Why Gov. Rick Perry is Wrong about a Border Fence

Lodi News-Sentinel ^ | October 1, 2011 | Staff

[DTogo]

A National Sales Tax will be a nightmare for lower income working families, low income seniors, laid off workers trying to survive on what small amount of money and income they have left and those of us that have been savers all our lives and were Income Taxed when we earned our savings nest-eggs and will DOUBLE TAXED when we spend our already taxed savings under a National Sales Tax.

You're ignoring the fact that the Income Tax level under Cain's plan would be lowered to 9% as well, not to mention being a low income worker/senior should not absolve a Citizen from contributing to the costs of keeping life in America safe and enjoyable.

When you retire, if your plan was to live frugally on your military pension and Social security and a little money from a part time job, the Cain 999 Plan means that your plans have lost 9% of your purchasing power on the National Sales Tax alone. If his 999 Plan means that EVERYBODY pays 9% Income Tax too, (even those who are too low income to pay now) that means you purchasing power just lost another 9% in purchasing power.

Again, retiring or being low income should not absolve a Citizen from contributing something to society, IMHO.

So, we will have President Romney because Perry, just as the Israelis, believes that Walls are useful in high population density areas but not in the middle of a desert that is ALREADY a natural barrier.

Yes, that natural barrier is doing such a great job already, with illegal immigrants planning for the trip in advance with food/water in their back packs, watering stations put up on our side by their sympathizers, and civilization not always that far from the border to begin with - it's not the Sahara Desert after all.

In Texas such a Fence would also steal the entire Rio Grande riverfront from Texas property owners and put it on Mexico's side of such a Fence.

Yes, in the 21st century America cannot walk and chew gum at the same time: we can't figure out a way to erect a physical barrier along the Rio Grande that also allows American property owners full enjoyoment of the river and its resources. C'mon, enough with the excuses.

[Polybius]

A National Sales Tax will be a nightmare for lower income working families, low income seniors, laid off workers trying to survive on what small amount of money and income they have left and those of us that have been savers all our lives and were Income Taxed when we earned our savings nest-eggs and will DOUBLE TAXED when we spend our already taxed savings under a National Sales Tax. .... Polybius

You're ignoring the fact that the Income Tax level under Cain's plan would be lowered to 9% as well, not to mention being a low income worker/senior should not absolve a Citizen from contributing to the costs of keeping life in America safe and enjoyable. ..... DTogo

No, I did not "ignore" anything. When it comes to finances, I pay very close attention to every last detail.

"Details" matter in life and the "details" vary in every life. That is what you are "ignoring".

The "details" of, say, a 73 year old disabled Vietnam vet, who may have been shot up in the Tet Offensive in 1968 and is now living on a small fixed income are not the same "details" of, say, some Yuppie computer geek in his 20's who is now working for Microsoft.

Contributing to keeping life in America safe and enjoyable?

You do not believe that hypothetical (but America is actually filled with very real ones) disabled 73 year old Vietnam vet now living on a low income/fixed income has "contributed" enough? The fact that he now pays no income tax because he is now dirt poor is one of the scraps that the Federal Government has thrown at him but now you want him to "contribute" more?

He should now have his earning power reduced 9% so that the 27 year old Microsoft computer geek can have his income tax at only 9%?

As for my "details", believe me, I have already "contributed" out the wazoo.

For year after year after year, my Federal Income taxes have been over $100,000 per year and, sometimes, over $120,000 per year, taxed at the highest Federal income tax rate.

This past year, after 22 years of workaholism in a solo medical practice in a rural county, working 6 days per week and often 7 days per week, I retired on my savings before I ended up dead.

Although a high earner, I have always been a frugal guy and a high saver. I had the top income tax rate rate of 35% last year. So, let's do the arithmetic for $100 earned and saved in December 2010 and then spent in 2014 under the 999 Plan.

($100 earned in 2010) - (35% Income rate) = ($65 left over to put in the bank in 2010)

($65 of saved money) - (9% Federal Sales Tax in 2014) = ($59.15 of left over purchasing power)

TOTAL CUMULATIVE TAX RATE ON THAT MONEY SAVED AND SPENT: 40.85%

Those of us born in the 1950's who were taught the conservative values of hard work, frugality and savings will take it in the shorts as our life savings will be double taxed at an obscene cumulative rate.

Those who were taught to spend like drunken sailors without ever saving a dime don't have to worry about the double taxation on their current savings because they HAVE no savings.

As the saying goes, "If you rob Peter to pay Paul, you will always be assured of Paul's vote."

I guess you want me to keep being taxed at an obscene cumulative rate since my duty in life is to be the designated Peter to be robbed blind in order to buy Paul's vote.

Tell the next disabled Vietnam vet you see that is now living on a small, fixed income and currently paying no income tax that he has not already "contributed" enough.

The fact that he has been in a wheelchair since 1968?

Well, that's just a "detail".

You can tell him, "You're ignoring the fact that the Income Tax level under Cain's plan would be lowered to 9% as well, not to mention being a low income worker/senior should not absolve a Citizen from contributing to the costs of keeping life in America safe and enjoyable."

The "detail" that really matters, after all, is that the 27 year old Yuppie computer geek at Microsoft starts paying 9% in Income Tax.