By D.P. *\"Bracken\"* Bracken

***\"Inflation is the one form of taxation that can be imposed without
legislation.\"* \-- Milton Friedman, noted American economist.**

**Place:** *The Nation\'s Capital*

**Time:** *Early 20th Century*

**Scene:** *A dimly lit room, furnished with only a table and two
chairs. The blinds are drawn tightly, as if to ward away any outside
eyes from peering inside the darkened chamber. Seated at the table are
two opulent figures, "Government" and "Business".*

*"Government" is the smaller of the two, but it is obvious from the
deference paid to him by "Business", that he is the one wielding all of
the power. "Business" was \'invited\', putting it mildly, to this
meeting by \"Government\". After \'polite\' greetings are exchanged
between the two, we join the conversation in progress:*

**Government:** *(talking to 'Business')* "I need to raise more money to
fund myself."

**Business:** "Why do you need more money?"

**Government:** \"Because I\'m growing so much larger.\"

**Business:** \"But the wise men who created you warned us about the
dire consequences of you becoming too big.\"

**Government:** \"Don\'t you worry, I\'ll keep my size well under
control!\"

**Business:** \"I don\'t know. I have a bad feeling about all of this.\"

**Government:** \"Put all of your fears aside and listen to my plan. The
plan is: I want, I mean, I need more money. I have come up with a bright
idea of how to get more money from the public using a new type of tax
system.\"

**Business:** "Individuals are already taxed too much. If you tax them
any more, they might revolt!"

**Government:** "I have a plan which will tax the public without their
knowledge. It\'s a very devious plan, and you, 'Business', will play a
significant part."

**Business:** "Is there any danger in it for me?"

**Government:** "No, in fact the public will sympathize with you, for
this plan will make it appear that you are paying a large percentage of
the tax burden."

**Business:** "OK, I\'ll listen to your plan. Tell me how it will work."

**Government:** "First, I will convince the public that you, 'Business',
should pay your fair share of the taxes in this country. Of course, the
public will agree. Then I will initiate a 'Corporate Income Tax' on all
businesses and corporations."

**Business:** "Now hold on! I\'ve already made it clear that I will not
contribute any more money to your inefficient bureaucracy!!"

**Government:** "Wait, just be quiet and listen! Here\'s where the
devious part comes into play."

"You increase the price on the goods and services you produce, to cover
the cost of the \'Corporate Income Tax\' and all associated expenses.
You and I both know that businesses never have and never will pay taxes,
you just pass them on to your customers."

"I will make regular announcements that the increase in prices is due to
\'inflation\'. In this way, the public is actually paying both the
\'Individual Income Tax\' and the \'Corporate Income Tax\' but they will
honestly believe they are only paying the \'Individual Income Tax\'. So,
everyone will actually be paying a hidden income tax of \$25 for every
\$100 that they spend."

**Business:** "But the majority of people spend almost all of the money
they make. Under this plan, they would be paying more in the hidden
income tax than they pay in the visible income tax."

"Even the person making only \$10,000 a year, who pays no visible income
tax, will in reality end up paying about \$2,500 a year in this devious,
concealed income tax. That\'s one-fourth of his entire income. What a
plan!! You are the shifty one!"

**Government:** "Thank you, but flattery will get you nowhere! Now
remember, you must play along with this plan by acting outraged at the
excessive amount of business income tax you are forced to pay, in order
for it to work."

**Business:** "What\'s in it for me, by the way?"

**Government:** "You play along, I will cut you in for a piece of the
action. 'Subsidies', 'exemptions', 'grants', etc., you will be surprised
at what I can do for you. Just don\'t let on that this is the greatest
tax scheme ever devised."

**Business:** "What if someone figures this all out someday?"

**Government:** "The public is dim-witted and slow to act, besides most
people will not believe that their own government would betray them. How
many of them could actually conceive that such a plan was ever devised
in the first place. So what if they do! By that time, the income tax
will be as much a part of life as baseball, mom, and apple pie."

**Business:** "Wow!, If the public ever catches on to how much they are
really paying in taxes, there could be hell to pay! Even the people who
think they aren\'t paying any income tax are really paying an awful lot
in income tax. Your plan is a most evil idea, indeed! I bow to your
wickedness."

**Government:** "Thank you. You may go now."

*\"Business\" leaves the room and closes the door behind him.
\"Government\" waits a few moments and then goes to the door, looks out
to make sure that he is alone.*

*\"Government\" closes the door and then says softly to himself,* "Like
the saying goes: 'There's a sucker born every minute'. Stupid public,
they\'ll never know what hit them. With this greater tax burden,
they\'ll spend all of their time and energy just to survive day-to-day."

"Foolish 'Business', he doesn\'t even realize that this plan will affect
all business-to-business transactions, as this \'Corporate Income Tax\'
will be concealed in everything. Even goods and services exchanged
between businesses at the wholesale level."

"Prices will just keep going up, and the poor, pitiful consumer, who has
no one else to pass the tax on to, will foot the bill for the entire
cost of me\... the great\... the powerful\... 'Government'!"

**"\...HA-HA-HA-HAAAAAAA-HAAAAAAAA-HA!!"**

*The bloodcurdling evil laugh is heard for miles around, but the
unsuspecting citizens of the greatest country on Earth are unaware of
what the wicked laugh portends for them, their children, and for unborn
generations yet to come.*

(Fade to black)

# The End

**Narrator:**

*"Are you tired of being a victim of **'The Greatest Tax Scheme on
Earth'**? There is a better alternative - a fair, simple way for the
government to collect taxes. A system whereby you will be able to see
how much of your money government takes. Would you like to find out
more? Would you care to learn what you can do to change this unfair
system? Or are you happy just being a 'sucker' of this income tax
system?"*

**To learn more, contact:**

> **Citizens for an Alternative**
>
> **Tax System (CATS)**
>
> **1-800-767-7577**
>
> **or contact:**
>
> **Citizens for an Alternative**
>
> **Tax System (CATS)**
>
> **Las Vegas Chapter**
>
> **5181 Gains Mill St.**
>
> **Las Vegas, NV 89122**
>
> **(702) 454-5736**
>
> **www.catslv.org**
>
> **info@catslv.org**

© 2000 by D.P. *\"Bracken\"* Bracken

> (Permission to use all or part, as long as credit is given to author
> and Citizens for an Alternative Tax System.)