Customer Reviews

If Americans Really Understood The Income Tax: Uncovering Our Most Expensive Ignorance

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How timely! Read this while you're still hurting from your April tax payments. This devastating book explains in simple terms why most Americans lose big-time from all the special exemptions and provisions in the income tax that benefit mainly the wealthiest. Fox shows how much lower tax rates could be for everybody if these special benefits were capped. This book is clear and informative but the bottom line is that Congress has created an incredible set of entitlement programs for those who don't need them, at our expense.

This is an excellent book. It has been written in a comprehensive style that can enlighten taxpayers as well as tax professionals. Every one can benefit from the collected information and well-conceived opinions of Mr. Fox. This book can serve as a wellspring to initiate questions, debate, or perhaps a citizen's revolt against our present archaic, confusing, and unequal tax system. Mr. Fox has obviously been working on this book for several years, but his phenomenal foresight has placed this brilliant work in our hands at just the right moment when we consider the major tax law changes now being considered by the U.S. Executive and Legislative branches of our government. The proposed changes could have a profound negative effect on our children and us. In the 18th century American citizens had a tea party in Boston because of unfair taxes. What will our generation do? Whimper and complain or become informed and proactive?

Fox gets right down to two essential questions: "First, can the income tax be made reasonably fair, simple and economically efficient?" and "Second, are its flaws worth repairing, or would it be preferable to adopt a very different tax system?" He explains, in the clearest - non-polemic - way, what the tax picture really is. Early on he gives an example, the taxes of the Gepetto and Anton families - an example that lights up the rest of the book. The exposition is very clear and yet detailed enough to illustrate the nitty-gritty of several issues, including homeownership (where I got a tip or two) and the capital gains controversy. Fox is broadminded and flexible in his approach - perhaps an endangered species writing about such a hot topic. There is immediacy about his writing making the book a gripping page-turner rather than pedantic.

John Fox's take on taxes is a must read for anyone who cares about tax equity and the well-being of the body politic. When I first studied taxes as an employee of the California Legislature -- now nearly four decades ago -- we learned that simple equity -- equal treatment of equals -- was the first principle of a fair and just tax system; absent equity the system would be manifestly unfair and eventually would lose its legitimacy, the greatest danger a democratic republic can face. As Fox points out,that's exactly what's happening with modern tax policy -- regressive, unfair, unjust are the attributes that leap out at you. But Fox does more than point the finger of blame; he offers constructive suggestions to get the system back where it belongs, to restore fairness and legitimacy.

Mr. Fox has made clear and understandable the relationship between Washington, politics, and our pocketbooks. Every taxpayer who wants a fair shake should read this book and remember its lessons when we go to the polls. Even someone without background in economics (and count me in) can find this explanation of our taxes and what has happened to them easy to follow and informative. I'm really glad I read this.

This is the best and most accessible book yet on how our tax structure works to distort our economy. It's hard to see how anyone could not be persuaded by John Fox's arguments for change. His analysis is all the stronger because he does not write from a partisan point of view. If enough Americans read this book,they will demand that their legislators stop haggling over rates and think about REAL reform.

This book is concise yet authoritative and readable as it describes our income tax. It makes it easier for us to understand the real implications of tax reforms that are so often recommended by special interest groups and politicians, rather than formulated in a manner to fairly meet the country's needs. If you want to be informed about one of your highest annual expenses, this is the book to read.

I don't know about you, but the whole tax snarl is getting me down. John Fox's book shows the way to a better system. This is a good read right now (April 13)or as soon as you emerge from the annual dither and can stand to comtemplate That Subject again. Legislators should read it; voters should read it and e-mail their legislators. The sooner the better.

This book finally made me understand what this talk about income taxes is all about and did so in a way that was interesting, easy to follow and sophisticated at the same time. I hope that so many people read it that the hoped for impact on our lawmakers will indeed be felt. Thank you, John Fox.

The Internal Revenue Service Code (rules and regs) is a quagmire of special interest provisions and pork barrell-type relief measures. Have the writers of this Code (Members of Congress and Congressional Committees) really looked at it to see what they have done to taxpayers over the years? I wish they would read this easy to understand explanation of the existing laws. Fox tells us simply what is, and what should and could be be an honorable instead of onerous system. All you need to know and wish you didn't about the inevitable. Excellent and very clear.