This mini-documentary from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity discusses the global flat tax revolution. There are now 24 flat tax jurisdictions (actually 25, but we didn’t know about Trinidad & Tobago when the video was filmed), a remarkable development given the ideological opposition to tax reform from special interest groups and class warfare advocates. The six-minute video explains the key features of the flat tax revolution and highlights the reforms in Hong Kong, Estonia, and Iceland. The flat tax revolution has been especially strong in former Soviet-bloc nations, a rather ironic development since a so-called progressive income tax was a key tenet of Marx’s Communist Manifesto.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
On September 11, 2008, Freedom Party leader Paul McKeever was a panelist on “On the Line” with Christine Williams (Crossroads Television: CTS). In this segment, Paul answers a caller who asks about when certain taxes were imposed in Canada.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
CytherLynx
March 5, 2011 at 2:46 am
@LibertyJedi moving towards a flat tax is a step closer.
there will never be the option to just cut all taxes, even though i’d support that too.
CytherLynx
March 5, 2011 at 2:59 am
@DracoMalfoy87 a good short book to read would be ‘economics in one lesson’ … it was written in 1946, but is still as relevant as ever, and since it deals with princples .. not faulty ‘correlation-causation’, then it surely would be a good read in another 50 yrs from now. read the amazon reviews.
LibertyJedi
March 5, 2011 at 3:55 am
SCrew you and your flat tax, how about NO taxes? Get a clue and stop being a schill for the power that bees.
mohankaly
March 5, 2011 at 4:11 am
enjoy time with family and friends a good glass naneedj.info
1776Rosco
March 5, 2011 at 5:03 am
@1776Rosco Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)
Trailer registration tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Worker Comp Tax
1776Rosco
March 5, 2011 at 5:57 am
@1776Rosco Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money)
Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
1776Rosco
March 5, 2011 at 6:16 am
@DracoMalfoy87 Taxes are already in place for the roads and military. The income tax only pays for the interest on the debt and with all the debt it’s not even paying for that now.
Some of the Taxes Americans Pay Each Year
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax
DracoMalfoy87
March 5, 2011 at 6:44 am
I know Ron Paul opposes the income tax. Has Ron Paul proposed that sales tax or some other tax would build roads and pay for the military? Roads and military are something that taxes have to pay for. I am not saying getting rid of income tax is a bad idea – I am just wondering what taxes would pay for anything if that happened.
I believe before 1913 or so there was no income tax but there were high tariffs which are also bad. Is sales tax the answer?
1776Rosco
March 5, 2011 at 6:55 am
@DracoMalfoy87 See Ron Paul, we can go to no income tax if we reduce government to just the 1992 levels. Say no to taxes! Income tax is unconstitutional!!
pbk718
March 5, 2011 at 7:39 am
@OmegaRage Don’t make assumptions based on bad info. If you can add and multiply, you’ll know that this is a bad idea. All this proposal means is that the richer will pay less than those who earn less as a proportion of their income It’s why we’ve had a progressve tax rate for so long. As for Econ 101, it’s a idiom, look it up.
Hey Hockey, i’ve got some new policy ideas for you; Let’s peg the dollar, introduce tariffs on all imported goods and finally, elimintate the poor by printing more money!
OmegaRage
March 5, 2011 at 8:19 am
@pbk718 Watch the video before you comment, whiz. As Dan explains, the Flat Tax would be fairer because everybody pays the same rate, that is nobody is punished for making more money. The rate that the Liberals proposed was granted, high (35%), but that pretty much was the only mistake made there. All they had to do was make the rate that everyone pays a lot lower (like say, 15%), and it would have been more acceptable. Btw, there is no university I know of that teaches ECON101.
pbk718
March 5, 2011 at 8:26 am
I use to like Joe Hockey but now I know he’s a fool. A flat tax rate? R U serious? Did theu not do Economics 101?
It’s got to the point where trained monkeys would be better in the liberal party then what they have now. This is just sad.
