A Reagan Achievement: The 1986 Tax Reform?

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Monday June 07, 2004 · 5:24 AM PDT

2004/06/07 · 05:24

I am an unusual liberal, as I want to shockingly reform and change the entire tax code. I am against raising taxes except in the most extreme circumstances (war, 9/11 type emergency, comet impact, "Day After Tomorrow"-type disaster).

I don't want to cut taxes either, especially for the wealthy. I believe taxes are the price you pay for civilization. If you don't want a civilized society, then you don't pay taxes. Further if you make more money, you should pay more money in taxes. It is called fairness. If we need to raise money, my first look would be cut all of the pork and pet projects that have nothing to do with making society better. And no, I am not talking about cutting military spending. I am talking about a Mosquito Research laboratory.....in Alaska....or a Palm Tree Hatchery....in North Dakota. I hate wasteful spending. I am frugal in my own life and I expect my government to be as well. So if you want to raise money, cut those programs that have nothing to do with making society progress.

This brings me to the 1986 Reagan Tax Reform Bill. I may have been called by another name, and I think Warren Rudman's name may have been attached to it at some point, but that is besides the point.

An article in todays Washington Post discusses how that 1986 bill has been gutted in the intervening 18 years and it is no longer effective.

A good thing, you say? Perhaps. Perhaps Not.

Read some excerpts from the article:

One of Ronald Reagan's greatest legislative achievements -- the Tax Reform Act of 1986 -- was the most extensive overhaul of the federal tax system since the income tax was created in 1913. The sweeping way that it slashed rates and blew away billions of dollars of narrow tax breaks, Reagan said, was "a triumph for the American people and the American system."

Ok, well I am not a fan of slashing rates unless it is part of a complete and final progressive reform of the tax code that slashes rates but eliminates all credit, deductions and tax breaks for everyone and everything.

But as you can see, I am a fan of eliminating tax breaks and credits, and closing those so called tax loopholes you hear so much about.

Before I get troll rated like yesterday, be sure that I am not praising Reagan here. But his legacy is something we will have to discuss and repudiate or work off of, depending on the situation, in time. He was President of the United States once, and we his actions, inactions, successes and failures are something we have to deal with.

Today I want to discuss the tax system. How would you change it. Do you like flat taxes? Do you like progressive taxes? No income taxes, but instead just sales and use taxes?

I am not a big fan of the system we have now. But I also don't have all the answers and am not knowledgeable enough in this field. So I would enjoy a discussion on this.

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