Why does the US have a tax system?
969002
Good  question\n\nHere's an interesting video.\nIt's quite long..almost 2 hrs.\nThe 1st 30~45 minutes pretty much gets \nthe general point across\n\nhttp://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4312730277175242198&q=\n\nHere's 16th Amendment at FindLaw.com\nIt includes all of the  Annotations & case law\n\nhttp://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/\nconstitution/amendment16/\n\n\nFor anymore who needs help with any of the words,\n"Legalese" really is just Plain English.\nAny dictionary is useful.\nDictionary.com is simple to use,for one example.\n\nhttp://dictionary.reference.com/\n\n\nI Wish I could give YOU the 10 pts for asking.\nThere's a little more to being an American than \nwaving toy flags & chosing partisan political sides \nto cheer for.\n\nThings like,,asking questions.\nAnd,,demanding answers.\nQuestions exactly like yours.
910157
A flat tax would tax everyone at the same rate (percentage).  There would be no exemptions or exceptions.  There would be no loop holes for the very rich to use.  A flat tax would almost eliminate the need for an IRS.  That alone is a good reason to implement a flat tax.  The other tax that has been discussed with the "USE TAX".  That would tax everything we buy but not everything we earn.
102500
Well the US has a capitalist system, which is unbelievably more productive than the typical, say, communist system. Some believe us to be having trouble at the moment, to which I would reply that we are too busy paying for all the communist countries, or islamic or muslim or anything but capitalist countries, to get back on their feet after years of killing themselves with their lousy systems, and we aren't worried nearly as much about improving things at home. But one fact remains, without the US, the world would have a serious problem when it comes to finding people to buy their goods. The US is one of the largest, if not the largest, consumer around.\n\nWhat's a SWOT, anyway? Maybe you could reformulate your question to make it somewhat more grammatically correct and readable.
927263
So they can keep each other in check, and no one branch has total control. The way the US was created was to ensure true liberty for its citizens, and this is a big part of it. I wish I could go into more detail, I think it may be referred to as a "system of check and balances."
89250
Read Neal Boortz's book "The Fair Tax".  \nThe fair tax gets rid of all federal income and payroll taxes and replaces it with a 23% consumption tax.  \n\nPeople get a prebate each month to cover taxes on the basic necessitys of life. \n\nYou get your whole check (gross) not just net.\n\nCorporate taxes presently account for 23% of an items price now.  That would disappear so you would be paying about the same for everything.\n\nAnd with no corporate taxes America would become the worlds biggest tax shelter.  Industries would be running over each other to set up shop in the US.\n\nCheck it out.\n\nMy 2 cents
1136197
Yep.  Its a great way for the state to make money without raising taxes.  My state FINALLY figured that out a couple years ago.  Its great.
706046
what about the poor who pay nothing below a certain level??a question that runs two ways.the middle class carries the weight of all the loopholes and breaks. I believe that a flat tax or a VAT would be equitable to all. But you will get the whiners who benefit from the present system?CPA's attorneys tax preparers need the business?if they keep it complicated they can shill the masses?I 've always wondered why the Bible says to tithe a tenth to charity and church related things and the US Govt, takes a graduated rate ? why cant they exist on 10 per cent?
260260
As Americans, we all know about taxation without representation.  But what a lot of times we aren't taught is that it was common in the world at the time to levy taxes on colonies and not afford them representation in the government.  The taxes were used for other things, like defense of the colony.
108867
They are free because of the taxes. What's wrong with that?
479673
Well.. my best guess.\n\nThe income tax started in the 1860's (I believe 1861) but was declared unconstitutional in 1881 so there were no income taxes in 1890.\n\nLiquor taxes were around since the 1700's... so there's that.  It did provide a lot of money to the government.\n\nSales Taxes: there were times during our history when there was a federal sales tax  (Civil War, World Wars) but none existed in 1890 or today.\n\nCustom Duties: If you're referring to "Excise Taxes" on goods then yes, this is where the majority of the income for the Fed's came from.  These taxes were actually charged to business who passed them along to consumers.  This inculded liquor and cigarettes.
1096171
I seem to remember reading that the early American colonists didn't much like the principle of taxation without representation. \n\nThe US role as "the world police" is purely self appointed and purely in the interests of protecting the American Empire, which has at it's heart the protection of the American economy and globalisation.\n\nIf you bother reading a slight amount of world history, you will see that the US used to complain about us Brits doing exactly the thing.
840374
The easiest income tax system would be to throw it out and implement a national sales tax.  Tax everything but food at a rate somewhere between 1 and 5 percent and people wouldn't even have to do taxes.  The only people doing taxes would be business owners and they are already doing state sales taxes, at least in the states that have sales tax.
629694
Why?  To support goverment functions, and "social" programs.  This can include anything from the military to protect our country, to subsidies for child care, to research of why a flea jumps so far.\n\nWhen is it done?  Constantly, always, incessantly.. In payroll taxes, sales taxes, property taxes, corporate taxes, fuel taxes, and on and on and on and on.....\n\nWhat is the rate of taxes at this moment?  If you can figure that out, you're doing great.  You'd have to find out all the underlying costs associated with all of those taxes, for you individually, combine them, divide them by your total income, and there you have it.
494960
This big difference is only one face of a completely different fiscal and welfare system. Taxation is heavier in Europe because it serves also to pay many public services which are freely granted (such as high-quality health care and education). America can tax citizens less than Europe because they prefer to pay directly when accessing services ("why should I pay hospitals when I don't use them?").\nWhatever is our opinion on the two systems, they are too different for being comparable and it's not easy deciding which is better.
686147
Our tax dollars help pay for public services such as:\n\npolice departments\nfire departments\neducational system\nsocial security\nroads and bridges\nmedicare\nwelfare (BOO)\nmilitary\nand other stuff.. the list goes on and on.\n\nSo if you don't want to pay taxes stop using the things listed above.
648413
Because the government wants children to be educated according to what the government leaders believe is right.  And so we as a country are taxed for it.  Is it right?  no.\n\nI do not allow my child in public schools..yet I pay school taxes.  I am my child's teacher, yet I do not get a state salary...  My taxes go to pay for a schoolbuilding my child will not see the inside of and for teachers to teach kids things we do not believe in...\n\nBut as Christians our family is taught to give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar's, and give unto God what is God's.\n\nIf we don't like the tax system, we can always move to another country...;)
812438
We need fair tax.  I feel that sales tax is the best way. Barring that a simple income tax without deductions. We spend more on tax enforcement each year than education. If you added in the cost of incarceration of tax offenders then you would find we could send millions of Americans to college for free with what we waste on the IRS and tax enforcement. \n\nEach American wastes money and time with taxes. All the while hoping they did it right. Even if they did there is risk of an audit and even if they made their best effort to comply with the law and were completely honest there is a risk they could face huge fines or worse for honest mistakes.   So it saps our productivity and leaches money from the economy for parasites like tax lawyers. \n\nLast we pay through the nose at the check out counter. The legions of accountants and tax lawyers needed by companies just to deal with the IRS nightmare costs each of us every time we buy anything. \n\nAs for the poor, they'll pay less tax really. The middle class considerably less. The rich more and many companies and people who skate tax free will have to pay their share. Billions will be availible to reduce the defficiet, fund tax cuts or be used for other needs.