Efficacious24
March 5, 2011 at 9:21 am
Alan Greenspan (former Federal Reserve Chairman) now works for John Paulson’s fund. Guess what John Paulson’s fund’s BIGGEST position is right now? GOLD. . Don’t say you weren’t told. Protect your families wealth. Visit: goldsave.co/
janakisaman
March 5, 2011 at 10:01 am
single bridals here naneedj.info
BobGeorgeAU
March 5, 2011 at 10:16 am
It’s true, there is a global flat tax revolution. Here in Australia there’s been a bit of talk about introducing a flat tax after it was recommended by a tax review that was commissioned by the government in 2008 and came out this year. Unfortunately the Labor/Greens coalition (which is left wing) is in government at the moment so we might not see that recommendation come to fruition for at least the next parliamentary term. But we are in debt and desperate times call for desperate measures.
coturnix19
March 5, 2011 at 10:50 am
@willn89ten it had nothing to do with taxing real businesses; the fail was in unwise investment policy, also known as financial speculations or something
coturnix19
March 5, 2011 at 10:50 am
what the fuck? Ukraine? Russia? Have sane tax system? These guys don’t know a fck what they are talking about, i am very disappointed with cato keeping such morons as their staff
brainsbranes
March 5, 2011 at 11:33 am
flat tax pls
DracoMalfoy87
March 5, 2011 at 12:18 pm
America needs to either abolish the income tax and move to a flat sales tax, or adopt a flat income tax of 15% and STOP SPENDING on WAR and SOCIALISM
DracoMalfoy87
March 5, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Maybe that’s because they want everything to be equal, as usual, so, equal taxes. If you look at the countries the average income is still extremely low compared to America, etc, and the Russian government, I believe, still controls many aspects of the economy. If you could combine deregulation and flat taxes you would have an extremely rich country
tamilmannan
March 5, 2011 at 1:30 pm
fuck taxes
vcedre1
March 5, 2011 at 1:37 pm
You know, whether flat tax is in Americas interest of not, i just don’t see it getting passed – and it is because of municipal bonds. If there were a flat tax, municipal bonds would loose the tax exempt advantage that make them able to sell at a lower interest rate relative to comparable bonds. (1) First everyone holding municipal bonds would loose money instantaneously as the price fell, and (2) municipal cost of capital could arguably be to high, in the long run resulting in defaults.
willn89ten
March 5, 2011 at 1:39 pm
flat tax leading to more revenue… listing iceland as a success story
thefredsays
March 5, 2011 at 2:25 pm
Flat tax= workers pay the tax. People with money to invest already cleared from taxes don’t get any more taxes on their investments. Good for the rich not for me.
Cato institute should be changed to the Advocates for Restoring the Guilded Age and Sticking it to the Poor. AFRG&SP.
hakimania
March 5, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Great job! showing us some of the most miserable places as a model to imitate! Then go and live in Georgia, Iraq or Mongolia you moron… Besides, Iceland has has been bankrupted, Kyrgyzstan just lives through a revolution and who knows when the psychopatic President of Georgia will wage the next war, let’s spare talking about Iraq. Does’t seem to contribute so much to stability your stupid flat tax. 😀
angryadrien
March 5, 2011 at 3:28 pm
I have not been able to find any documents to support the common “myth” that Paul quotes “income taxes were originally intended to be temporary”.
Does anyone have any proof of this?
I have read many documents and none have supported this opinion.
Thank you.
barneythehorse
March 5, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Involuntary servitude and other types of slavery are illegal in Canada. I am here because God put me here, not because of some act of the Federal Government. Therefore, the government does not own me or my labour !
Keinlicht
March 5, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Its funny that the progressive nature of canadian taxes is lambasted in this peice. This is probably the only positive aspect to our current system of taxation.
belltocher
March 5, 2011 at 5:22 pm
The year 2035 presents many new operatunitys and chalenges for the citizens of Canada. The .47% income tax increase is one of the lowest for over a decade. However a 100.47% tax rate will present some very unique chalenges.
johnnywhack
March 5, 2011 at 5:57 pm
We all pay taxes here in Canada, a lot of them. It’s depressing how little of each dollar we can actually put towards our baskets of goods. In addition to regressive sales tax, each year we get the opportunity to voluntarily and enthousiastically pay our income taxes. Why do our income tax returns not give us the option of opting out of services we go not want or dissagree with?
trudyames
March 5, 2011 at 6:24 pm
My understanding is the Government of Canada was challenged in court and they were given 7 years to stop charging the illegal tax. From there the provinces were used to create the tax loop. Is this true, how can I confirm it? I am interested in our tax laws and minimizing tax payments for Canadians.
