[lockhouse]

I disagree. Cutting all the useless corporate subsidies and pork would allow us to simplify tax filing and the tax code all in one fell swoop. Then we could automate a huge chunk of the IRS and reallocate their employees to other agencies that will serve the tax payers better. It's a win for everyone except corrupt politicians and their corporate masters.

[ToucanLoucan]

It's completely unrelated. The tax code can be as complex or simple as desired for any number of other reasons. The government already knows the vast, vast majority of information required to determine what's owed, and we know that because they catch you when you screw it up. Obviously we can have processes for appeals or amendments to an individual's return.

Nevertheless, do absolutely agree with getting rid of corporate subsidies and pork, and simplifying the tax code, if for no other reason than to close the innumerable number of loopholes abused by corporate entities and the wealthy.

[_2z1p]

A simple tax code is a simple one for a computer to calculate.

1. Input the taxpayers's income from all taxable sources.

2. Lookup what tax bracket you're in based on that income.

3. Calculate the appropriate tax bill based on that percentage.

4. Subtract that from whatever has already been taxed out of their payroll for the year.

5. Bill them or refund them appropriately.

No humans would need to be part of the process if it were that simple, saving money and making errors less likely. Also, the simpler the tax code is the less computing hours it will require to complete the entire country's taxes, meaning faster refunds and less energy usage. Simpler taxes are even better for the environment!