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The anti tax republicans believe that if Americans had an easier time filling their taxes then they would have less objections to the same or higher level of ta

The anti tax republicans believe that if Americans had an easier time filling their taxes then they would have less objections to the same or higher level of taxation. https://www.npr.org/2013/03/26/175332655/what-would-the-u-s-be-like-with-no-tax-returns https://www.npr.org/2013/03/26/175332655/what-would-the-u-s-...

loeg 3y ago
They're probably right about that?
- yongjik 3y ago
  Well, as a non-citizen US resident, having to do my own taxes definitely makes me think "They can't even build a tax filing system? What the fuck are they doing with all that money?" I guess the difference is that my mind immediately goes to "Who are those people who think government not doing its job properly is a Good Thing(TM), and why do Americans keep electing them?" It's as if a wannabe entrepreneur claiming "Capitalism does not work! Make me your CEO and I'll prove it to you!" - and then the board keeps falling for those guys.
  - eastbound 3y ago
    > They can't even build a tax filing system? What the fuck are they doing with all that money? More like “They can’t even solve poverty? What are they doing with 2/3rd of my income?” France here. Cities have to build 40% of poverty housing, by law, because, well, we’ve determined that 40% people are poor. The benefit of not declaring income is not only taxes, but lower-rent housing as well.
- mikestew 3y ago
  I’ve paid no tax and I’ve paid lots of tax. I did not care in either case how much I was paying in taxes (it is what it is). What I did care about is how much of a pain in the as it is. Mail me a goddamn postcard telling me how much I owe and be done with it. And then to find out one political party would prefer that I suffer so I’ll vote the way they want? Yeah, fuck those guys, I’m voting for the other ones.
  - loeg 3y ago
    Yeah, to be clear, I'm not saying I agree with their goals. Just that making taxes more painful to file likely increases their salience.
  - nxm 3y ago
    Well perhaps you don’t care, but majority of people care and feel the impact of higher taxes. I’d rather not have the government waste more of my money
    - orev 3y ago
      > I’d rather not have the government waste more of my money Then campaign and vote for people who will handle the money how you prefer. You don’t get to argue with the bill after the money is already spent. Tax collection time is the wrong time to be having this fight.
    - therealdrag0 3y ago
      Wouldn’t sending a postcard with amount paid in taxes the same effect without causing everyone pain? The only thing anti-taxers need for their project is awareness of taxes paid, which can be done without needless pain.
- tadfisher 3y ago
  The vast majority of working adults have to file a W-4, receive paystubs that shw exactly how much they're withholding for state and federal taxes, and get a W-2 every year with the totals. The 1099 is just busywork that doesn't give the taxpayer any extra information. I fail to see how prefilled forms would fail to alert taxpayers to the amount of taxes they pay.
  - loeg 3y ago
    By 1099, do you mean 1040?
    - tadfisher 3y ago
      Yes, thanks!
- bobthepanda 3y ago
  i'm not saying that they're wrong. i'm just saying that's a lot of the logic. it is pretty cynical to say "i don't want to make people's lives easier so they better align with my political goals"
  - lupire 3y ago
    Not entirely fair to them. Many politicians oppose simple taxes simply because they are on Intuit's "payroll".
nox101 3y ago
Why wouldn't that be the case? People put up with raises in all kinds of expenses without really noticing or complaining. Why would it be any different with taxes?
- bobthepanda 3y ago
  it is just a bit hypocritical that the anti-tax people, who cloak in words about small government, are opposed to a less intrusive form of government services that would also generally cost taxpayers less (since Turbotax et. al. are always steering users of their products into higher tiers they probably don't need) "we want to make your life worse so that you align with our political goals" is generally a terrible thing to admit to out loud
  - nox101 3y ago
    You're spinning their POV. Their POV is, harder taxes = less taxes, easier taxes = more taxes. I'm not saying that will work for them but I can see it as defendable idea. I think many of them would also like to see a ban on auto tax deduction. Their POV is if everyone has to send a check to the government they'll vote for less taxes where as with auto-deduction, most people just look at their after tax income and ignore the rest (and see their "refund" as a bonus which it isn't) I think I'm mostly on the "simpler is better" where simpler should be "get the tax code to fit on 2 pages of 10pt single spaced letter sized paper. Something simple like "+0.25% for every 1k over 10k up to 50%" the end. I'd be curious to know which country has the simplest taxes
pyuser583 3y ago
It’s a joke in conservative circles that taxes should be due on “the first Monday in November.”

