Republican priorities: (1) cut taxes on the rich; (2) raise taxes on the poor

[Deus Naturae]

Yep, that's the FairTax idea in a nutshell. Pay for your own foodstamps.

Not really:

[Deus Naturae]

Yep, that's the FairTax idea in a nutshell. Pay for your own foodstamps.

Not really:

Hmm. So taxes decrease for literally everyone (well, who's married)?

Actually, the very economists who DESIGNED the Flat/Fair Tax ACKNOWLEDGE it would generally raise taxes on the large majority of taxpayers.

1. The Flat Tax and Fair Tax are two completely different things.

2. Are you going to substantiate your claim with a cite or just expect people to take it at face value?

[Deus Naturae]

1) The "Fair Tax" is the Flat Tax with a corporate focus group rebranding campaign, and nothing more. They are "completely different" the same way 'the death tax' and 'the estate tax' are.

2) Robert E. Hall and Alvin Rashbushka, "Low Tax, Simple Tax, Flat Tax" (McGraw-Hill, 1983), p. 58. A taste:

"It is anobvious mathematical law that lower taxes on the successful will have to be made up by higher taxes on average people."

No...the Flat Tax is a single-bracket income tax that exempts investment income. The Fair Tax is a retail consumption tax with a monthly rebate. Those are two different things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall%E2%80%93Rabushka_flat_tax

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FairTax

Also, the Flat Tax would just be a replacement for the current income tax system. The Fair Tax would replace more or less all major taxes, other than duties and excises.