I'm sorry, but how did this wind up in this conversation? Would you please start a new one, so I don't get a bunch of emails about South Africa? Thank you.

Thank you for the suggestion. The guy who sits next to me does handle a lot of arson claims, etc. I do some carbon monoxide claims (a big area for fraud) in addition to premises and auto liability. I think the medical claims field is pretty specialized. Considering I have 25 years experience in my area, I will probably stick with that. Better one looter at a time than none!

A flat tax can be introduced "progressively", by reduction and eventual elimination of exemptions; reducing the number of tax percentages until there's only one; lowering the level of untaxed income until all income is taxed. Any savings interest should be untaxed until spent (that does not mean savings isn't taxed, like a 401K, but the savings comes from taxed income like a Keogh account).

The problem with the tax system now is that so many taxes are hidden that people have no idea how much the government is stealing from them. One seriously obscene tax is the Social Security/Medicare system, which is blatantly regressive, with the low income people paying much more of their gross pay than the wealthy. A truly flat tax makes hiding taxes a real challenge.

You sort of went off track with bringing up the immigration thing, which I consider a crime of both liberals and conservatives. The liberals have the delusion that poor immigrants will become part of the voting population that will bring about their fantasy society where "social justice" reigns supreme; the conservatives just want cheap labor. Both sides are a pattern for disaster.

The question is how long does it take before the cost of security becomes prohibitively high, or for chaos to overcome any vestige of civilization? As the cost of security rises, the population that can be truly secure shrinks, and the population of the lawless grows. At some point, the privileged become the target of a lawless population too large to control, and chaos reigns.

Part of progressive taxation is based on that idea: that the wealthy must cover enough of the cost of security for the rest of the population to keep chaos at bay. A flat tax makes the expense of security pretty much the same per capita. The wealthy pay their share the same as everyone else, without the image of privilege.

By the same token, I don't believe in exemptions for charity. Real compassion isn't bought, but given.

I also don't support estate taxes. What I choose to do with my property should be my decision, and those who benefit pay their share at the same flat tax rate as any other form of income.

I know. And I don't speak Spanish, so I probably won't be able to get/keep a job anyway.

We will probably have to do that to get our daughter into college...

First you need to defect to Mexico, then sneak back across the border. You'll get all kinds of benefits and you won't have to pay taxes as long as you work under the table. We should all consider doing this.

Florida hasn't a wealth tax since 2007 or 2008. They used to call it an "intangibles tax", and I had to pay it for a few years. It was a pittance, but ironically Jeb Bush got rid of that tax.

This might be a bit naive of me regarding your industry, but I'm speculating you may have the skill set to pursue the really big looters. The kind who torch a failing company building to get their 8 figures insurance, or get a similar payout for a fictitious 'medical condition' from a food or pharmaceutical product. Insurance companies would pay well for a bit of extra evidence to pull a jury over the line in their favour.

Exactly ! +1

I'm only tellilng you how those people in Ferguson, Missouri, think. I didn't say I approved.

But that example shows you can't expect people to think and act rationally.

Do you deny that South Africa is turning lawless, hence chaotic?

There is just too much wrong with your reply for me to spend my time remarking on your logical errors. Suffice it to say that you are obviously not an objectivist.

hey -- make all that you can, and then go Galt --
and work hard to stop 'em in your spare time (how,
as a retiree I think, did I ever find time to go to work?)....... -- j

Ah, yes........Office Space........interesting how fluff movies can become classics, enjoyable repeatedly........and, more importantly, why they endure.............................

I'd much rather err in that direction -- it's better than paying interest and penalties for underpayment.

Beware! Florida doesn't have state income taxes, but it does have a wealth tax. So if you retire there, your savings get bitten into every year.

These states also have no state income taxes:
Alaska, Washington, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Texas.

In addition, Tennessee and New Hampshire don't tax wages, but do tax interest and dividend income.

My current shrug job is as a chemical, biomedical, and materials engineering professor at Florida Tech, a private, non-tenure-granting university. When Atlantis is ready, I will do again (I was part owner of two small tech companies.), instead of teach. Until then, I have a great shrug job.

So what you're saying is, South Africa is descending into chaos.

In the bygone days, I would have suggested sending in the troops to occupy those other communities. Now I'm not so sure how that would work. Because what you get is Ferguson, Missouri. Sooner or later some local "tough" gets himself killed, and the people sympathize with the local "tough." Why? Because they see the police as an army of occupation, not an enforcer of the laws under which they wish to live.

Get out of California. Hey--it's going to be called "Alta California" soon, anyway.

And if you don't, you don't get the service. However, it might be in the best interest of others to provide it.

It's "reasonable" to steal 18% of my income?? And why should some people be exempt?

I like the idea of a flat tax of a reasonable percentage, say 18%. There should be a lower level of earned income so that those that are working hard just to put food on the table and a roof over their head don't pay. No deductions for anyone for anything. It would also apply to business so that those like General Electric don't get away with no taxes paid at all.

The problem that I see is the federal government; congress will just starting boosting the tax level to 20% then 22% etc., etc. They'll rob you of ever dime they can get so they can buy the votes to keep them in office. In my opinion that's why Obama refuses to close the border and provide sufficient border guards to watch for illegals crossing. It's also why he's working to get the amnesty for millions. That's votes for the Democrats in the bank. Anyone that thinks he's doing it for concern of the Mexicans needs to review his history In office.

Fee for service is the direction South Africa appears to be going. The wealthy employ more security forces than all of the nation's law enforcement, living behind walled fortress communities, while the outside communities become more lawless and dangerous each day. Fee for service works, if you have the money.

Consider Texas. No state income taxes here either. There are plenty of jobs here, Maybe your company will give you a transfer here doing the same job.

I'm curious what the term "looters" means in the context that I see in here. As best as I can tell it refers to one that has not or is not paying their way.
As regards the taxes, depending on your income, you will be paying at least 50% of your wages to state and federal agencies. There has to be something really wonderful about California to pay that much to just live there, That number doesn't consider sales and use taxes which I'm sure adds another 10% or so.