting because, unlike the fair tax, this would implement a national sales tax without completely repealing the income tax and in my opinion this is a recipe for disaster.
“I want to make the Tax Code so simple that even Timothy Geithner can file his taxes on time”
America's Watchtower 
I will take a “wait and listen carefully” approach to the Perry idea. I am not really crazy about any one candidate, I heard that Rush Limbaugh has backed Ron Paul. More and more people are coming out for one candidate over another, BUT I am sure things will change over the next few months. After each debate, they come out with the “front runner”, until the next debate, etc., etc. I know we don’t have the perfect candidate, I am just hoping for the best we can come up with that will beat what is in the White House now. Another 4 years of that and we are doomed.
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No we aren’t going to get the perfect candidate and this might be the first thing that Perry said that I agree with, but you are right. We must find a candidate who can beat Barack Obama or we won’t recognize the country four years from now.
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Getting ideas on the table is good no matter from whom the ideas come.
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Exactly, just as I do not agree with the 9-9-9 plan, at least it got people talking.
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I’m like you, Steve. Although Rick Perry has been one disappointment after another, getting something like a flat tax on the table is an important step. Nothing can be accomplished if no one talks about it and this will certainly start a conversation about a flat tax.
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I like this idea and it will be interesting to see it debated in the coming months.
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I agree, if they can start talking about the important issues at hand, that would be a big improvement. Up to now it seems that the moderators are only there to push bickering among the panel. That, I can do without hearing and seeing, it is a waste of my time. We NEED a change in the way we are taxed that is SO important, you are right LD! and C on F, you are correct that we need ideas that can be thrown around and discussed. I think that a good start would be to get some more “moderate” moderators, if they can be found, this bunch is not cutting it.
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I also like the idea that we now have several different tax policies to look at and discuss. Something has to be done about the tax code and it is great to see some candidates offering different options to chose from.
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Maybe I have misunderstood, but I have always believed that the 9-9-9 plan was a step one towards the flat tax.
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GP, I guess it is who you listen to as to what it is. I have heard different versions, so who knows.
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I think it is a step toward a flat tax but I cannot support it as long as any income tax is still part of the system because I feel that it gives a future lib the opportunity to raise both the income and sales taxes. I think if we are to make the transition to a flat tax the income tax must go right away or I fear it will never go away and will only increase back to previous levels with the addition of a sales tax to boot.
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You have a point, Steve! Kind of like the temporary taxes our state puts into play, but for some reason they never go away. We know this administration is able to pull that off, too.
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And there are also many toll booths in Mass. that were supposed to be removed twenty years ago after the road were paid for, but they are still there. Once the government has a revenue stream they will not let it go.
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I think we have Herman Cain to thank for initiating this discussion on tax reform.
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Good point, without Cain’s plan Perry probably wouldn’t have felt the need to release a tax plan of his own.
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