A Fine Mess

A Global Quest for a Simpler, Fairer, and More Efficient Tax System

By: T.R. Reid

Narrated by: T.R. Reid

Best-selling author T. R. Reid voyages around the world to solve the urgent problem of America's failing tax code, unraveling a complex topic in plain English and telling a rollicking story along the way.

The US tax code is a total write-off. Overstuffed with loopholes and special interest provisions, it works for no one - except tax lawyers, accountants, and corporations, that is - certainly not me and you. Not for the first time, we have to tear it up and start over. That happened in 1922, and again in 1954, and again in 1986. There's a pattern here; we reach this point every 32 years. Which means the next complete re-write of the tax code is due in 2018. Can we write a new tax code that is fair and simple? Can we cut tax rates and still bring in the revenue required? In fact, we can - by learning from the world's other democracies. Around the world, wealthy democracies, from Estonia to New Zealand to the UK, have all reformed their tax codes, while the US has languished. With his penchant for making complex subjects accessible and even fun, T. R. Reid travels the world in order to find out what makes for good taxation (if that's not an oxymoron!) and brings that knowledge home.

So byzantine are the current statutes that by the government's own estimates, Americans spend six billion hours and 10 billion dollars every year preparing and filing their taxes. In the Netherlands it takes 15 minutes! Brilliantly successful American companies like Apple, Caterpillar, and Google pay effectively no tax at all because of loopholes which allow them to move profits offshore. Indeed, the dysfunctional tax system has become so easy to dodge that it is a major cause of economic inequality, as Warren Buffet and Thomas Piketty have pointed out. But it doesn't have to be this way, the ever-intrepid Reid proves, crisscrossing the globe, from the Czech Republic to Mexico. Doing our taxes may never be America's favorite pastime, but it can and should be so much easier.

©2017 T.R. Reid (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“[C]harming.... Reid takes us on a world tour of tax systems and the efforts to reform them. He approaches this most disliked specialty of the dismal science of economics with a wry voice and a light touch...a rich and sturdy fabric of facts presented in plain English. As a longtime Washington Post foreign correspondent, Reid knows how to make the distant seem close. His eye for the telling detail is sharp.... Those unfamiliar with economics, accounting or tax law will be better able to understand these subjects by reading 'A Fine Mess.'... With enough readers, Reid might even help us to initiate real tax reform by replacing a tax code so complex it includes the anti-complexity rule in Section 7803(c)(2)(B).” (David Cay Johnston, The New York Times Book Review)

"A fun book on taxes. It's terrific.” (Fareed Zakaria, CNN's Global Public Square)

“An exploration of the absurd complexity of the American tax system and an astute comparison to many examples of simpler, effective tax collection by other governments around the world. Throughout his well-reported, clearly written exposé of United States tax policy, [Reid] reveals the follies of the concept of American exceptionalism and the misguided pride of presidents, members of Congress, and Internal Revenue Service commissioners.... Though Reid's topic may be anathema to many readers, he makes it relentlessly revelatory and simple to understand.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred)

AMERICAN TAXATION

T. R. Reid is a reporter for the “Washington Post”. He is not an economist. However, he suggests there are more equitable ways of taxing the American public than presently used by the government. Reid's travels around the world investigating other countries tax systems are the basis for his theory for cleaning up America’s “…Fine Mess”.

Reid suggests a tax overhaul is due in America. The last major revision was over 30 years ago. He argues a mess has been created by incremental tax changes that have greatly exacerbated the wealth gap in America. Reid illustrates the many ways in which the American tax system is a mess. An often-quoted factoid is “Warren Buffet is taxed at a lower rate than his secretary”.

There are many economists that would agree with Mr. Reid. The most famous is the French economist Thomas Piketty who wrote “Capital in the Twenty-First Century”.

Incremental change of the tax code only makes it less intelligible. In Reid’s opinion, it is all or nothing. Reid implies “go big” or “go home” because nothing will change if the entire tax code is not replaced.

Listened to it twice!

Recommend this book to anyone, regardless of your familiarity with taxes, etc. Very engaging and educational -- a feat that few books accomplish!

Amen. Hopefully very Timely.

All should listen and or read the book. we need to get past the lobbyists and their influenced politicians. Would be great if America could be smart and do something great ... again ... simplify.

A Must Read For Everyone! Brilliant!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Fine Mess to be better than the print version?
T.R. Reid does a terrific job of narrating this brilliant book he has so thoroughly researched and authored. It is really a gift when an author narrates his own book, and that is never more true than here. The author's passion, knowledge, energy and humor come through so vividly in this audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?
Tax policy is rarely seen as an entertaining and intriguing subject, but this book makes it exactly that.

Reid brings to life the history and rationale of the income tax and other taxes by citing historical examples from Ancient Rome to the Bible along with more current ones. He asks all of the good questions that we all should be asking including: Why and how are taxes necessary?What is the right level of taxation to promote economic growth and equity? Should the rich be taxed more than the poor? Why don't we just move to a flat tax? Why is the current tax code such a disaster and are there historical patterns for it that we can learn from? American spend roughly 6 billion hours doing taxes each year. Does it really have to be this way?

What about T.R. Reid’s performance did you like?
His humor, passion, expertise and enthusiasm comes through so vividly in his narration of this brilliant book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I thought Reid's citation of the Biblical story of the Widow's Mite was really moving. It is a great story and lesson about the fundamental idea of taxes and that each of us should pay our fair share.

To summarize the story here:

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Any additional comments?
As someone with a background in Economics and Finance, I should admit that I am probably a bit more of a nerd about this type of subject that many people. Still, I think this book should be required reading for every American as taxes and tax policy affect our lives every single day. T.R. shows us how we can follow what other countries have done to make taxes much simpler and easier.

Must read material for anybody interested in a better future for the USA

he book consists of descriptions of other countries successful tax practices, and how they contrast with USA tax practices. The book documents how much money the USA government looses every year by having complex-obscure tax laws, versus how much money the government could get via simplifying he code. The author spent a considerable time completing the research and even praises what the irs is currently doing well. The conclusion is very interesting and serves as a good review of what has worked in other countries and why. The US government definitely needs to overhaul the tax code and start from scratch.

shows what might be possible

if the US had a functioning democracy. Tax policies that combine fairness, common sense, simplicity and learning from the experiences of other countries.

puts tax policy into an understandable context

good basic overview on the need, benefits and methods of taxation. Helps keep the dinner arguments in perspective

Very Imformative.

So the author seems ti think that, although the poor are not getting any poorer, the rich getting richer is still a,terrible thing, this book is well researched and very imformative.

Great introduction into modern tax theory

Great book, T.R Reid’s narration perfectly fits the story. I only had some tangential knowledge about taxes before reading, but I feel a lot more educated on the topic after A Fine Mess.

Hate the tax system? Listen to this book to learn why.

T.R Reid lays out the problems with the current tax system in a clear and concise manner (much unlike the current tax code) While the IRS is the much hated organization in the US , they are merely the messenger of a system designed by Congress. Eliminating loopholes and special deductions will probably never happen in the near future but if you are angry about the tax stance, listen to this book to see where your anger should be directed.