Eric Maskin Quotes

We demand a graduated income tax.

There's nothing wrong with paying taxes; they should be paid in proportion to how rich you are. This idea that you're going to get better growth by cutting taxes at the top has no historical justification. And it's certainly not an argument in favor of capitalism.

The problem with wanting the tax code to be 'simpler, fairer,' and 'pro-growth' is that it's impossible to achieve all three at the same time.

Who's on the case when it comes to the flat tax?

To me, there are four F's in a good tax system: it ought to be flatter, fairer, finite and family-friendly.

Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.

Marginal tax rates are the lowest they've been in generations, and all we can talk about is tax cuts.

Income should be taxed one time at one rate, not again and again.

I support a progressive state income tax.

I love B.C., but you know what taxes are like in Canada.

Let me announce this to the American people tonight one of the best things about this debate, as a Democrat from Massachusetts, I have proposed eliminating, getting rid of the alternative minimum tax.

We can fight over what the taxation levels should be, but the tax system should be very, very simple and not distortionary.

I think the rich should pay more in taxes - I agree with that 100 percent - but everybody should feel the pain a little bit.

I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 - the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president; the same rate we had when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a lot of millionaires to boot.

The data does not support that high-income tax cuts are the main drivers of growth, so I don't think that uncertainty over what the tax rate will be for someone that makes a million dollars a year has that big an impact on the economic growth rate in the country.

There certainly is a case to be made that taxes should be more progressive.

The nation should have a tax system that looks like someone designed it on purpose.

We need to stop kicking the can down the road and rethink our entire tax system toward long-term, comprehensive tax reform.

Individuals and businesses must participate in a national discussion about a simpler tax system, one that collects sufficient revenue to meet appropriate federal responsibilities, but one resting on a broader, fairer tax base without penalizing saving and investing, the backbone of a strong, decentralized and thriving economy.

The income tax is flawed for a number of reasons - it discourages economic growth and encourages a bloated government.

A consumption tax, a national sales tax makes some sense. But I think that if we move towards a Fair Tax, if we move towards a national sales tax, we have to make sure that we do away with the income tax.

I just think that - when a country needs more income and we do, we're only taking in 15 percent of GDP, I mean, that - that - when a country needs more income, they should get it from the people that have it.

The cardinal rule of taxation is that whatever you put a levy on, you'll inevitably get less of. Taxing corporate activity means less investing, less hiring, fewer jobs and a smaller economy, which hurts the rich, the poor and the middle class alike.

Why not just eliminate the federal income tax?

There never has been a new tax that met with public enthusiasm.