Now you say the sales tax is a regressive tax. To prove this to be a wrong statement, I will give you examples for 3 different families of four. In each example let’s assume they spend their entire income on new goods and services. Example one is given above ($30,000 annually income with effective tax rate of 1.3%) Now let’s look at a family of four with a $50,000 annual income. Their tax would be $11,500 less prebate of $6702 for a net tax liability of $4798 or an effective tax rate of 9.6%. Now let’s look at annual earnings of $75,000. The sales tax would be $17,250 less prebate of $6702 for a net tax liability of $10,548 or an effective tax rate of $14.06%

Let’s see, Tax rate of
1.3% for family earning $30,000
9.6% for family earning $50,000
14.06% for family earning $75,000

I don’t believe this is a regressive tax

Now what about someone earning $1-million? If they do not personally spend their entire $1-million, eventually one of their heirs will. Thus it will eventually be taxed.
The sales tax on $1-million would be $230,000 less the prebate of $6702 for a net tax of
$223,298 or 22.33%

You state “The tax plan replaces not just the income tax but all federal taxes and replaces the whole code with a massive sales tax, which I might note will probably have to be a lot more than just 23 percent. The Republicans of course love this idea.”

First of all it would be massive because of all the Democrats’ give away programs and the $1.5-Trillion deficit they have created. The Republicans love the FairTax idea because it gives some power back to the American people, and it takes it away from the Democrats’ beloved lobbyists.

You say the FairTax doesn’t do anything to lower state and local taxes. The FairTax is designed to replace all federal taxes. All state and local taxes are different so how and even why, should a federal tax system have anything to do with controlling state and local taxes. This is like saying your are against a new improved surgical procedure because it doesn’t lower the surgeon’s fees.

Uber-spin.

What would Paul think?

The federal DREAM Act would encourage these young people to stay in school and out of trouble, and reward them if they do so. As Joyce says, this would be a boon to Arkansas and U.S. taxpayers because more of these kids will remain in school and therefore contribute more to our economy and pay much more in taxes once they graduate.

Every time he opens his mouth in front of the public things just seem to get worse for him as he blames everyone else for his mistakes.

Agree, total implosion.

If we are to give credence to an outfit that calls someone corrupt because he “may” have done something and was “touched” by something else, then we must give credence to its charges that Mike Ross took a bribe.

The same Mike Ross that has hosted two fundraisers for Joyce and has given her $2,000 in campaign contributions (who knows if that $2K was a payoff for a health care vote).

By CREW’s logic, Joyce has been “touched” by Ross’ bribery. How could she take money, or have an unconvicted felon like Ross host a fundraiser for her?

I miss the old style machine politics of Chicago. Hopefuls went before the Central committee and were chosen. Usually chosen on what they promised to collect for the machine, but at least they parroted the party line.
I think the poor candidates both rep and Dem are the start of a real third party system. That’s one thing the tea bags are right about, Same old song and dance and then off to Washington and from then on you’re lucky to get a hug or a tickle till the next election cycle.
How’d that song in the sixties go? “The revolution has come
time to pick up your…

I mean seriously, how offensive is it that this guy thinks he can get away with bending — or even breaking — laws in order for him to (a) save money and (b) run for public office?

It’s FRAUD! when are charges going to be filed?

Those Bush tax cuts sure helped our economy! (sarcasm)

It’s too early to tell whether this is the year Arkansas shifts to the GOP, but it certainly looks like, if nothing else, both Causey and Elliott will fall victim to the anti-Democrat mood. It may spread to the constitutional offices, too; while I plan to vote for Bryant and O’Brien, I think Thurston and Martin (both clearly inferior candidates) have very good chances of winning. Possibly Darr over Broadway for lt. gov. too. I’m not ready to say Keet has any shot — Beebe is just too strong.