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Show The UTAH INDEPENDENT Page 2 April 14, 1972 JU 1 AS a member ti)C planndJ parciaibooj The Independent T Dedicated To 3 Thai's Think easy for Say. our last chili! The Constitution, Liberty, Morality, and Truth a planning her to ynake tUr toe fihojti U C have J one Hie wore ? Free men can vote themselves into slavery, but slaves cannot vote themselves free." i - J. Rmm Hunter m IlMUltl A VALUE ADDED TAX ? We all know what a retail sales tax is 80 9p - 44 of our states and some of our cities have this tax. We also know what a wholesale sales tax is and what a manufacturers sales tax is. tax? A VA tax is merely a What, then, is a value-adde- d different method of collecting a retail sales tax. Moreover, it is a more complicated method. . .Certain virtues are claimed for There is no such thing, it in the name of neutrality. however, as a really neutral tax; some transactions or people must in the end be taxed, and not others. The VA is said to be neutral because it applies in the same way to all types of business. Thus the tax is said to be a cost for every business -whether a business makes or loses money, whether efficient or inefficient, whether in corporate form or proprietorship form, whether We so are left with on. and or the impression that here is a really neutral tax imposed on tax is business.!. .But this just is not so. The neutral as to business because it does not apply to businesses; rather it is a retail sales tax on the consumers of the goods and services, and not a tax on the producers or sellers of goods and services. For the business sector, the neutrality of the VA tax because it simply means the neutrality of the casts the business firm in the role of a collector of taxes for the government and from the ultimate consumer. Nor should we view a VA tax as a neutral tax on the consumers. A VA tax would be neutral only if it taxed all consumer goods and services at the same rate. But no such tax actually exists in Europe, and none would exist here. The French tax, for example, has four rates: a normal rate; an increased rate for luxury items; an intermediate rate for certain utilities, such as hospital care and certain foodstuffs; and a reduced rate for widely consumed foods, tourist hotels, and so forth. The German tax has two rates, and other countries generally also have at least two rates.' Some systems exempt food, and many exempt a large variety of services, financial activities (banking and insurance), newspapers, nonprofit institutions (schools and governments themselves), and so on. Other systems avoid differential rates, but reduce the tax base for certain sectors of the economy (e.g., construction), by taxing only a percentage of the sales price. The list of separate rates, differentials, exclusions, and discriminations is endless. No mass tax can be a simple, neutral tax, as anyone acquainted with a state retail tax will agree, and a tax is more complicated than a retail tax. . . In varying degrees, our existing federal tax system provides equity, incentives, certainty, and familiarity. It is by no means perfect but any change should be in the direction of improvement, balancing the various goals the system seeks to whether debt-financ- labor-intensiv- or e capital-intensiv- $ uen H. Nl Ru-Wdior- On Course ytfflook Start of a e, equity-finance- d, ed value-adde- non-taxpaye- value-adde- $ r, d achieve. Viewed from the standpoint of domestic considerations, the addition of a national sales tax would clearly not improve our present federal tax system; rather, it would make it distinctly worse. On the international side, a national sales tax would not bring the United States any advantages which would alter a policy decision against the tax made for domestic reasons. Finally, if a national sales tax were ever deemed desirable in the United States, it should take the form of a retail sales tax d and not a tax. . . Stanley S. Surrey - value-adde- Campaign d Independent Dsdcctad To The ComMvioi liberty. Morally and Truth The Utah Independent is published by the Utah Independent each Friday at 1399 South 7th East, Suite 9, Salt Lake City, Utah 84105. Yearly subscription rate is $4.00 per year by surface mail in the United States. Send change of address forms and correspondence to 2459 Major Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 Utah's Largest and Fastest-Growin- g Subscription Weekly have been what the future holds wondering for America. I have tried to put to words the way I see it. SINCE c The spontaneous offers of help in my campaign for United States Congress have been very encouraging. This indicates that large numbers of people realize that many of our government programs are dishonest and lead to more government control over our lives. They feel they can manage their lives better than the government bureaucrats can. And they are absolutely right! If there are large numbers of citizens who already are aware of the dangers of increasing government control, think of how many more there will be after seven months of intensive educational campaigning! Political campaigns should produce a revival in patriotism and interest in and understanding of true principles of government. Because too many political candidates want to win at any price, however, they merely sample the political winds and advocate whatever will get them elected. This kind of campaigning thrives on misunderstanding and greed, aggravates the problems that face us, and leads to moral degeneration. What we need is a moral regeneration in politics. A political campaign designed to win at any price is a moral cop-ou-t. Anything that is morally wrong cannot be politically right. While the right way might not be the easy way, it is the only way. I am planning a campaign that most political experts would consider political suicide. Instead of sampling the political winds to determine what kind of platform would most likely get me elected, I am going to establish my platform on sound and honest principles and work to convince the people these principles are correct. I think the people will welcome this as a refreshing change in politics. And I disagree with the I think the right way can win. experts There are hundreds of citizens who have offered their support. They will comprise a team to launch the campaign. While there will of course be vigorous opposition to our campaign, I fully expect that many who are our opponents at first will later join our team. Many will oppose us because they will not at first understand our program. But we are going to tell them the plain truth, and while people cannot change the truth, the truth can change people. We are building a team to win this campaign, and we invite all who agree with our principles to join us now. Next weeks article will contain details of our plan to win. In the meanwhile, if you wish to join this team, please send your name, address, and phone number to The Ferguson For Congress Committee, P.O. Box 511, Pleasant Grove, Utah 84062. Next week: How To Win - The Dear Editor: For some time I 76 Fallen asleep since 76, we awaken in an awful fix. The hedge torn down, the enemy all around. No good or evil they say, not black or white, its gray. Offered to Pagan Gods, our sons blood upon foreign sod. 'Faith my friend, its not the end. Americas best youth, full of light and truth. A battalion strong, will right the wrong. As David of old, their story will be told. Right is might, thus they stand, the enemy driven from this land. With faith of youth and the sword, dressed in armor of the Lord. The hedge rebuilt and a tower too, to our God let us be true. Freedom secured for our seed, to the enemy, take heed! Those who defy the living God, will no more upon us trod. Edward R. Moss Kearns Dear Editor: It could turn out that the best deal made by Mr. Nixon while in China was where he swapped two muskoxen two pandas. The for trade obviously makes America more beautiful because it adds two cute bear-lik- e critters with hair the national to kempt scene. Which is a particularly noticeable improvement in the environment when we get them in trade for two of ouroverstock of shaggy and creatures. hair-hap- py I see where the discipline problem, due to untrained kids and unrestrained judges, is very serious in some schools. And as this situation grows worse and more widespread, the time may not be far off when nobody will take a school teaching job but an idiot. But this may work out for the best. A generation educated by idiots - |