Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan raises math questions (How will it affect government revenues?)

Daily Herald ^ | 10/06/2011

[Huck]

If lawmakers were to exempt everyday items such as food and clothing and provide a rebate to low-income individuals

Which of course they would. The 9-9-9 plan is sheer idiocy.

[marty60]

My question is: IS IT LEGAL TO MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM YOUR CORPORATION TO YOUR FEDERAL CAMPAIGN. lISTING AS DONATION.

THEN TURN AROUND AND PAY MONEY TO THAT SAME CORPORATION AS AND EXPEDITURE?

I mean it falsely makes it look like a candidate is doing better than they are, but HUMMMM.
Also, Is it legal for Candidates to make LOANS to their committee with the due dates for repayment 12-31-2012?

[MNJohnnie]

Who cares????

Sorry making sure we are giving the Feds enough money is WAY down the list of priorities for voters.

They don't seem to get it. We want Fed spending CUT way way way down.

One way to do that is serious reform to the tax code.Remove from Congress the power to shake down business for billions of lobbying dollars in echange for 10s of billions of Fed gimmies by removing Congress's ability to tinker with the tax code

[17th Miss Regt]

It is unlikely that Congress would endorse such a broad-based consumption tax, and even if it did, consumers might change their buying habits. That could reduce consumption and would then lower revenue from the national sales tax.

If this person is a Keynesian newsie he must now be burned at the stake for heresy. Everyone knows that consumers don't change their habits when the tax situation changes. Why would they? Millionaires and billionaires won't.

[AmericanMade1776]

I like Herman Cain, but he needs to drop the 999 plan. First of all.. conservatives want less tax, not a new kind of taxing.

[rbbeachkid]

So let me get this straight. Cain’s proposal won’t work because they won’t implement Cain’s proposal?

And what would be the problem with a smaller amount ending up in Washington in the first place?

[for-q-clinton]

Let’s see...this article appears to miss the fact that there would be no more SS and medicare tax as well...saving individuals and business a lot of money.

Also it’s not a zero sum game. With the 9,9,9 plan people will be willing to work extra and be more productive as they get to keep more of what they earn.

The elites hate it because it means they can’t control business and people with the tax code any longer. This will dry up their lobbyist money pay to play politics/business.

[MNJohnnie]

Which of course they would. The 9-9-9 plan is sheer idiocy.

No what is sure idiocy is this mindless clinging to the current corrupt failed tax code by supposed "Conservative" Freepers EVERYTHING you bitch about in 9-9-9 is even MORE available in the current system There is NOTHING to stop Congress from simply raising income tax rates now. So rather then mindlessly emote based on your blind adoration of Paul, try thinking for a change.

[normy]

Cain calls his tax proposals the "999 plan," because it would create three flat taxes at a rate of 9 percent. The first would be a 9 percent business tax, which would apply to a business's gross income minus investments, dividends paid to shareholders and purchases from other businesses. The second would be a 9 percent individual tax on gross income minus charitable contributions. The third would be a 9 percent national sales tax, which would pave the way to eventually transition entirely to the "fair tax," or a tax on spending rather than income. This would mean a flat tax rate for everyone, regardless of income, and it would eliminate payroll taxes and taxes on capital gains.

I am a Perry supporter but will back Cain if Perry drops out. I think he needs to be vetted because the Dems and the media will.

Cain proposes a 9 percent increase on the poorest Americans and a 24% tax cut for the richest Americans. This will be the Dem angle on this.

Cain proposes to more than double the sales tax people already pay. In Texas we have a 8.25 sales tax we will add 9% to that. So a family of 4 who lives under the poverty level will have a 9% increase to their sales tax and a 9 % increase to their income tax. While a millionaire will have a 24% decrease to their income tax.

The solution to the poorest paying the 9% sales tax will be "prebate" checks that are issued monthly to the poor to cover what they will spend in the coming month.

[GeronL]

The 999 plan has zero chanceof ever happening

[SeekAndFind]

RE: there would be no more SS and medicare tax as well...saving individuals and business a lot of money.

