It is tax season once again. Like most working middle-class people, I dread having to deal with it. The current broken, bloated tax code is overly complex, unfair and oppressive. The Washington elitists and the pointed-head bureaucrats manipulate it for power and profit. It should also be noted that it is completely unconstitutional. But, as we all unfortunately know, federal taxes will always be with us.

   In the past I have been a strong proponent of a flat tax system, and I still believe in it. Steve Forbes proposed a simple yet effective model in the 90′s, but the idea never gained any traction. Now the idea of a “fair” tax is being bandied about. All tax paying Americans should get behind the movement. The Tea Party protests and anti-amnesty movement have both proven what can be accomplished when Americans get fed up and mobilized.

   The Fair Tax would eliminate all federal and payroll withholding taxes. It would remove federal taxation on spending up to the poverty level. It would do away with the majority of the bureaucrats at the Internal Revenue Service, and it would be fair, simple and transparent. Another important aspect of the Fair Tax is that it would force illegal aliens and the underground economy to join us law abiding taxpayers.

   What is the Fair Tax? It would be a 23% federal sales tax. Before you panic and say that would be too high, read on. A “prebate” would be sent to families/individuals who qualify. The prebate would offset taxes on the necessities of life. It would also eliminate taxes on the poor and would provide the middle-class with significant tax reductions. I calculated my own situation. Under the Fair Tax, I would have $10,000.00 more per year in expendable income. Complete information on the Fair Tax can be obtained at www.fairtax.org.

   There was a time in the not-so-distant past when a family could live comfortably on one income if they wished. Now all working-aged people in a family must work just to make ends meet. Why? Oppressive taxation at all levels of government is the reason. The average family works until the first of June each year just to cover their tax burden. And that timetable is constantly being pushed back.

   In this season of spirited civic revolution, it is the perfect time for us to remind Washington that the money we earn is ours, not theirs. So come join the cause.