Milton Friedman - Why Tax Reform Is Impossible
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN commenters cite it whenever a thread touches on tax complexity, loopholes, or why companies like Intuit benefit from a convoluted tax system.
What it is
Milton Friedman explains why the US tax code is enormously complex and why meaningful reform is unlikely. He argues that politicians profit from the complexity, since tax breaks are products they sell and the code works as a tool of reward and punishment. The clip is about 14 minutes from his lecture series.
Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2013 to 2022.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec tolmasky · 2013-05 · on “Apple Pays No Tax on Much of Its Overseas Income, Senate Panel Finds”
Somewhat relevant talk by Milton Friedman that I found enlightening when thinking about these tax matters (economics of tax shelters, tax cuts being the "product" politicians "sell", etc.): [this video] (I strongly recommend watching all of it, but around 5:50 in he talks about why the tax system will remain complicated if you have an internet attention span).
Recommends baddox · 2014-01 · on “Technology and wealth inequality”
There is a good Milton Friedman video wherein he explains why tax reform won't happen in the United States. The key is that the ideal goals of a tax system (e.g. generate lots of revenue with little inefficiency and little impact on taxpayers' personal financial situation and few unequally distributed loopholes like corporate tax avoidance) are not the goals of lawmakers who define the tax system. In the video, he focuses on a theoretical tax system just like our current progressive income tax, but with all brackets >25% limited to 25%, and argues that it would be an improvement (according to ideal goals). But I think the argument could be extended to basic income or negative income tax, the
Recommends briandear · 2017-04 · on “Uber banned in all of Italy”
Perhaps if taxes were less punitive and confiscatory people would be less likely to be creative in their avoidance. Lowering and simplifying taxes would increase revenues (per the Laffer Curve,) however that would result in politicians not being as powerful. Milton Friedman explains this brilliantly: [this video]
Cites tolmasky · 2013-08 · on “San Francisco split by Silicon Valley's wealth”
1. Google does not "dodge" taxes. They follow the incredibly complex web of rules the system specifically designed for this sort of use (or abuse). Its absurd to expect any corporation or person to go out of their way to pay more than they need to. (Milton Friedman Why Tax Reform is Impossible: [this video] ) 2. Muni does not need more money. SF does not need more money. SF's budget is twice that of Idaho's, and we have far fewer people and far less space than Idaho ( [LINK] ). Look no further than the ridiculous extension of muni from China town to downtown to see a clear indication of how funds are being completely misused. No one wants to fix the budget problems in SF and its so much easier to
Cites tolmasky · 2013-12 · on “Start-up NY: 100% Tax-Free for 10 Years?”
Because tax breaks are the products politicians sell: [this video] (relevant portion about 5:28 in but it's all worth watching)
Cites briandear · 2016-10 · on “Yahoo scanned customer emails for US intelligence”
Milton Friedman made a similar point about the advantages of a complex tax code for those in power. A complex tax code favors those that will contribute to politicians in order to gain a special benefit or avoid a specific harm. Paraphrased obviously. Here's the original lecture: [this video]
Cites briandear · 2018-04 · on “IRS’ 60-Year-Old IT System Failed on Tax Day Due to New Hardware”
The real question is why we have a tax system that would need 10,000 additional customer support reps. The problem isn’t a lack of reps, it’s a system that requires that many reps. The flat tax, file-on-a-postcard system proposed by 2016 presidential candidate Ted Cruz was mocked by the establishment because it seemed tha politicians on both sides have a vested interest in a complex tax code — it is the means by which politicians derive their power. See Milton Freidman on the subject: [this video]
Cites briandear · 2019-01 · on “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Wants to Raise Taxes on the Rich and Americans Agree”
Milton Friedman (who is a few steps above AOC when it comes to economic policy knowledge): "All things considered, the personal income tax structure that seems to me best is a flat-rate tax on income above an exemption... I would combine this program with the abolition of the corporate income tax, and with the requirement that corporations be required to attribute their income to stockholders, and that stockholders be required to include such sums on their tax returns. The most important other desirable changes are the elimination of percentage depletion on oil and other raw materials, the elimination of tax exemption of interest on state and local securities, the elimination of special trea