Tealy855
March 5, 2011 at 6:29 pm
NO TAXATION WITHOUT CLARIFICATION
scuba36fun
March 5, 2011 at 7:08 pm
@khimosaubi
yep, very unfortunately but you are 1000% correct!!
rwg714
March 5, 2011 at 7:16 pm
No wonder these guys are no politacal contenders!! They are ill informed and are propogating garbage. Saying that Ontario did not have income taxes until 1969 is simply not true, and is a stupid statement in and of itself!! (Perhaps he is confused about federal income taxes and provincial imposed taxes, eh?)
Topazman12
March 5, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Great video. The big 3 gets bailout money. Politicians stuffing their friends’ pocket with money such as E Health scandal. Asking for 25% raises. Working only 8 years to get a Pension. Hiring people who made huge donations to parties. Getting meals all paid for by going to 5 star restaurant, having parties costing $100/ plate. This Government is an UNDERGROUND economy. Corruption.
a4d2d0
March 5, 2011 at 8:25 pm
that freedom party didn’t last long now did it?
MrMrtelfer
March 5, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Canada, I’m going out of the country for one year. is there a problem if I pay 2010 taxes in 2011? I have a tax credit due to school fees.
Spaseed
March 5, 2011 at 9:18 pm
That’s great! Do away with taxation and do away with that burgeoning bureaucracy called the CRA and we’ll all live happily everafter! Sounds great, right?
I think not! And, the excise taxes couldn’t begin to pay for what we’ve all come to expect! I kind of agree with Amanda Lang when she says, “I like to drive on paved roads that you very much!”
Spaseed
March 5, 2011 at 9:43 pm
That’s great! Do away with taxation and do away with that burgeoning bureaucracy called the CRA and we’ll all live happily everafter! Sounds great, right?
I think not! And, the excise taxes couldn’t begin to pay for what we’ve all come to expect! I kind of agree with Amanda Lang when she says, “I like to drive on paved roads that you very much!”
bluehorse888
March 5, 2011 at 10:36 pm
Hmm… canada instituted income tax only 3 years after the US formed the federal reserve act…wonder if thats a coincidence….
Giardintek
March 5, 2011 at 11:33 pm
CRA has over 45,000 employees, that’s more than our army, Talk about expensive, eh!
rrk10
March 5, 2011 at 11:54 pm
crash the system . c o m
canadastreetmedia
March 6, 2011 at 12:01 am
The Goverment owns your ID and CONTROLLS the fiction that is attached to the id cards Tittle, You own nothing that is attached to this fictional contract and only have ltd charter rights.
a NATURAL MAN is not owned and therefore is not a tax slave,
Human rights apply only in this jurisdiction.
Mrreverendjim
March 6, 2011 at 12:15 am
read your constitution. observe the corruption of our leaders. in that light i thinks its all i need to say.
SparwoodApple
March 6, 2011 at 12:36 am
The average human brain weighs 3 pounds and this is the very best you could come up?
Mrreverendjim
March 6, 2011 at 1:17 am
sparewood apple sounds like a troll
Mrreverendjim
March 6, 2011 at 2:08 am
@richardp14 bank of canada share’s held in trust by minister of finance for the…get this….for the queen. that’s the canada bank act. and yes , its run just like the federal reserve. fractional reserve banking. every dollar in circulation is debt. you think were special or something?
SparwoodApple
March 6, 2011 at 2:55 am
USC Section 1, Sections 61, 64, Sections 6012, Sections 6151, Section 6072. Title 26, … on and the Internal Revenue Code, is law btw
SparwoodApple
March 6, 2011 at 3:12 am
Actually aside from a mortage the bank is only a place where my money is stored and nothing. Car, furniture, vacations etc are paid for by cash. It is amazing what a litte hard work and patience can do to ones financial situation. Born Canadians should stop stuffing ugly fat asses with double whoppers make something of themselves.
GtheMVP
March 6, 2011 at 3:16 am
THat was never put into law though. THere is no official law that states a U.S. citizen hs to pay income taxes to the federal government.