Simplifying the tax code is one of the most exhausted cliches in political history right behind, If you have to balance a budget, the government should have to balance its budget.
But balancing your personal budget is not the same as the federal government balancing a multi-trillion-dollar economy. Theyre not even similar!
The idea of a simpler tax code is pretty much as far-fetched political happy-talk. The idea of a postcard filing is as feasible as me being the winning jockey in the Kentucky Derby.
So when I read the latest commentary on simplifying the tax code, an article by Cal Thomas, guest contributor to The Courier-Journal, titled Reform the tax code, now, I was interested to see if there was any new argument that revitalizes this fatigued argument.
Then I got to the fourth paragraph the shortest in the whole column which read: Business Insider calculates that 31 countries have a simpler tax code than the United States. Estonia ranks first in simplicity. Estonia!
Estonia!
Yes, Cal, Estonia, with a population of about 1.3 million has a simpler tax code!
Since youre so fascinated by the simplicity of numbers, here are a few other:
Estonias entire economy is one-sixth the size of Kentuckys. Kentucky, Cal!
It makes me wonder, what about America makes us such masochists? Why would we torture ourselves year-in and year-out over something as simple as paying taxes.
Heres another take on reality, Cal: America is home to around 320-million Americans, approximately 30 million companies and a multi-trillion dollar, global economy. Thats 246 times the population and 23 times as many companies as Estonians. Estonians, Cal!
I would say that, considering were only 30-or-so spots behind in tax-code simplicity were doing pretty well.
The tax code is not perfect. Of course there are a number of ways that it could be simplified. But to compare the United States to Estonia is intellectually lazy, and undermines the seriousness of the issue.
This article appears in April 19, 2017.