We all heard that the GOP are great at branding. When people hear "National Security, Small Government, Low Taxes," they think Republicans, even if they suck at most of whatever they do. Some around here have compalined -- maybe for good reason -- that we Democrats have allowed the GOP to brand us: "Gay Marriage, Abortion on Demand, