LTP News Sharing:
David Ridenour
As Americans scramble to complete their tax returns by Monday’s deadline (it’s late this year), National Center President David Ridenour hopes people will take a few moments “to marvel at how truly idiotic the tax code has become.”
In a commentary published by D.C.’s The Hill newspaper, David lays out the inherent unfairness of the American tax system. He explains:
In its zeal to maximize revenue while advancing social good, Congress has created a code that produces enormous unintended consequences: It favors businesses over charities, subsidizes the wealthy’s conspicuous consumption and even singles out youths for inheritance taxes.
In addition to those examples, David also notes that health care is subsidized for some but not for all, and that the system favors the politically powerful over the rest of America.
“In our effort to use the tax code to promote social good, we’ve created one that is unfair,” David writes, “and Congress time and again has proven itself to be incapable of fixing it.”
David suggests making Congress – through the appropriations process – take responsibility for promoting the government’s social good projects. To help do this, he also advocates for scrapping the current tax structure in favor of a flat tax.
“A flat tax would be simpler and easier for the IRS to administer,” David notes, “and fairer for all Americans.”
To read all of David Ridenour’s commentary – “To Promote Fairness, Scrap the Tax Code” – at the website of The Hill, click here.
Author: David Almasi