_______________

OK, could you kindly explain to us, how that will not exacerbate the problem for these entitlements?

SS is practically a pay as you go system where current workers pay for the SS of current retirees.

How’s having no SS tax ( deducted from your salary ) going to help pay for current retirees?

Social Security’s Payout has already exceeded revenues.

SEE HERE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/business/economy/25social.html

Won’t Cain’s plan excacerbate the problem?

[MNJohnnie]

like Herman Cain, but he needs to drop the 999 plan. First of all.. conservatives want less tax, not a new kind of taxing.

Sorry that is nonsense.

9-9-9 reduces the tax rates and broadens the tax base. It eliminates all the current corrupt handouts and loopholes in the current system. It is a key component of fundamental structural reform to our failed corrupt political system.

The tax code, along with regulation, is the primary tool Congress uses to reward friends and punish foes. The US tax code is a corrupt failed system that desperately needs replacing

9-9-9 is the best of the lot for reform purposals.

This fear about "a new tax" is misplaced. There is nothing in the current system that prevents Congress from raising tax rates 30-50-80% but the will of the people. It is actually easier to raise taxes now since so few people directly pay them. Most US taxation is hidden from the payers. 9-9-9 makes it all right there in front of everyone. under 9-9-9 you cannot demagogue about "making the rich pay their fair share"

[for-q-clinton]

I disagree. 999 is why he’s on fire right now. People love it, they understand it and it’s FAIR.

People hate that the companies like GE get corporate welfare and that the lower middle class pay next to 0 income tax and then vote to tax the rich.

999 removes the incentives for the politicians to play winners and losers which results in pay to play. 999 is also better than the fair tax because the tax isn’t oppressive in any single area, so it avoids the black market that would surely follow a 15% only sales tax.

I pay 9% of my income to the feds. I pay 9% of what I buy to the feds. That’s fair since EVERYONE pays the same amount. And now business will take off under that model and then we all will be making more money.

[Marie]

“Tax policy experts say Cain’s plan is unrealistic because it presumes that no deductions and exemptions will be permitted, no matter now popular.”

No more tyranny of the majority?!

The horror!!! /s

EVERYBODY PAYS. Sounds good to me.

[Drill Thrawl]

Cain proposes a 9 percent increase on the poorest Americans and a 24% tax cut for the richest Americans. This will be the Dem angle on this.

The "poor" do NOT pay their fare share or any income tax at all for that matter. Screw'em. Kill The Poor! They are parasites on our society.(channeling Roseanne and Mikey Moron)

[SeekAndFind]

RE: First of all.. conservatives want less tax, not a new kind of taxing.

How’s dropping Corporate taxes from 35% to 9% not less taxes?

How about broadening the tax base and simplifying the tax code? Isn’t that what Conservatives want as well?

What about the eventual goal of getting the IRS off our backs? Isn’t that an even worthier goal?

[MNJohnnie]

No, since the Entitlement system is all ready broken.

Clinging to the current tax code will not "Save" Entitlements since they all ready broke. The current system merely keeps the current Entitlement problem hidden.

[MNJohnnie]

Not only that. How is eliminating all forms of double taxation in 9-9-9, such as the elmination of all Capital Gains taxes, “Raising a new tax”?

[alloysteel]

The 9-9-9 plan offered is an idealization that could not ever be fully applied, but that should not be a reason to call it “sheer idiocy”.

An example of “sheer idiocy” is the principle of progressive income tax rates. It is anti-revenue to the degree it becomes ever more progressive. The flatter the tax rate between the top and the bottom, the greater the flow of revenue, if that is the objective.

But if the goal is to LIMIT the amount of revenue the Congress has to work with, then the lower the revenue, it would seem that simple good sense would be to reduce the expenditures. Apparently this far too great a leap for the bulk of voters or legislators to make, therefore, a balanced budget amendment seems to be a reasonable recourse.

And we almost had one, once. What is it about logical thought that escapes so many people?