"Small government" How exactly would you accomplish it?

[lavafoxx]

That's because, under the current system, there is no federal sales tax for the IRS to collect. All federal taxes are administered, collected, and enforced by the IRS. The existing sales taxes are levied by state and local governments which have their own entities for collection and enforcement.

The relevant point is, even under the FairTax scheme, there will be a federal tax collection and enforcement agency even if we don't call it the Internal Revenue Service. And if we were to abolish the IRS, we'd end up creating a new entity in its place, hiring most (if not all) if the IRS's former employees, and having it perform the same functions with regards to the new tax system. Thus saying the FairTax would get rid of the IRS is just a rhetorical scheme to play on people's natural enmity towards the tax collector they know.

Unfortunately you are wrong in this matter friend. There will be no "federal tax collection and enforcement agency" because there will be no federal taxes to collect nor an enforcement agency needed.

[Tirivaria]

Unfortunately you are wrong in this matter friend. There will be no "federal tax collection and enforcement agency" because there will be no federal taxes to collect nor an enforcement agency needed.

And there's no need to validate that the states are remitting the correct amount to the federal government?

For any tax, there are four necessary functions:
1. Collect/receive the tax and record the collection/receipt.
2. Calculate the amount of tax that should have been paid.
3. Validate that the correct amount was paid.
4. Punish those entities that are not sufficiently cooperative in remitting tax payments.

Even if you use the multi-step collection method described in the FairTax FAQ (with costs every step of the way, how efficient), the Federal government will still need to perform those functions with regards to the entities responsible for remitting the tax revenues (the states).

While the actual receipt and recording of payments can be done by the Treasury, it will still be necessary to at least sample audit the sales records of retailers (or the state's records of the retailer's records...) to determine what amount should have been collected at that point of sale and verify that that amount was correctly passed along the prescribed chain of custody to the US Treasury. You can argue that the enforcement component (4) could be done through the courts (that's the libertarian solution to everything) but I doubt there would be good results if the Federal government doesn't have specialists building the case to sue states that have shorted tax payments.

[BatteredRose]

We need the government out of our religion and lives. It needs to be small. It needs to be small enough to fit inside people's bedrooms and marriages and a woman's vagina. /s

[Michonne]

We need the government out of our religion and lives. It needs to be small. It needs to be small enough to fit inside people's bedrooms and marriages and a woman's vagina. /s

You're on a website that literally worships Democratic BIG GOVERNMENT values (even though the USA is in fact a Republic).

[Hraklea]

Off topic, but I hear the same thing about healthcare workers. It's much better for the healthcare industry for people to be overweight and sick. That means more nurse jobs, more pharmacists, more chemists, etc.

This is called "the broken window" falacy, The argument that breaking a window is good because it gives a job to the glass producer. But you're ignoring that, if the window wasn't broken, the window's owner would spend his money in something else that would also create a job.

Look at how many gyms and "build muscles!" products we have now compared to 15 years ago. Look at how many maganizes about fitness there are out there. Healthy people creates jobs too.

[ringpriest]

You're on a website that literally worships Democratic BIG GOVERNMENT values (even though the USA is in fact a Republic).

Yet somehow Democratic "big government" is ok with government not getting intimately involved with marriage, sex, and reproduction. While Republican "small government" wants to dictate how people live their lives.

[BLCalliente]

You're on a website that literally worships Democratic BIG GOVERNMENT values (even though the USA is in fact a Republic).

That flew right over your head. I LOL'd.

WHOOOOOOSH.

[mvaliz]

which successful countries have extremely small and limited governments? not based off of tax evasion and crime that is.

almost every country you'd want to live in is either more socialist than the USA or much less developed

I would imagine there are few tribes dotted around the African plains or a few remaining Aborigine tribes in Australia that might serve as an example perhaps?

:P

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You're on a website that literally worships Democratic BIG GOVERNMENT values (even though the USA is in fact a Republic).

I think they tend to worship more of World of Warcraft on this website than your so-called "BIG GOVERNMENT". :P

[Tastyfish]

Why is this shit even a thing on a video game community site?
It's like asking psychological advice on here or dating advice.

Armchair theories and paranoia aside.....

[mvaliz]

Yet somehow Democratic "big government" is ok with government not getting intimately involved with marriage, sex, and reproduction. While Republican "small government" wants to dictate how people live their lives.

To be fair, I know quite a few Republicans who want a "small government" who are for gay rights, women's/Abortion rights and separation of church and state.

The problem is that a) there's not many of them and b) their officials they choose to represent them are morons.

[Tastyfish]

I think they tend to worship more of World of Warcraft on this website than your so-called "BIG GOVERNMENT". :P

It makes you wonder tho, why so many threads that are anti Dem and whatnot, if that is the general thought about the people here.
Seems like an attack on the principals of the population! lol

[mvaliz]

Why is this shit even a thing on a video game community site?
It's like asking psychological advice on here or dating advice.

Armchair theories and paranoia aside.....

I'll tell you exactly why... so they (the mods) have a place/excuse to shunt the off-topic anger-mongers to a separate board in order to keep the peace on the normal Warcraft forums. ^_^

I don't mean that in a bad way either. I actually believe it's a very fair and practical reason. It's why I'm SOOOO glad they make PVP and PVE servers as the PVP servers keep the majority of the jackass players off my PVE server. ^_^

And, to boot, the off topic forums have their own little community aside from the main one. (Dysfunctional as Hell, but it sure is one! ^_^)

[mvaliz]

It makes you wonder tho, why so many threads that are anti Dem and whatnot, if that is the general thought about the people here.
Seems like an attack on the principals of the population! lol

Garrosh or Thrall?

There's your reason. ^_^

[Hraklea]

which successful countries have extremely small and limited governments? not based off of tax evasion and crime that is.

Already answered. Hong Kong, New Zeland and Singapura all have small government and are successful countries. Switzerland can be considered to have a small government, if you compare it with the rest of Europe (like Norway).

[Tastyfish]

I'll tell you exactly why... so they (the mods) have a place/excuse to shunt the off-topic anger-mongers to a separate board in order to keep the peace on the normal Warcraft forums. ^_^

I don't mean that in a bad way either. I actually believe it's a very fair and practical reason. It's why I'm SOOOO glad they make PVP and PVE servers as the PVP servers keep the majority of the jackass players off my PVE server. ^_^

And, to boot, the off topic forums have their own little community aside from the main one. (Dysfunctional as Hell, but it sure is one! ^_^)

I actually never thought of it that way. Good point and noted.

[Varabently]

This is called "the broken window" falacy, The argument that breaking a window is good because it gives a job to the glass producer. But you're ignoring that, if the window wasn't broken, the window's owner would spend his money in something else that would also create a job.

Look at how many gyms and "build muscles!" products we have now compared to 15 years ago. Look at how many maganizes about fitness there are out there. Healthy people creates jobs too.

I didn't know there was a name for it, but it's ubiquitous so I shouldn't be surprised. You hear this ALL the time from politicians.

[Hraklea]

You hear this ALL the time from politicians.

Yeah, tell me about it.

Here in Brazil a lot of people uses that to justify throwing trash at the streets. "It creates job for the street sweepers!"

[ringpriest]

Already answered. Hong Kong, New Zeland and Singapura all have small government and are successful countries. Switzerland can be considered to have a small government, if you compare it with the rest of Europe (like Norway).

Yet all those countries have very large government involvement in their (quite good) health care systems - something most American "small government" supporters rail against. They also have very small military establishments, which many American "small government" advocates oppose.