NEWS
By Cal Thomas | January 19, 1996
WASHINGTON -- Junk the current tax code. Eliminate the Internal Revenue Service. Create a tax system that is fair to everyone and encourages investment, saving and entrepreneurial capitalism.Such is the plan of the National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform, created with private funds at the behest of Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and House Speaker Newt Gingrich.For more than 50 years we have been subsidizing behaviors we once discouraged, such as sloth and indolence, irresponsibility, unaccountability and sexual promiscuity.
BUSINESS
By Eileen Ambrose, The Baltimore Sun | April 3, 2011
Nearly half of taxpayers have yet to file their federal tax returns, although the deadline is just about two weeks away. Many of them are holding off to the last minute because they owe taxes, of course. But some likely are waiting for answers. The U.S. tax code grows more complicated each year, often leaving taxpayers uncertain about whether they qualify for deductions or not. And a bumpy economy has left many taxpayers yearning for bigger refunds. So this year tax professionals say they are fielding more questions than ever about debt, the homebuyer credit, Roth IRA conversions and any obscure deductions filers could be overlooking.
NEWS
By Noam Neusner and Lawrence J. Haas | December 11, 2006
The midterm elections that gave control of Congress to the Democrats also brought widespread predictions of paralysis in Washington. But is divided government a recipe for inaction? Not necessarily. Divided government can produce good policy, especially on the budget, while one-party rule does not guarantee positive results. We learned these lessons firsthand while working inside the budget machinery of the White House under two different administrations. During the Clinton years, a Democratic president and a Republican-led Congress exchanged frequent rhetorical fire but ultimately produced some of the best federal fiscal policies in decades - balancing the budget, limiting spending, and still investing more in education, research and other priorities.
NEWS
By Marilyn Geewax | April 14, 1998
ATLANTA -- As they devote the precious weekends of early spring to searching for tax records and filling out forms, millions of Americans share a single sentiment about our tax code: There must be an easier way. A flat income tax or a national sales tax are much-discussed alternatives to our annual filing agony. But while those options may sound attractive, especially around April 15, millions of taxpayers would be furious if Congress were to make the one change essential to implementing either plan: elimination of the home mortgage tax deduction.
NEWS
By NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE | October 14, 2003
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman proposed an overhaul of the federal tax code yesterday that would lower tax rates on middle-class families while raising taxes, sometimes substantially, on wealthier Americans. Speaking to about 250 supporters and onlookers at a presidential campaign rally, the Connecticut Democratic said his plan would "restore integrity and fairness" to the code by shifting more of the burden to wealthy individuals and corporations. The plan calls for lower tax rates on individuals earning less than about $70,000 and families earning less than $115,000.
NEWS
March 16, 1998
The Philadelphia Inquirer said in an editorial Thursday:THE dumbing down of American politics continues apace.Now we have "Kill the code," not just as a slogan sneered at the tax system, but as an empty-headed bill that might actually pass Congress this election year.The bill would kill the current federal tax system by 2001. It is silent on what ought to replace it.The supposed rationale is that national leaders won't reform the system unless they have a deadline.In fact, what really appeals to congressional leaders about this time bomb against the status quo is that it makes them look like bold reformers in time for the election -- without forcing them to decide on a new system.