Not sure if your last post was in response to mine. In any event, all that you propose, from buying the UN building to eliminating unnecessary studies, is all well and good, but please be reminded that aside from the "bone in your throat" principle as to why many want to do away with ear marks and other so-called pork barrel spending, ear marks constitute approx. 2% of the total fiscal budget for '10. So if you were to eliminate 100% of the ear marks, you wouldn't come close to putting a dent in current spending. And what the US spends on/thru the UN is meaningless in the context of a discussion about taxing/spending --the amount involved is miniscule in relation to what this country spends.

My original point remains: imposing a 12% flat tax would be a financial disaster to this country's revenue needs, and to the middle class. On the other hand, it would be an unmitigated boon to the upper incomes classes, whose tax rates would plummet.