Dr. Ben Carson proved at last night’s debate in Cleveland that, unlike so many other politicians, he does not draw a line between his faith and his political views. When the debate turned to taxes, Carson promoted his plan for a 10 percent flat tax, which he said explicitly “is based on tithing, because I think God is a pretty fair Guy.” His remarks came after Mike Huckabee proposed a Fair Tax, a 25 percent national sales tax intended to replace the income tax altogether. Critics say that the Fair Tax actually comes closer to 33 percent, and that adding that much cost to, say, home mortgages could price the lower middle class out of home ownership altogether. Carson, a Seventh Day Adventist, said the flat tax is rooted directly in the Biblical principles of proportionality, fairness, and equity. He said in full:
We need a significantly changed taxation system. And the one that I’ve advocated is based on tithing, because I think God is a pretty fair Guy. And He said, you know, if you give me a tithe, it doesn’t matter how much you make. If you’ve had a bumper crop, you don’t owe Me triple tithes. And if you’ve had no crops at all, you don’t owe Me no tithes. So, there must be something inherently fair about that. And that’s why I’ve advocated a proportional tax system. You make $10 billion, you pay a billion. You make $10, you pay one. And everybody gets treated the same way. And you get rid of the deductions, you get rid of all the loopholes.
Below is a news summary with brief excerpts from the debate:
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