Furthermore, RickyD, did not God set out the model for contributing to the common good with the tithe of the Old Testament?
With the tithe requirement, everyone was required to give 10% of what he/she had, regardless of how much they had. God didn't require a rich person to give more than 10% (although God certainly will hold a rich person accountable for what he does with "his" money), and God didn't allow a poor person to give less than 10%. Bottom line, I think a flat tax, with a exemption on the first X amount (poverty level) of income for everyone, is more in line with biblical principles than a misleadingly-named "progressive" tax.
My thought is that the federal government should be able to get by on 10% of the nation's income, so that's what they should charge us. If the federal government has to privatize some things, so be it. The people will decide what is important. If the federal government can't get by on 10% of what the American people make in a year, then there is a serious problem.
