July 15, 2004

OKAY, WE AGREE (via MC):

Dems call for simpler taxes (Hans Nichols, 7/15/04, The Hill)

House Democrats plan to take the argument for tax simplification to voters this fall, thus venturing into traditional Republican territory.

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will lead the charge, accusing the Republicans of complicating the tax code for individual filers and smalls businesses.

The move appears to be a classic “triangulation” tactic, so named by former presidential adviser Dick Morris, in which one party colonizes political territory traditionally occupied by its opposition.

Republicans say Democratic talk of tax simplification is simply code for revenue increases.

Some Democrats agreed with that Republican assessment and seemed to welcome a nationwide debate on tax simplification versus additional tax cuts.


Just make it revenue neutral and pass his bill.

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 15, 2004 4:57 PM
Comments

Hey, maybe John Edward and Mr. Heinz-Kerry called them up and said that they are paying their accountants too much to avoid paying their "fair-share" of taxes.

Posted by: pchuck at July 15, 2004 5:09 PM

Hey, what's simpler than a 100% across the board tax rate?

Posted by: AC at July 15, 2004 5:54 PM

0% ?

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at July 15, 2004 6:54 PM

How about a flat-rate consumption tax (i.e., national sales tax)? The machinery to collect it is already in place, no one would need to file returns, it would not penalize production, savings, or investment, and would tap the underground economy.

Posted by: jd watson at July 15, 2004 7:09 PM

jd:

Great idea but no chance. As my tax prof told us years ago, the real purpose of the tax code, as far as congress is concerned, is to encourage activities that would be politically difficult to subsidize directly. Neither party will be willing to give away that kind of flexibility.

Posted by: Jeff at July 15, 2004 7:53 PM

Dumb idea by the Dems. Just as the GOP can never outspend the Dems on govt programs the Dem can never (or at least shouldn't) out tax cut the GOP. OJ's right - just pass his bill and the issue will go away or blow up in the Dems face as most Dems oppose it when it comes time to vote (Kerry and Edwards abstaining of course)

Posted by: AWW at July 15, 2004 11:42 PM
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