CATS National Briefing
CATS e-Briefing for March 2002
Citizens for an Alternative Tax System
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #423
Washington, DC 20006
800-767-7577
email: catsinfo@aol.com
www.cats.org
Just wanted to pass along a "Thank You" from the former Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, retired Congressman Bill Archer from Texas. In a meeting in the Capitol building sponsored by the Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI), Chairman Archer eloquently championed the national retail sales tax cause and the undeniable urgency we face for fundamental tax reform. In the middle of his luncheon presentation, he validated CATS, and all of your efforts to date at the grass roots level! So, what you do and have done did not go unnoticed! accountmanagement training
Just a quick definition here.
Momentum - A product of a body's mass and linear velocity.
IPI launched its new program, with this gathering of tax reform luminaries, called "The Road Map to Tax Reform". At one point, there was major disagreement and infighting about the correct REFORM. But in this meeting, the consumption tax emerged as THE consensus.
This increases momentum! From the definition -- momentum is the product of a body's mass - all of the groups represented at this meeting, together, have more mass (members) than any one group alone. Agreement breeds more communication and co-motion and means movement in a straight line to the objective. (Linear velocity?) payday loans no faxing
Get ready. One of our main coalition activities will be to push the 'Sunset the Tax Code' Bill that dictates a certain date when the current income tax code drops from the books. (HR 2714) This bill was introduced by Steve Largent (R-OK) but as Steve is retiring from the House to run for Governor of Oklahoma, the bill is being passed to Rep. Jim DeMint. (R-SC) (See photo in last CATS Progress Report) This bill has passed the House before but our target is to have the margin of victory be the largest ever. Bank transfers is reliable method to fund account and also go on mastering within virtual casinos.
More to come.
Sincerely,
Glenn Wahlquist
National Director
CATS
PS: Don't they know that the best Campaign Finance Reform measure would be to get rid of the income tax code? Campaign contributions buy favors delivered through the tax code. Eliminate the income tax = instant campaign finance reform.
April Rallies
It's that time of year again…yes, tax season. Tax filing day is approaching fast, and as always we will hold our informational rallies.
The purpose of these rallies is to educate citizens about the true cost of the income tax, and our proposals to replace the income tax with a national retail sales tax.
This year's rallies will be held on Monday, April 15. The first one will start at 11:00 in front of the IRS Office on Oakey and Decatur. The second rally will be held between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. at the Main Post Office on Sunset Rd.
Mark your calendar now as a reminder to attend these fun-filled rallies!!
Russia Adopts Flat Tax
"Since January 1, 2001, Russians have enjoyed a 13 percent flat tax. That's right. The once-Communist superpower now stands to the right of publisher Steve Forbes on taxes. The former GOP presidential contender staunchly advocates a 17 percent flat tax. …Russia's single-rate tax is reasonable and comprehensible. Most important, the Russian government no longer uses graduated tax brackets to punish those whose incomes improve. Americans should be so lucky… While ex-communist states confidently reject progressive taxation, America remains plagued by Marxian class-warfare rhetoric."
-- Columnist Deroy Murdock, 2/28/02
I did some research on www.google.com and found some interesting facts.
Here is what I found out about the tax system in Russia:
The main taxes
Taxes in Russia are divided into three categories:
- federal taxes;
- taxes for constituent republics of the Russian Federation, taxes of territories, provinces, autonomous provinces and autonomous districts;
- local taxes.
Federal taxes:
- Corporate profit tax (at the normal rate of 35%);
- value-added tax (20% on goods sold, services and works performed within the Russian territory);
- road users tax (2.5% of the turnover);
- tax on securities transactions (0.8% of the value of issued securities);
- customs duties;
- excises;
- personal income tax (flat rate - 13%).
Local and regional taxes:
- enterprise property tax (2% of the net asset value);
- education levy (1% of salaries paid);
- advertising tax (5% of advertising expenses);
- housing tax (1.5% of the turnover).
Russia's Value Added Tax (VAT)
Tax Rates:
- Food products and children's goods 10%
- All other goods 20%
Tax Base:
- Sales of Goods and Services
- Barter transactions and goods transferred without consideration valued at market costs of product - but not less than cost
- Import of goods (exceptions)
- Exports are subject to VAT at a 0% tax rate (New for 2001)
So, as I see it, Russian citizens are burdened with the same taxes, or possibly more, then we citizens of the United States are burdened with.
All goods and services in Russia sold at the retail level include the corporate income tax, plus the added cost of the Value Added Tax (VAT).
Therefore, it appears that everyone in Russia is paying a very large percentage of their income in "hidden, invisible" taxes.
Many of us here in the U.S. are waking up to the fact that we are actually paying about 50% of our income to government in the form of taxes. I wonder how many Russian citizens are aware that they are probably paying over 50% of their income to the government in taxes?
In response to columnist Deroy Murdock: I am one American who would prefer NOT to "be so lucky"!! I would not trade our current messed up tax system for a similar mess, with the addition of a value added tax (VAT). No thanks.
Any income-based tax system will retain all of the "Marxian class-warfare rhetoric" that we have now.
The only true solution is to do away with all income taxes, personal and corporate, inheritance taxes, capital gains taxes, and most excise taxes, replacing them all with one, simple, fair national retail sales tax.
Meeting Date and Time Changes
Please remember that this month's meeting will be on Sunday, March 17 at 2:00 p.m.
February 25, 2002
White House: 'A Little Early' To Start Tax Reform Debate
By John Connor
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON -- White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Monday that "it's a little early" in President George W. Bush's mind to begin the debate over fundamental tax reform.
Fleischer said at a White House briefing that "there's no one idea that has coalesced." He said the president likes to reflect on the topic of fundamental tax reform, "but he hasn't decided on one approach himself."
Fleischer, once spokesman for the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said that "if you were to try to propose something to the Congress right now, I think you would find a fairly large split in the Congress, even among Republicans, on what the best type of reform is."
The White House spokesman noted that "there's a great division among Republicans between the flat-tax supporters and the creation of perhaps some kind of national sales tax.
"And so there's really no consensus behind any one type of approach," he said. "And there's no consensus by the president on what an approach should be."
Apparently, from what is said in the article above, we all need to write and call President Bush, and our Members of Congress, informing them that we want a national sales tax. The more letters we write and phone calls we make, the more we will confirm just how definite the consensus is among the citizens of the U.S. So, write and call NOW!!
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Phone: 202-456-1414
E-mail: president@whitehouse.gov
