TAXATION

Our country began as a revolt against high, oppressive taxes and Commonwealths intend to continue in that tradition by eliminating over-taxation. The convoluted tax system we have today takes too much from the productive individual and enterprises while it encourages runaway government growth and fiscal irresponsibility with no adequate system of checks and balances. Commonwealths definitely advocate the elimination of income tax altogether (except perhaps for ex-convicts) due to its inherent inefficiencies. Other forms of taxation: We wish to consider the elimination of all forms of property taxes or taxation on static possessions. Ideally, we would have only singular transactional taxes on initial acquisitions and fees about government services. Further research may be needed in some regards.

The high rates of taxation that are supposedly justified through redistributing wealth to the lower classes is a sham since only an inefficient, relatively sparse or dubious benefit is given to the lower classes. Note that the War On Poverty has not lessened in significance the poverty-level proportion of the populace. Instead, our high taxation skews money to the bureaucrats' coffers and as well into the special interests' pockets through redistributive subsidies -- attracting the cronies to bid on the capitol game. An effect: more government policies not commensurate with actual product development that create red tape and frictional overregulation in the name of bureaucracy, favoritism or protectionism. The special interest subsidies and tariffs yield cost inefficiencies and lobby blocs making it harder for the rest of us to afford various products or those of certain competitors. The imbalances and wastefulness of the corn/ethanol lobby comes to mind. Any imposed tariffs should really be universal and at a low rate or percentage.

With the high taxation confiscating from the wealthy, businesses that could have grown and expanded in an efficient and fair manner from that wealth spent on their goods and services never occurs. That capital is lost to the drag of bureaucracy, corporate welfare, corruption and the stagnation of generational welfare. Fewer jobs and less opportunity beleaguer the working lower classes. This means deeper impoverishment at the bottom and hence more government dependence is created. Notice this wealth confiscation has a punishment effect too which discourages entrepreneurs from investing, expanding and producing more. So the economy suffers overall with less production and less real employment taking place. This cycle only feeds on itself which shows that the best way to a prosperous economy for everyone willing to participate is through low taxes. Such an economy makes it possible for employers to reward with higher wages.

Whatever services government does provide for through taxation should be explicitly spelled out to the people for approval and broken down categorically into a bill or invoice form for the citizen to see where their monies go. Some services may even be charged on a per occurrence basis where appropriate to help keep taxes low. This will encourage cost-effective, accountable public works. Government should fulfill the same standards of fiscal accountability that businesses do in order to survive in the private sector.

In the future under normal conditions, the total taxes paid by the citizen at the local, state and national levels combined should not exceed 10% of gross income. Does it not seem absurd to tax more than what the church and our Judeo-Christian heritage ask for in tithing? Temporary exception may be made to meet the needs of a valid crisis. Such temporary exceptions should not be binding or renewable for terms longer than one year.

Ask yourself -- with government taking half the national income in taxation, why are not the ills of our society yet fixed by government? The squanderers do not deserve to manage all that revenue. The people could do much better for themselves and thus society in general by managing more of their own earned money.

In accordance with the above arguments, the Commonwealth Party supports the eventual implementation of the Fair Tax.