loeg 3y ago

They're probably right about that?

yongjik 3y ago
Well, as a non-citizen US resident, having to do my own taxes definitely makes me think "They can't even build a tax filing system? What the fuck are they doing with all that money?" I guess the difference is that my mind immediately goes to "Who are those people who think government not doing its job properly is a Good Thing(TM), and why do Americans keep electing them?" It's as if a wannabe entrepreneur claiming "Capitalism does not work! Make me your CEO and I'll prove it to you!" - and then the board keeps falling for those guys.
- eastbound 3y ago
  > They can't even build a tax filing system? What the fuck are they doing with all that money? More like “They can’t even solve poverty? What are they doing with 2/3rd of my income?” France here. Cities have to build 40% of poverty housing, by law, because, well, we’ve determined that 40% people are poor. The benefit of not declaring income is not only taxes, but lower-rent housing as well.
mikestew 3y ago
I’ve paid no tax and I’ve paid lots of tax. I did not care in either case how much I was paying in taxes (it is what it is). What I did care about is how much of a pain in the as it is. Mail me a goddamn postcard telling me how much I owe and be done with it. And then to find out one political party would prefer that I suffer so I’ll vote the way they want? Yeah, fuck those guys, I’m voting for the other ones.
- loeg 3y ago
  Yeah, to be clear, I'm not saying I agree with their goals. Just that making taxes more painful to file likely increases their salience.
- nxm 3y ago
  Well perhaps you don’t care, but majority of people care and feel the impact of higher taxes. I’d rather not have the government waste more of my money
  - orev 3y ago
    > I’d rather not have the government waste more of my money Then campaign and vote for people who will handle the money how you prefer. You don’t get to argue with the bill after the money is already spent. Tax collection time is the wrong time to be having this fight.
  - therealdrag0 3y ago
    Wouldn’t sending a postcard with amount paid in taxes the same effect without causing everyone pain? The only thing anti-taxers need for their project is awareness of taxes paid, which can be done without needless pain.
tadfisher 3y ago
The vast majority of working adults have to file a W-4, receive paystubs that shw exactly how much they're withholding for state and federal taxes, and get a W-2 every year with the totals. The 1099 is just busywork that doesn't give the taxpayer any extra information. I fail to see how prefilled forms would fail to alert taxpayers to the amount of taxes they pay.
- loeg 3y ago
  By 1099, do you mean 1040?
  - tadfisher 3y ago
    Yes, thanks!
bobthepanda 3y ago
i'm not saying that they're wrong. i'm just saying that's a lot of the logic. it is pretty cynical to say "i don't want to make people's lives easier so they better align with my political goals"
- lupire 3y ago
  Not entirely fair to them. Many politicians oppose simple taxes simply because they are on Intuit's "payroll".

nox101 3y ago

Why wouldn't that be the case? People put up with raises in all kinds of expenses without really noticing or complaining. Why would it be any different with taxes?

bobthepanda 3y ago
it is just a bit hypocritical that the anti-tax people, who cloak in words about small government, are opposed to a less intrusive form of government services that would also generally cost taxpayers less (since Turbotax et. al. are always steering users of their products into higher tiers they probably don't need) "we want to make your life worse so that you align with our political goals" is generally a terrible thing to admit to out loud
- nox101 3y ago
  You're spinning their POV. Their POV is, harder taxes = less taxes, easier taxes = more taxes. I'm not saying that will work for them but I can see it as defendable idea. I think many of them would also like to see a ban on auto tax deduction. Their POV is if everyone has to send a check to the government they'll vote for less taxes where as with auto-deduction, most people just look at their after tax income and ignore the rest (and see their "refund" as a bonus which it isn't) I think I'm mostly on the "simpler is better" where simpler should be "get the tax code to fit on 2 pages of 10pt single spaced letter sized paper. Something simple like "+0.25% for every 1k over 10k up to 50%" the end. I'd be curious to know which country has the simplest taxes

pyuser583 3y ago

It’s a joke in conservative circles that taxes should be due on “the first Monday in November.”