Fair Tax - A Centerpiece of Bush's Second Term?

I mentioned in my earlier post that I had a conversation with a co-worker about the election. I told him that I had heard that President Bush is going to offer a plan to reform the tax system. While I wasn't on my best mental game today, I did give him a fast run-down on the Fair Tax Act.

I am on the email list at www.fairtax.org and had email from them the other day requesting that supporters send emails to President Bush and to Speaker Hastert. The email also supplied a link to the article on the Drudge Report. Here's the link. And here's what Neal Boortz said:

Drudge is reporting that a domestic centerpiece of the Bush/GOP agenda for the second Bush term will be tax reform. Not a half-assed attempt at tax reform mirroring past efforts, but a true top-to-bottom change in the way the federal government finances its operations. Drudge is reporting that Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert will be pushing for replacing the federal income tax with a national retail sales tax or a value added tax.

I am assuming that this will be presented at the RNC later this month. I probably won't watch most of the election, but now I have a reason to tune into the acceptance speech.

Here's a portion of the email I received from Fair Tax.

We want 5,000 friendly emails into the President's campaign in the next week to encourage him to pursue what Drudge and others are now referring to. Specifically, to open the debate on passage of the FairTax. We will notify you as soon as we have 5,000 in. Please be sure and forward your email to us at info@fairtax.org. Please cc us (or send us a copy) at \info@fairtax.org. info@fairtax.org Please also send an e-mail to Speaker Hastert at www.house.gov/hastert/. Note: a message will pop up that says he will not able to respond to you if you are out of the district. However, his office will receive your comments. Please express your appreciation of his efforts to eliminate the IRS and please do mention the FairTax. We want 1,000 emails into his office in the next week to thank him. Please cc us (or send us a copy) at info@fairtax.org

The email gives another link to a story about the plan to eliminate the IRS. And I also read that Rush Limbaugh has highlighted, or at least mentioned, this plan. If you are a Limbaugh listener, perhaps you could tell me if Rush did indeed discuss this on his show.

I've given the link to Fairtax.org, but here's some of the highlights:

- allows you to keep 100% of your paycheck, pension, and Social Security payments.
- frees up the time wasted on filling out cumbersome I.R.S. forms.
- makes taxation of income unconstitutional by repealing the 16th Amendment.
- exempts all taxpayers from federal taxation, up to the poverty level, through a monthly rebate.
- ensures that all Americans pay their fair share of taxes.
- dramatically lowers tax rates for low-income and middle-income Americans.
- dramatically reduces the cost of goods and services by 20% to 30%.
- allows families to save more for home ownership, education, and retirement.
- protects and ensures the funding of Social Security and Medicare.
- leaves unchanged the amount of money raised by the federal government.
- makes American products more competitive overseas.

Boortz is where I first heard about the Fair Tax Act. He's been a proponent for 15 years. He's done the research and can't find a downside. I've also done the research and can't find a downside either. Do your own research and see what you think.

Then, write to your Senators and Congressional representatives and tell them that you expect them to support this bill (HR25). I already have. And will continue to do so. One person can make a difference. Will you be that person?

And finally, a link to the petition you can sign in support of the Fair Tax Act.