Leo T. reviewed A Fine Mess: A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System on + 1775 more book reviews
I have not yet seen the book, but Mr. Reid has an excellent reputation as a journalist. He flogged his book on WHYY (Fresh Air, 3 April 2017) and Ms. Gross, as usual, elicited a good interview.
The income tax was a measure to pay for the Civil War but was found unconstitutional, so it took ratification of an amendment to the Constitution in 1913 to bring it into law. The Harding Administration and Congress squared it away in 1922 as did DDE and Congress in 1954, and most recently RR and Tip O'Neil in 1986. Reid notes the 32 year intervals and predicts that the thicket of tax laws might be trimmed again in 2018.
He compares the complexity of US taxes with the simplicity of those of most other nations and also discusses the GAT in detail.
While one may not read every chapter, there seems to be much of interest.
The income tax was a measure to pay for the Civil War but was found unconstitutional, so it took ratification of an amendment to the Constitution in 1913 to bring it into law. The Harding Administration and Congress squared it away in 1922 as did DDE and Congress in 1954, and most recently RR and Tip O'Neil in 1986. Reid notes the 32 year intervals and predicts that the thicket of tax laws might be trimmed again in 2018.
He compares the complexity of US taxes with the simplicity of those of most other nations and also discusses the GAT in detail.
While one may not read every chapter, there seems to be much of interest.
