Far better it is to dare mighty things . . . than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the great twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt 1904
Future of Civilisation: Tax Debates and Links
Tax History: Promoting Honesty by Releasing Corporate Tax Returns
Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, thinks it might.His suggestion recalls an earlier effort to combat corporate wrongdoing through tax publicity. For a few short years in the early 20th century, corporate returns were public documents.
The corporation excise tax (CET), enacted in 1909, included a publicity provision opening returns to public inspection. Supporters believed that publicity would encourage honesty -- an important consideration in an era when business malfeasance made frequent headlines. Most business leaders, on the other hand, decried publicity as an intolerable.
· Public Inspection [Tax.org]
Courage in Tax Policy
But winning or losing is not really the point. Personally, these lawmakers had a lot to lose and little to gain. Yet they kept fighting for a cause in which they believed. If they lose this time around, I suspect that we will be seeing them again. And that is a good thing.
· Defeated, Yet Undaunted [Tax.org]
Taxation
The complexity and inefficiency of the individual and corporate income taxes have led to great interest in replacing them with a consumption- based tax.
· Simplifying Taxes [CATO]
· Tax Analysis [Wallm Street: Opion Journal]
Calls for tax simplification: Bloggers Have a Say On Tax Policy
It is something of a Holy Grail for some tax lawyers, it is called consumption tax.
· The Advantages of Consumption-Based Taxation [DC Blows]
· Two Cents Worth [Maxspeak]
· Sneaky Comment 1 [Sneakingsuspicions]
· Sneaky Comment 2 [Sneakingsuspicions]
· Debate Raging [Jane Galt]
· Tax Lawyer [Cognocentric]
Links to Tax Sites of Note
Tax Australia
· Taxation Links: Australia [Australian Taxation Office]
Tax Australia: Speeches of Note
· Helen Coonan’s Vision: Challis Tax Debate [Assistant Treasurer]
· The Art of Tax Administration [Michael Carmody: ATO]
· Where There is No Vision People Perish [Michael D'Ascenzo: ATO]
Tax US
· Taxation: US [Internal Revenue Service]
· Online Source for IRS Revenue Rulingsm with US & International Tax Links [IRS]
Tax: UK (Together with sound International Links)
· Taxation Links: UK [Internal Revenue Service]
Tax Law & Accounting Links
· Taxation Links: US & International [U of N Iowa by Dennis Schmidt. A fantastic resource of tax links]
· Taxation Links: US & International [University of Oklahoma Law Center]
· Taxation Policies: US & International [Taxsites]
