Taxing Ourselves - 2nd Edition: A Citizen's Guide to the Great Debate over Tax Reform

Book Description

In Taxing Ourselves, Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija offer a guide to the tax reform debate in clear, nontechnical language without misleading the reader with oversimplifications. The second edition takes account of tax developments through 1998, examines recent research on the economic impact of taxation, and includes a new appendix containing the key statistics on the U.S. tax system throughout its history.

The book gives a historical perspective on taxation in the United States along with a concise description of our current federal income tax system. It reviews basic criteria by which tax policy should be judged and examines how the tax burden is distributed. The book then covers the key elements of various tax reform proposals, including a single rate, a clean base, and a consumption base. The book closes with a voter's guide to tax reform for the concerned citizen to keep handy, to help separate fact from fiction and reality from campaign promises.

Customer Reviews:

Great book on complex topic!.......1999-07-19

This is a really great and readable text on what is often a challenging topic. The authors really have provided some insightful analysis on what is always a timely topic. I learned a tremendous amount and easily made my way through the flowing prose. I suggest this book for anyone interested in taxation and also for those of us who are simply "tax curious". This is a particularly relevant book given the upcoming elections!

'User-friendly' tour of tax reform.......1997-12-03

This slender volume is a readable and entertaining survey of the woes of the current income tax system and of a variety of tax reform proposals intended to replace the current system. The section of the book that discusses the tax system's effect on labor supply, saving & investment, incentive to work, international competiveness, and other economic 'macro' effects, is especially insightful. The authors conclude (probably correctly) that the tax system's effect on these things is probably marginal, and, in any event, difficult to measure empirically. Therefore, any tax reform that promises 'economic nirvana' should be taken with a grain of salt. The authors suggest, without endorsement, that the hallmarks of any new (or improved) tax system should be simplicity, enforcability, and revenue- raising efficiency; the last denotes the absence of 'social tinkering' through the tax system. Unfortunately, the authors note that all of the various tax reform proposals being floated by politicians suffer severe political defects. A national sales tax would be difficult to enforce (that's probably correct); a broad-based value added tax (VAT) would be highly regressive; the 'flat tax' (wage tax) would be less progressive than the current income tax; and the consumed income tax (consumption tax) would be more complicated than the current income tax (that's probably not correct, and the authors do not explain this assertion well). These are principally political impediments to reform- the authors suggest that it will take an act of political courage by Congress or the president to make any progress on the tax reform front. That's clearly correct, but don't hold your breath.

If you want to know about tax reform, read this book........1997-04-24

Tax reform isn't usually one of those topics that gets people excited -- most people view it the same way George Bush looks at broccoli. But Slemrod and Bakija do a great job of making it interesting and explaining complex ideas in simple language. If you want to know how Steve Forbes' flat tax will hit your wallet or how much the current income tax system stymies growth, this is the book for you. Simply, it is a great, great place to start to learn about tax reform. It's as good as it gets on the topic

Taxing Ourselves - 2nd Edition: A Citizen's Guide to the Great Debate over Tax Reform

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Taxing Ourselves - 2nd Edition: A Citizen's Guide to the Great Debate over Tax Reform
Joel Slemrod
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQKTAQ

Book Description

At the end of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, highly publicized gun massacres, especially in schools, have maintained "gun control" as a hotly contested, peculiarly American, political and cultural debate.

Featuring selections from historians, criminologists, social scientists, public health specialists, and jurists, Dr. Nisbet offers an in-depth analysis of the central questions involved in America's debate concerning the further restriction or even prohibition of presently legally owned guns. Providing a set of critical-thinking questions that focus on key issues in the gun control debate, Nisbet helps readers to evaluate gun control issues more deeply and thoroughly than is possible using the popular media's portrayal of the controversy.

Among the questions addressed are: Does the availability of guns influence levels, patterns, and concentrations of violent crime? If so, how, and with what policy implications? Does more guns equal more or less crime? Do guns kept for self-defense menace gun owners and their families more than protect them? Is mass media coverage of gun control issues biased? If so, how, and in what direction? How should we interpret the Second Amendment? Does the gun debate reflect an underlying cultural conflict between groups who detest each other's values and lifestyles?

