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Tax Reform

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Former President Ronald Reagan

Principles

The most important distinction between conservatives and liberals in Congress concerning taxes is not just the conservative belief that you should keep more of what you earn. That’s true, but there is a more fundamental distinction. It concerns the purpose of taxation. I believe government should tax only to raise money for its essential functions.

Many in Congress, however, view the tax code as a tool for social engineering. They use it to control our behavior, steer our choices, and change the way we live our lives. I will continue to put a stop to both social engineering and corporate handouts by simplifying tax policy, eliminating special deals, and putting those saved dollars back into the taxpayers’ pockets.  


Dan's View

The Fair Tax

I believe that the American tax code is without question in serious need of reform. In 1913, the Tax Code was a mere 500 pages in length. Today, the code and regulations total more than 60,000 pages. Four common forms, form 1040 and schedules A, B and D, take an estimated 28 hours and 30 minutes to prepare. A mere two decades ago when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) first started tracking this information, the average paperwork burden was 17 hours and 7 minutes, about 11 hours less. It costs U.S. taxpayers and businesses more than $100 billion annually - this is roughly equivalent to what we spend to run the Departments of Education, Homeland Security, and State - to unravel our tax code's complexity. That is $1 billion that American business cannot use to create new jobs; and American families cannot use to pay their home heating bills or their kid's college tuition or to buy prescription medications.

A simpler, fairer, and more efficient tax code would benefit every American, every family, and every business. That is why I have long supported tax reform in my tenure in the U.S. Congress, and will continue to fight for reform. In fact, I cosponsor The Fair Tax Act, sponsored by Representative John Linder of Georgia. It would eliminate the Internal Revenue Service, repeal the Income tax, repeal estate and gift taxes, repeal the employment taxes, and establish a fixed rate of taxation based on consumption.


Resources

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