[briandear]

If you looked at the Ted Cruz tax plan from the 2016 campaign, he advocated for a 10% tax on individuals with a high standard dedication and a 16% tax on business income. Taxpayers making under $50k would have paid zero under his plan.

It is possible to do a flat tax while protecting the poor.

But, as Milton Friedman said, the tax code is complex for a reason — it gives politicians a means to exert power and reward or punish. With a simple tax code, the incentive to donate to campaigns would be reduced. The Democrat and Republican establishment both oppose simplifying the tax code because they would be killing the golden geese that keep getting them re-elected. It’s no accident that the tax code changes literally every year. Politicians are busy rewarding or punishing constituencies.

[zacharycohn]

$50k -> $45k is still a much bigger impact than $1M to $900k.