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

Daily Herald ^ | 10/06/2011

[SeekAndFind]

RE: NO NEW TAXES for the USA

How about a NEW TAX CODE?

[SoJoCo]

They’d probably say it like this, “The 999 plan is a fair tax that ensures everyone pays their fair share of taxes. Corporations will no longer get loop holes to exploit and avoid paying all taxes. And individuals will all pay the same rate, but those who make more will contribute more and won’t be able to hide behind tax loop holes. The 999 plan ensure every American plays a part in our great nation.”

And the Democrat opponent will say, "Look at him! He wants to raise the taxes on the poor and lower them for the wealthy." And strictly speaking they'd be right, too. It'll be hard to win election when the cornerstone of your campaign consists raising most people's taxes.

[for-q-clinton]

So you prefer to have the high rates we have today. Got it. I prefer to lower the rates and have EVERYONE pay and not just the top 50%.

[for-q-clinton]

I disagree. First we know who that opponent will be and that will be the idiot in the office today. Who has completely screwed up the economy, so he won’t have credibility on anything. And then Cain will say he wants to grow the economy—if we follow Obama’s plan we’ll have 20% unemployment and everyone will pay higher taxes except those without jobs.

Would you rather pay 0 taxes and not have a job? Or pay 8% and have a job that provides for you and your family?

[SoJoCo]

Actually the payroll tax rate will go up automatically for 2012 unless they vote to extend it.

A failure to vote for extension is a vote for a tax increase, isn't it?

I’m going to vote my own self interest and for the guy proposing the system that will get our country back on track. Cutting the corporate rate to 9% and capital gains tax to 0% will unleash economic prosperity and that’s exactly what we need.

Should we expect other people to do differently? Voting against the man who will raise their taxes is certainly voting their own self-interest.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: if we follow Obama’s plan we’ll have 20% unemployment

Strictly speaking, if we use U6 figures for unemployment ( which also take into account able bodied people who have GIVEN UP looking for a job and are not in the active workforce), we are already getting to the 20% level. It is 16.5% even as we speak.

See here from Reuters:

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2011/10/07/unemployments-here-to-stay/

EXCERPT:

There’s no particularly good news in these numbers. For every glimmer of good news, like the upward revisions to previous reports totaling 100,000 new jobs or so, there’s an offsetting piece of bad news, like the broad U6 unemployment rate jumping up to 16.5% from 16.2%.

[lewislynn]

For most of the middle class, it is in effect on average, 8-0-35, which ends up to be 43.

That isn't accurate because the 9-9-9 is of gross income (no deductions) and your 8-0-35 is of adjusted gross IOW, after deductions...Also the 35 is the top rate on (actually of) profits AFTER deductions, not their gross.

Currently a corporation with 10% profits only pays 3.5% max of their gross (35% of 10% profit)...Under Cain's plan they would pay 9% of their gross...Over 2.5 times more.

[PGR88]

So you prefer to have the high rates we have today. Got it. I prefer to lower the rates and have EVERYONE pay and not just the top 50%.

that is NOT the question - you had said a sales-tax or VAT was a good idea. It is not. Yes, rates are too high. But we do not need a NEW tax, especially a new sales tax.

[Gunslingr3]

Keep it simple, jobs.

The country squanders over 6 BILLION man hours on tax compliance. You think freeing that won't allow more production of real wealth, and free entrepreneurs to enable the creation of more jobs than trying to ensure you do what is necessary to obtain tax credit X and deduction Y? The tax reform is a jobs plan, it gets Americans out of working for Uncle Sam (both compliance costs and real tax costs) and frees up more wealth for private capital investment, which is what actually increases worker productivity and enables higher living standards.

Maybe you buy into the Democrats arguments, but don't expect the nation to. Expect more, and something better than, "I swear we won't change the unsustainable tax/entitlement system, and we'll 'create jobs', somehow, someway."

[normy]

Im talking about winning this election, not making pie in the sky, devil in the details,promises that require Congressional approval that may not be there.

Win and then we can talk.

[for-q-clinton]

No what I said was the VAT gives the European exporters an advantage.

A 999 tax plan is a good idea as it makes everyone pay something and gets the government out of picking winners and losers. Plus it encourages work over spending which will increase our productivity and make our exports more affordable over seas. Not to mention the benefits of cheaper exports.