Jack Kemp shares in his column at Townhall.com about the Institute for Policy Innovation's benchmark for sound tax policy, in a paper titled A Framework for Tax Reform, written by Stephen J. Entin and Larry A. Hunter.

Basically, the paper shares three principles of a sound tax system:

• Economic Efficiency: inflict as little damage as possible on the economy.
• Technical Efficiency: impose the smallest possible compliance and preparation burdens, as well as minimize administrative and enforcement costs.
• Political Efficiency: distorting a little as possible voters' choices regarding the amount and composition of public goods and services. Further, the ability to shift the tax burden from one group (those in power) to another group (those not in power) should not be possible. "At a minimum, political efficiency requires the adoption of super-majority voting rules to apply to changing the definition of income subject to taxation or to alter the rate(s) at which that income is taxed."

The paper also shares the four attributes of a sound tax system:

• Neutrality: measuring capability correctly, and levying taxes evenly.
• Visibility: transparent to the taxpayers, so it is clear how much the government costs and who is paying for it.
• Fairness: equal treatment under the law.
• Simplicity: not complicated beyond what is necessary.

While neither the IPI document nor Kemp use this to endorse the FairTax, there are no other tax proposals anywhere that fit these definitions. Only the FairTax has economic, technical, and political efficiency. Only the FairTax has neutrality (by shifting the tax base to consumption), visibility (everyone will know the tax rate), fairness, and simplicity.

The reason Kemp brings this IPI document to light is because the president's Tax Advisory Panel chose to hear from Stephen Entin in their first session. This meeting is being held today, and Entin will most likely be presenting these principles of a sound tax policy. If the panel finds that these principles and attributes are a good standard of measure for alternative tax proposals, they will find that the FairTax satisfies all of them.

Labels: politics

We're constantly bombarded by information about fad diets. Some are no carb diets, some are no protien, no sugar, no fat, and some no taste! OK, maybe all of them are no taste...

But do any of these get to the root of the problem?

If you died with Christ to the elemental forces of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations: "Don't handle, don't taste, don't touch"? All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are human commands and doctrines. Although these have a reputation of wisdom by promoting ascetic practices, humility, and severe treatment of the body, they are not of any value against fleshly indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)

The problem is not what we eat. The problem is a lack of self-control, which leads to self-indulgence.

A secular diet cannot address the fundamental root problem of being overweight. It can make you sacrifice one thing, but if the fundamental problem is not addressed, you will simply replace it with indulgence in something else.

We spend a lot of time worrying about our physical bodies. We should instead be spending our time focusing on our spiritual health. As we do so, we will find that God will start addressing the fundamental problems that plague us physically as well.

Fleshly indulgence can take on many forms as well, not only in the form of food. Most of our worst vices -- including food, drugs, smoking, alcohol, pornography, and others -- derive from a lack of control of the desires of the flesh. Setting Captives Free offers free online interactive courses (Bible studies) to address the root problem of issues like sexual purity, overeating, drunking and drugs, smoking, and homosexuality, as well as a general course leading you to enjoy Christ as your "Total Satisfaction".

Labels: church

The holidays are over, but now that the pictures are up and the bills are paid, they're really over! Jeremiah has given up the soldier-style crawl and has been doing the real thing, and yes, he's definitely one to get into everything. All that work two years ago putting cabinet locks up is really paying off now.

Jeremiah has two main words: "da da" and "dat" (that), and recently he's added "uh uh" (uh-oh).

December was a very busy month, with Christmas, a birthday, and a dedication!

Labels: life

From the Opinion Journal's Best of the Web, James Taranto, writes in Iraqis Fight Back--and Dance about a little story this where some Iraqis in a village just south of Baghdad fought back when some terrorists came to punish them for voting -- five terrorists dead and eight more wounded. Taranto says:

It's quite understandable that Iraqis would be bolder about standing up to the terrorists now than they were last year. Just over three months ago, after all, there was a possibility, no matter how remote, that John Kerry would be elected president, which could have led to an American retreat from Iraq. Iraqis naturally kept their heads down, lest they suffer the same fate as the Vietnamese allies America abandoned at Kerry's urging three decades earlier.

Labels: politics

News stories circulated yesterday about an American solder captured by terrorists in Iraq, but certain aspects of the photo were immediately considered dubious by the Pentagon.

But OOPS! It turns out it's just a "Special Ops Cody" doll!

(CNN - Full Story)
(FOX News - Full Story)

Labels: politics