Containing twenty-nine new articles and an entirely new section on the media entitled "The Gun Control Debate in the Age of (Mis)information," this new edition provides the most up-to-date research on a hotly contested topic. The contributors include: B. Bruce-Briggs, Phillip J. Cook, Barry Glassner, Gordon Hawkins, Richard Hofstadter, Don B. Kates Jr., Gary Kleck, David Kopel, John Lott, Joyce Malcolm, Garry Wills, Franklin E. Zimring, and many more.

No matter what side of the debate you're on, this outstanding collection of articles will help you understand the complexities of this intensely controversial issue.

Customer Reviews:

Articles on the Controversy.......2002-07-14

This book contains various articles that deal with the natural right to keep and bear arms, for and against. You can read this book to educate yourself on opposing viewpoints. They date from the 1970s and 1980s, but their arguments are still valid. Since then 33 of the 48 states have passed "right to carry" laws. South Dakota and Vermont have virtually no gun controls; you can compare their crime and violence to areas with strict gun controls. But owner-operated small businesses overwhelmingly predominate: no powerful corporations to restrict the rights of the people.

Gun control goes back thousands of years: the aristocracy has always sought to disarm the common people the better to exploit them. Aristotle's Politics explains how democracy came to Greece once the common people were armed. Nineteenth century America was well armed. The Sullivan Law meant a citizen must prove a "reasonable need" to own and carry a handgun; the ordinary citizen is always rejected (unless they know somebody). The law disarmed the people, and was followed by increased crime and violence. Organized crime became more powerful after the people were disarmed. An armed militia of citizens could quickly put an end to them.

Low violence rates in Europe preceded their gun laws. After gun laws were passed in America crime rates grew. Recent reports say crime rates skyrocketed after Gt. Britain confiscated all guns. When will they ever learn?

Chapter 13 is from the 'New England Journal of Medicine' of June 12, 1986 by Arthur L. Kellermann and Donald T. Reay. No information is given on their backgrounds. From other sources you will learn that Kellermann was at John Hopkins University when he wrote this article, and later left to go to Emory University.

The medical examiner of Kings County WA investigated 743 deaths from firearms. The results were 84% suicides, 13% homicides, and 3% accidents. From the percentages of victims (family, friends, and strangers) Kellermann concocted his statistic of a gun being 43 times more likely to kill a family member than an intruder. This statistic was heavily publicized in the press. There are five things wrong with this article.

1) It did not report on deaths in homes without any gun as a control. This is not scientific! Reports from other sources say a family member is 99 times more likely to be killed in a gun-free home than an intruder. Kellermann's statistics are flawed by design.

2) The suicide rate is lower and the murder rate is higher in America; suicide rates are higher and the murder rate is lower in countries that ban private ownership of guns (see Chapter 13). The total of suicides and murders is the rate of violent deaths; this provides a comparison. Most suicides occur in the home, so much so that the phrase "died at home" is a euphemism in obituary columns. A death in the home is much more likely for a family member than a stranger. America's high rate of gun ownership prevents home invasion crimes common to England and Europe.

3) Most assaults and murders occur between people who are known to each other. This makes homes potentially more dangerous that streets or shopping malls. The exception is for illegal activities; just read your daily newspaper. Children are always much safer in school than at home or in their neighborhood.

4) Another truth is that medical journals require payment to publish articles. It is another form of advertising or opinion molding. What millionaire's "foundation grant" was paying Kellermann to create his biased report?

5) Nothing in life is guaranteed, neither safety or liberty. Chapter 13 provides a comparison for violent deaths, but omits statistics for South American countries which have a similar colonial history. Isn't it true that countries that ban citizens from owning guns also oppress their citizens in other ways? You can look that up in a history book, or your newspaper.

Essential essays on both sides of the gun control debate.......2001-04-17

Although already a bit dated (this book was published in 1990), this collection of essays contains many of the classics in the gun control debate including Sanford Levinson's classic "The Embarrassing Second Amendment" as well as the infamous "43-to-1" study by Arthur Kellerman. Of interest is the manner in which essays were collected for this volume. Nisbet contacted the two major lobbying organizations, HCI and NRA, and asked them to recommend articles and essays that best put forth their respective positions. Using that as a base, Nisbet narrowed the selection down based on his own research, reading and conversation with the experts.

