Sounds like there is a little voodoo economics (trickle down economics) being relied upon there.

That’s my main beef too: even the best economist will probably admit that even the most well-studied and scientific economics are voodoo at best anyway.

I’d be leery to support something like this not having a decent idea of what sort of impact it was going to make.

@Connor:

[T]here will be less of a need for money when all the un-Constitutional programs and divisions are closed.

Not if their profitable. :)

Sale of these enterprises will bring in enough money to substantially reduce the national debt.

If I give you $20,000 will you reduce your income by $5,000 a year from now on? Sure it reduces debt now, but the long run is what I’m interested in here.

Annual budget spending by the government could be reduced by more than fifty percent. Revenue from excise taxes on goods and services, and on corporation incomes, will increase at least twenty percent, without increase of tax rates.

This seems like conjecture to me.

I’d like to see that list of 900 agencies though.

I don’t know about the claim that corporate taxes would increase 20% without tax increases either. Sounds like there is a little voodoo economics (trickle down economics) being relied upon there.

I find that humorous as well, though it’s understandable. Think about the gospel—it’s laden with “shalt not”s, yet it is what makes us free. Liberty and freedom come as a result of obedience to standards and laws.

For example, President Faust said:

Obedience leads to freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated. (General Conference, April 1999)

Budgets are pretty tight already, and the removal of income, estate, and gift taxes will make that specific problem worse.

That’s just the thing though – there will be less of a need for money when all the un-Constitutional programs and divisions are closed. The Amendment’s web page explains:

It provides a three-year period for selling or liquidating more than 900 agencies and business-type enterprises presently operated by the Federal Government without constitutional authority. Sale of these enterprises will bring in enough money to substantially reduce the national debt. Annual budget spending by the government could be reduced by more than fifty percent. Revenue from excise taxes on goods and services, and on corporation incomes, will increase at least twenty percent, without increase of tax rates.

Sure, it’d be messy, but when has the fight for liberty ever not been messy? :)

I like it, with the possible exception of Section 4. Budgets are pretty tight already, and the removal of income, estate, and gift taxes will make that specific problem worse. The dissolution of any other questionable (yet possibly profitable) business ventures will also cause additional strain. I don’t disagree with the idea behind the words, but the financial problems resulting from this idea would be significant.

Do the proponents of this amendment address the fiscal impact this sort of measure will create?