Read Online A More Perfect Union: What We the People Can Do to Reclaim Our Constitutional Liberties by Ben Carson MD, Candy Carson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ben Carson MD, Candy Carson
Tags: nonfiction, Biography & Autobiography, Retail, Political Science, Politics, Civics & Citizenship, American Government, National, Constitutions
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than allegiance to the nation. This is a dangerous trend, and in order to rectify it we will need strong leaders who are not hyperpartisan but are looking out for the good of everyone.
These leaders must be statesmen rather than politicians. Politicians tend to do things that will get them reelected and promote their ideological notions. Some politicians actually do care about their constituencies and try to live by a code of ethics, but most seem to be motivated primarily by their desire to win elections. Statesmen are wise people who express their ideas in ways the people can understand. They are unconcerned with reelection but very concerned about carrying out the will of their constituents and doing what is right for the country. Only statesmen have the courage to risk alienating their parties in order to do what is right for everyone. Only statesmen really serve the general welfare, and they do so by making sure that the laws apply equally to all citizens.
THE DANGERS OF UNFAIR TAXATION
When the founders wrote that the government should promote the general welfare, they didn’t mean that the government should take money from one group to support another group. It will be difficult for us to ever achieve a sense of fairness in America as long as taxes are levied in different ways for different groups of people. The sense of injustice can poison relationships and create animosity where none should exist.
I can still remember vividly the heartache and bitterness I felt as a child when I was treated unfairly by teachers. When I was in third grade, my teacher made me sit under her desk like a dog for the whole afternoon because of a minor infraction.When I was in fourth grade, a male teacher paddled me because a female student, who was the teacher’s pet, told a lie about me because she knew that the teacher would take her side without question. Although I have long since forgiven those teachers and try not to hold grudges, I remember that the feeling of injustice was more unpleasant than the actual punishment in both cases. Similarly, when people feel abused by a system of taxation that affords favors to some while punishing others, the resentment breeds class warfare.
No group of American citizens should be singled out for extra taxation and no group should be spared taxation on the federal level. A flat tax may be the only tax that truly treats everyone fairly and thus promotes the general welfare. Under a flat tax, each citizen pays the same percentage, and there is no danger of the government favoring one group over another. An added bonus of the flat tax is that it makes politicians think twice before raising it. If raising taxes means that everybody suffers the same proportional increase, raising taxes will upset everybody, not just a small group of people. These angry voters will make their voices heard and vote the responsible politicians out of office.
Another way to make sure taxes treat everyone fairly is to close all the loopholes in the tax code. When accounting tricks let some people avoid paying taxes, unfairness automatically enters the system. A fair tax code will not overtax, but it also will not provide tax shelters or tax reductions to anyone.
Taxation is a topic where multiple opinions vie, with everyone quite convinced of the validity of their solution. A proportional income-tax system with no loopholes is the only way to avoid injecting personal biases into the argument. A proportional income-tax system also allows the rate to be set quiteeasily at whatever level is necessary to sustain government functions. Depending on the needs of the nation, legislators would be able to raise and lower taxes in order to best serve all citizens.
THE DANGERS OF GOVERNMENT DEPENDENCY
Promoting the general welfare does mean that the government should do things that enhance the lives of its citizens. The government should build and maintain infrastructure that supports population growth, business, and
These leaders must be statesmen rather than politicians. Politicians tend to do things that will get them reelected and promote their ideological notions. Some politicians actually do care about their constituencies and try to live by a code of ethics, but most seem to be motivated primarily by their desire to win elections. Statesmen are wise people who express their ideas in ways the people can understand. They are unconcerned with reelection but very concerned about carrying out the will of their constituents and doing what is right for the country. Only statesmen have the courage to risk alienating their parties in order to do what is right for everyone. Only statesmen really serve the general welfare, and they do so by making sure that the laws apply equally to all citizens.
THE DANGERS OF UNFAIR TAXATION
When the founders wrote that the government should promote the general welfare, they didn’t mean that the government should take money from one group to support another group. It will be difficult for us to ever achieve a sense of fairness in America as long as taxes are levied in different ways for different groups of people. The sense of injustice can poison relationships and create animosity where none should exist.
I can still remember vividly the heartache and bitterness I felt as a child when I was treated unfairly by teachers. When I was in third grade, my teacher made me sit under her desk like a dog for the whole afternoon because of a minor infraction.When I was in fourth grade, a male teacher paddled me because a female student, who was the teacher’s pet, told a lie about me because she knew that the teacher would take her side without question. Although I have long since forgiven those teachers and try not to hold grudges, I remember that the feeling of injustice was more unpleasant than the actual punishment in both cases. Similarly, when people feel abused by a system of taxation that affords favors to some while punishing others, the resentment breeds class warfare.
No group of American citizens should be singled out for extra taxation and no group should be spared taxation on the federal level. A flat tax may be the only tax that truly treats everyone fairly and thus promotes the general welfare. Under a flat tax, each citizen pays the same percentage, and there is no danger of the government favoring one group over another. An added bonus of the flat tax is that it makes politicians think twice before raising it. If raising taxes means that everybody suffers the same proportional increase, raising taxes will upset everybody, not just a small group of people. These angry voters will make their voices heard and vote the responsible politicians out of office.
Another way to make sure taxes treat everyone fairly is to close all the loopholes in the tax code. When accounting tricks let some people avoid paying taxes, unfairness automatically enters the system. A fair tax code will not overtax, but it also will not provide tax shelters or tax reductions to anyone.
Taxation is a topic where multiple opinions vie, with everyone quite convinced of the validity of their solution. A proportional income-tax system with no loopholes is the only way to avoid injecting personal biases into the argument. A proportional income-tax system also allows the rate to be set quiteeasily at whatever level is necessary to sustain government functions. Depending on the needs of the nation, legislators would be able to raise and lower taxes in order to best serve all citizens.
THE DANGERS OF GOVERNMENT DEPENDENCY
Promoting the general welfare does mean that the government should do things that enhance the lives of its citizens. The government should build and maintain infrastructure that supports population growth, business, and
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