--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax…" description: "\"If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't have to fill out any complicated forms, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg" --- # If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a… ![“If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't have to fill out any complicated forms, and there would be no loopholes for politically connected groups, and normal people would actually understand the tax laws, and giant talking broccoli…” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg) > “If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't have to fill out any complicated forms, and there would be no loopholes for politically connected groups, and normal people would actually understand the tax laws, and giant talking broccoli stalks would come around and mow your lawn for free, because Congress is NOT going to pass a flat tax, you pathetic fool.” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical critique of flat tax proposals, highlighting absurdities and political resistance. **In simple terms:** Flat tax ideas sound simple but are politically unlikely. Key Takeaway Recognize satire; question policy proposals. Themes politics taxation satire Mood sarcastic critical Type humorous political When to use this quote - debates on tax reform - media commentary - public discourse Key Concepts public policy economic theory Questions to Reflect On - What real issues does satire reveal? - How does humor affect policy perception? A Different Perspective Satire may oversimplify complex fiscal impacts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Flat tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flat-tax/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Percentages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percentages/) [Stalking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalking/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [I was sent there by the Free Congress Committee, headed by Paul Weyrich. Fred Smith and I were sent down as observers, with reporters'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-lee-ray/i-was-sent-there-by-the-free-congress-committee-headed-by-paul/) [Dixie Lee Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-lee-ray/) > [I am neither a free-trade man, willing to collect all the money we have to raise by direct tax upon the people, nor am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-e-brown/i-am-neither-a-free-trade-man-willing-to-collect-all-the-money-we/) Joseph E. 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Freeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-j-freeh/) > [Congress should pass legislation that mandates increased information sharing for any country that wants to participate in the Visa Waiver Program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/congress-should-pass-legislation-that-mandates-increased-information/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [We really do need Congress to pass immigration reform. It is essential that we do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-really-do-need-congress-to-pass-immigration-reform-it-is-essential/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Congress should pass legislation to remove from the federal courts their jurisdiction to hear these outrageous challenges to the Ten Commandments and the Pledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-schlafly/congress-should-pass-legislation-to-remove-from-the-federal-courts/) [Phyllis Schlafly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-schlafly/) > [The case of Johnson v. M'Intosh is exactly why Congress can pass legislation as it did with the Rio Tinto land mine deal because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-williams-jr/the-case-of-johnson-v-m-intosh-is-exactly-why-congress-can-pass/) [Robert A. Williams, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-williams-jr/) > [Congress can pass reasonable gun safety legislation and save lives. 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Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More Broccoli quotes > [I eat broccoli. I think about the plot. I pace in circles for hours, counter-clockwise, listening to music. I try to think of one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-tobin-anderson/i-eat-broccoli-i-think-about-the-plot-i-pace-in-circles-for-hours/) [Matthew Tobin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-tobin-anderson/) > [If God wanted us to be vegetarians, he would have made broccoli a lot more fun to hunt!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-god-wanted-us-to-be-vegetarians-he-would-have-made-broccoli-a-lot/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The cauliflower soup sounds so good. And the broccoli-melt sandwich. I've never heard of such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-dowd/the-cauliflower-soup-sounds-so-good-and-the-broccoli-melt-sandwich-i/) [Chris O'Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-dowd/) > [If I could uninvent anything, I would uninvent Hitler's mum, guns and broccoli.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/if-i-could-uninvent-anything-i-would-uninvent-hitler-s-mum-guns-and/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [I don't diet. There's going to be barbecues and macaroni and cheese - but I'll have broccoli and salad the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/i-don-t-diet-there-s-going-to-be-barbecues-and-macaroni-and-cheese/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [John McEnroe has hair like badly turned broccoli.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/john-mcenroe-has-hair-like-badly-turned-broccoli/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [When my children say, 'In the future, Mummy, will things get better or worse for humanity?' I say: 'Who knows, since Amy Winehouse died.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/when-my-children-say-in-the-future-mummy-will-things-get-better-or/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Our brain, our body, craves fat. We cannot help it. That's why a kid will eat a hot dog quicker than a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-brain-our-body-craves-fat-we-cannot-help-it-that-s-why-a-kid-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was at a party in London when I met Bond producer Barbara Broccoli. She introduced herself, and I didn't believe her name. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-bach/i-was-at-a-party-in-london-when-i-met-bond-producer-barbara-broccoli/) Catherine Bach > [I make sure to eat lots of kale, broccoli, blueberries, strawberries, and spinach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-spencer/i-make-sure-to-eat-lots-of-kale-broccoli-blueberries-strawberries-and/) [Lara Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-spencer/) > [Sadly, commercially-produced, frozen broccoli lacks the ability to form sulforaphane because the vegetables are flash-cooked before they are frozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-greger/sadly-commercially-produced-frozen-broccoli-lacks-the-ability-to-form/) [Michael Greger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-greger/) > [When my family did shy away from Indian food, we'd eat a lot of Chinese. We'd use the wok a lot. I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvesh-cheena/when-my-family-did-shy-away-from-indian-food-we-d-eat-a-lot-of/) [Parvesh Cheena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvesh-cheena/) > [F.R. Leavis's "eat up your broccoli" approach to fiction emphasises this junkfood/wholefood dichotomy. If reading a novel--for theeighteenth century reader, the most frivolous of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/f-r-leavis-s-eat-up-your-broccoli-approach-to-fiction-emphasises-this/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [By the Obama administration's reasoning, it would be constitutionally permissible to make Americans purchase nearly any product (broccoli, gym membership) that improved their health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cornyn/by-the-obama-administration-s-reasoning-it-would-be-constitutionally/) [John Cornyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cornyn/) > [Never eat broccoli when there are cameras around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/never-eat-broccoli-when-there-are-cameras-around/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) Browse all 123 Broccoli quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't have to fill out any complicated forms, and there would be no loopholes for politically connected groups, and normal people would actually understand the tax laws, and giant talking broccoli stalks would come around and mow your lawn for free, because Congress is NOT going to pass a flat tax, you pathetic fool.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Barry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you-d-simply-pay-a-fixed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broccoli" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you-d-simply-pay-a-fixed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e49/dave-barry-222_broccoli_if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you_718096.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If Congress were to pass a 'flat' tax, you'd simply pay a fixed percentage of your income, and you wouldn't…” — Dave Barry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dave Barry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If Congress were to pass a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you-d-simply-pay-a-fixed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-congress-were-to-pass-a-flat-tax-you-d-simply-pay-a-fixed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```