Tax fairness: Good luck with that
Making taxes fairer is a worthy aim but often a matter of 'Says who?' And President Obama's attempts may create some unintended consequences.
Make the tax code fairer?
That's one of the things President Obama wants to do in the 2010 budget, which Congress resumes work on this week.
Of course, when it comes to taxes, fairness is in the eye of the beholder, and reasonable people can disagree on how to achieve greater equity.
Moreover, the quest for fairness can't be pursued in isolation.
For tax policy to be effective, it must not only be fair, but it must raise sufficient
revenue to fund government efforts; promote economic efficiency; and be simple enough to maximize compliance.
