Our Broken Politics
Forwarded through Scott Sumner:
"One of the greatest reliefs is the simplification of tax administration. Since the tax reforms of 1990 abolished almost all deductions, while cutting rates, tax declarations have become extremely simple. Ninety per cent of taxpayers simply confirm with a phone message that the declaration automatically prepared by the tax authorities for them is correct."
Why, oh why, can't we do this? Let's just (for the moment) except the current level of taxes as a given, and then figure out how to cut the time it takes us to pay those taxes down to an average of a minute or so. Then we can go back to fighting over the level of taxes.
But, of course, we can't, because our system is so beholden to special interests. But Sweden did it! Why could they do so, while we can't? Any answers?
"One of the greatest reliefs is the simplification of tax administration. Since the tax reforms of 1990 abolished almost all deductions, while cutting rates, tax declarations have become extremely simple. Ninety per cent of taxpayers simply confirm with a phone message that the declaration automatically prepared by the tax authorities for them is correct."
Why, oh why, can't we do this? Let's just (for the moment) except the current level of taxes as a given, and then figure out how to cut the time it takes us to pay those taxes down to an average of a minute or so. Then we can go back to fighting over the level of taxes.
But, of course, we can't, because our system is so beholden to special interests. But Sweden did it! Why could they do so, while we can't? Any answers?
Nonmonetary taxation: spending hours and hours miserably trying to fill out your tax form.
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