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Iraq | |||||
U.S. Administrator Imposes Flat Tax System on Iraq | |||||
2003-11-02 | |||||
The flat tax, long a dream of economic conservatives, is finally getting its day not in the United States, but in Iraq. Shades of 1950 Hong Kong! It took L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Baghdad, no more than a stroke of the pen Sept. 15 to accomplish what eluded the likes of publisher Steve Forbes, Reps. Jack Kemp (R-N.Y.) and Richard K. Armey (R-Tex.), and Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) over the course of a decade and two presidential campaigns. "The highest individual and corporate income tax rates for 2004 and subsequent years shall not exceed 15 percent," Bremer wrote in Coalition Provisional Authority Order Number 37, "Tax Strategy for 2003," issued last month.
That has to change. John B. Taylor, undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs, said the Iraq flat tax was discussed before the war as preliminary planning was done with the help of some Iraqi exiles. After major combat ended, the discussions continued with Iraqis in Baghdad, with emphasis on tax policies adopted by other countries making the transition from controlled economies. "One was Russia and subsequently Ukraine, where we heard good things after flat taxes were adopted," Taylor said.
If they can make this work they’ll have predictability in taxation and enough revenue for the government. And the people will start demanding that the government work. | |||||
Posted by:Steve White |
#5 How about a $10K USD fee for Press Credentials? LOL! Y'know, there might be something there! At least it'd be out in the open and benefiting the people, instead of the clandestine payments and 'gifts' Saddam and his cronies were getting from the news organizations. |
Posted by: Pappy 2003-11-2 9:37:03 PM |
#4 I love the idea of a $10,000 fee for press credentials. It should be an annual fee, applicable only to a single reporter, and non-transferable. Oh, and support staff each require their own set of credentials, so each sound man, each camera man, requires their own set. Oh, and charge $50,000 a month for any group that employs a guide or translator who worked for Saddam's government. Oh, and exempt anyone who wants to take part in the embed system. Wave it off as their being attached to the military. |
Posted by: Robert Crawford 2003-11-2 11:38:21 AM |
#3 I guess that rules out having them trained by the European Commission's statistical bureau - Eurostat, huh? There is so much that we poor Merikens have to learn from our betters. Just think how valuable being a cellmate with one of these guys would be regards your future finances! A waiting list will need to be set up. Oh, wait, my bad. They won't be going to jail. Hell, they might not even lose their jobs. The wagons are circled and "mum's" the word. We have so much to learn! This is just too sophisticated for us - and I'm sure we'll impose our crass and simplisme approach on the poor Iraqis. Oh well, we shouldn't lose hope -- they'll pick it up from the NGOs later. |
Posted by: .com 2003-11-2 9:50:25 AM |
#2 The hardest part of the taxing will be keeping bribery out of the equation. Glad the UN has beat feet and isn't around to participate in the training for the Iraqi IRS. |
Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-2 9:09:20 AM |
#1 Geez, I'm soooo jealous. "...excellent and first class hotel and restaurant tax." LOL - I love the sound of the sour grapes at the end... I wonder if that came from the reporter or - more likely - the WaPo Editorial Staff. Pfuck 'em - they can help pay for Iraq's reconstruction, too, since it's providing them with employment. Hmmmm. Come to think of it... How about a $10K USD fee for Press Credentials? LOL! Y'know, there might be something there! |
Posted by: .com 2003-11-2 6:26:22 AM |