Fair tax or foul?

• Author: Fleischer, Kenneth H.
• Position: Letters - Letter to the editor

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I've never been sure which would be less objectionable, the Flat Tax or the Fair Tax, as both exempt people whose income falls below the "poverty line," and both eliminate favoritism. Senior EditorTim Cavanaugh's article ("Fair Tax or Foul?" August/September) left my opinion unchanged. When one gets down to a full analysis, no tax can really be fair. The question is which means of financing government is least disruptive to society and its economics. In that respect, the current tax system leaves much to be desired. The closest we can come to a truly fair tax system is to make the government for which the tax pays as unobtrusive as possible.

Let me add another major drawback to the Fair Tax. During the transition from an income tax to a national sales tax, older Americans get screwed with double taxation. Those who have paid progressive income taxes all of their working lives and still managed to save money for retirement count on paying lower taxes in retirement, since they won't be earning a salary. With the Fair Tax, they will find themselves facing high taxes on their consumption as they spend their savings.

Since I fall into this category, I would vigorously fight the Fair Tax out of self-interest. I would also fight it as a libertarian, because...