The resulting collection is telling. If the best that the gun control advocates could muster is the ingeniously specious 43-to-1 study, then they've lost the debate. It's also interesting to note that almost none of the pro-control articles were published in criminological or law journals but instead were published in pro-control public health journals like NEJM or JAMA.

The pro-gun side fairs much better. There are many excellent essays by such notables as Gary Kleck and Don Kates, Jr. Kleck, Kates and others skillfully dissect the poor arguments of the pro-control authors.

No matter what your position is on gun control, this book is a must-have for your collection if you are going to try and debate this issue intelligently.

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The Gun Control Debate You Decide
Ed Lee Nisbet
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J558IU

Book Description

This book critically examines the Islamic economic system as defined by the traditional Ulama. The author makes a modernist case for the 'Islamization of Economy' project and systematically discusses specific areas of economic transactions while historically reviewing the basic issues in the
light of the various Islamist solutions offered.

Pakistan, Islam, and Economics : Failure of Modernity

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Pakistan, Islam, and Economics : Failure of Modernity
Izzud-Din Pal
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKX8OG

Pakistan, Islam, and Economics : Failure of Modernity (Oxford Pakistan Paperbacks)

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Pakistan, Islam, and Economics : Failure of Modernity (Oxford Pakistan Paperbacks)
Izzud-Din Pal
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKVU1O

Book Description

Providing perspectives on the most significant environmental issues currently facing Afghanistan as it emerges from years of conflict and isolation, this book recommends a set of approaches to rehabilitate and protect the natural resource base while providing the Afghani people with the means for their livelihoods through sustainable resources. This book examines how these resources have been severely degraded as a consequence of past political instability and weakly implemented environment and resource management policies.

Customer Reviews:

Meat and Potatoes on Selling.......1999-08-10

I am a health professional and I have read many books on selling. This book is without a doubt the best one that I have read. It is clear and concise and it gives you a step by step process to accomplish world class selling in an ethical way. I will definitely read it over again because it is now an important resource in my library. I have read lots of fluff! This book is definitely meat and potatoes on Selling!

Confessions of a former hack salesman..........1998-11-18

I had been successful selling before I took the Max Sacks course and read the book. However, it dawned on me that I had been a Hack and was making money in spite of myself! Immediately after the course and the book my sales doubled because I was selling with a purpose - The Customer! I have taken innumerable courses on selling and sales - the Track Selling system is one for the ages: Time Tested and Product / Service neutral. Do you want to make good money in sales and server your customer, too? Read this book and put the Track Selling Selling system to work for you and your organization.

Brett Harris: A graduate of the Track Selling course.

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Fair Credit Reporting Act : enacted October 26, 1970, last amended November 2, 1998 (SuDoc FT 1.2:C 86/13/998)

Manufacturer: Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Office of Consumer & Business Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Credit Ratings & Repair | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00010ZNN8

Book Description

Wholesaling in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, Africa, Latin America and the communist countries, is explored in terms of social setting. Studies were prepared by the Comparative Marketing Committee of the American Marketing Association.

Book Description

This is a unique collection of papers which brings together those who work in and with EU business associations at the very highest level with many of the leading academic authors on associations over the past two decades. It examines the factors that influence the effectiveness of EU business associations, and the prospects for associations and their members to influence these. It is designed to appeal both to analysts of debates about interest groups, collective action and European integration, and to those who work in and with EU business associations.

Book Description

Work more effectively and gauge your progress along the way! This Study Guide is designed to accompany Shapiro’s Foundations of Multinational Financial Management, 5 ^th Edition. It contains detailed chapter outlines and a number of solved questions and problems.

Now updated and reorganized, Alan Shapiro's Foundations of Multinational Financial Management, 5 ^th Edition, emphasizes broad concepts and practices, and provides a clear conceptual framework for analyzing key financial decisions in multinational firms. The text treats international financial management as a natural and logical extension of the principles learned in the foundations course in financial management. Thus, it builds on and extends the valuation framework provided by domestic corporate finance to account for dimensions unique to international finance.

Customer Reviews:

Wordy and confusing.......2006-05-02

The author uses a lot of wordy language to make simple concepts complicated. Also I agree with another review: there is a lot of macroeconomics. I think Dr. Shapiro needs to understand how his readers learn, not how he can enjoy his writing.

