

Can the US tax code be simplified with computer modeling and simulation - gryphon65
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/have-cbo-perform-open-computerized-mathematical-model-tax-code-find-simplified-tax-code/6sP3nQSV

======
rogerbinns
A big reason for why things are so screwed up is corrupt politicians who use
their power as a fund raising mechanism. For example there were several taxes
added temporarily to see if they worked well. They did, but congress doesn't
make them permanent. Instead they wait to be paid each time to renew them
temporarily again. (This started in the Reagan administration.)

See this excellent talk by Lessig:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik1AK56FtVc> The whole tax provisions as fund
raising is covered at 7m30s.

I congress were actually honourable and I was president I'd mandate that the
tax code shrinks by 10% each year. If the politicians can't find 10% then at
the end of year every 10th provision is automatically deleted.

------
gryphon65
Science fiction writer David Brin talks about this:
[http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-losers-tax-
simplifi...](http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2011/05/no-losers-tax-
simplification-proposal.html)

