Two views on income tax equity

Flat tax needed
When the U.S. government takes 35 percent of Mike’s income, 20 percent of Anna’s income, and 0 percent of Jake’s income, it engages in discrimination, pure and simple. As Americans, we have rightly declared that gender and ethnicity should never be grounds for discrimination. Is it not time that we again stood tall and condemned discrimination based on income?

As our fiscal house teeters on the brink of insolvency, all sides in the raging debate seem to be giving little attention to the progressive taxation system itself. Could it be that the floor buckles and the roof is uneven because the foundation is the problem?

As human beings, we are wired for fairness and no family, business, or country ever thrives under discrimination. These are humbling times to be an American but they afford an important opportunity to course correct. As Americans, we have discarded many forms of discrimination throughout our history and each time we have grown stronger. Now is the time to discard the progressive taxation system with its discrimination based on income and to rebuild our fiscal house on the equitable and lasting foundation of a flat tax. It is surprising how quickly a house can find its form when it rests on a solid foundation.

Justin Krewatch

Hook Lane

Mount Pleasant

Levy taxes fairly
A Nov. 27 letter warned that “low-to-middle-income” retirees would be faced with increasing taxes on their capital gains and dividend income. And of course he laid the blame for this travesty of justice directly at the feet of the president.

I’m a bit confused. Perhaps the writer has a different definition of low-to-middle income than I.

I consider myself to be firmly in that group — my marginal tax rate, for instance is 15 percent.

I’m already paying taxes on dividend income at my marginal tax rate, and I have been for some years now.

I’m about ready for those higher income folks to start paying taxes on their dividends and capital gains at their marginal tax rate too. Seems eminently fair to me.

George H. Steele

Whippoorwill Farm Road

Johns Island