Can be confusing, major focus on economics.......1999-06-11

This textbook may not be a good choice for undergraduate students or for someone who does not have an intermediate or higher knowledge of finance. Wording in the chapters and in the end of chapter problems can be confusing. Statements are made and then not backed up with supporting information. The book spends a large amount of time on a macroeconomic view.

Excellent book........1999-06-11

We adopted this book during the first semester of 1999 with excellent results. Our students were delighted with the practical approach, and the breadth of its contents. Recently our country has been through a monetary turmoil, and the book served very much to explain the policies that our local central bank authorities have been pursuing.

Study Guide to Accompany Business Law Today: Standard Edition : Text & Summarized Cases--Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment

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Study Guide to Accompany Business Law Today: Standard Edition : Text & Summarized Cases--Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment
Roger LeRoy Miller , and William E. Hollowell
Manufacturer: Southwestern Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0324008317

Program and study guide to accompany McConnell Economics

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Program and study guide to accompany McConnell Economics
Robert C Bingham
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

International | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006YRGDY

Study Guide and Test Preparation With Quicken Business Law Partner 2 Cd-Rom to Accompany West's Business Law: Text & Cases-Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment

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Study Guide and Test Preparation With Quicken Business Law Partner 2 Cd-Rom to Accompany West's Business Law: Text & Cases-Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment
Kenneth W. Clarkson , and Miller
Manufacturer: Thomson South-Western
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0538879815

Study Guide to Accompany International Economics

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Study Guide to Accompany International Economics
Parviz Asheghian , and Rebecca Summary
Manufacturer: West Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0314047786

Study Guide to Accompany Business Law Today: The Essentials : Text & Summarized Cases-Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment

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Study Guide to Accompany Business Law Today: The Essentials : Text & Summarized Cases-Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and International Environment
Roger LeRoy Miller , and William E. Hollowell
Manufacturer: Southwestern Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0314208186

Study Guide to Accompany International Business

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Study Guide to Accompany International Business
Howard Beeman
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | International | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0065000862

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Study Guide to Accompany International Economics
Peter H. Lindert
Manufacturer: Richard D Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 025603561X

Study Guide to accompany International Economics, 8th Edition

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good for undergrad...
Best Book in the field
A good book to study

Study Guide to accompany International Economics, 8th Edition
Dominick Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471462489

Book Description

Work more effectively and gauge your progress as you go along! This Study Guide that is designed to accompany Salvatore’s International Economics, 8 ^th Edition includes chapter outlines, summary and reviews for each chapter, problems and questions with solutions for each chapter, and diagrams for each chapter.

Dominick Salvatore’s International Economics offers students the cutting-edge content, accessible presentation, and real-world focus they need to keep pace with our rapidly changing world. Thoroughly updated and revised, the new Eighth Edition presents the crucial changes that have recently taken place in the world economy – from serious trade disputes among the United States, the European Union, Japan, and developing countries, to the introduction of the euro as the second most important international currency in the world.

Customer Reviews:

good for undergrad..........2001-06-01

This provides different kinds of examples as well as theories. It no doubt helps students learn about the real world. Particularly,the chapter on tariff policy is good enough to have a good grasp of the field.

Best Book in the field.......1999-05-16

The book really brings an in depth analysis of the modern financial world, through a very simple and easy to access method of presentation. Good for students, interesting for any other reader...

A good book to study.......1999-04-09

I've found this book easy to follow, even if I'm not very good at Economics. Simple, with many examples and graphs. Case studies and good bibliography at the end of each chapter.

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Western Sahara Business Law Handbook (World Business Law Handbook Library)
USA International Business Publications
Manufacturer: International Business Publications, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0739720864

Book Description

This law handbook contains information on basic business legislation, laws and regulatoins affecting export-import, business, foreign investments, property rights, taxation and banking. (Updated annually)

Western Sahara Business Law Handbook (World Spy Guide Library)

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Western Sahara Business Law Handbook (World Spy Guide Library)

Manufacturer: International Business Publications, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Western Sahara Country (World Business Law Handbook Library)

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Western Sahara Country (World Business Law Handbook Library)

Manufacturer: Intl Business Pubns USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0739780166

Book Description

This study guide contains basic information on economy, government, business, history and geography, climate, traditions, people, places to visit. Provides information on government, political organizations, and more... Includes basic statistics, information on the most important business contacts and business travel. Updated annually.

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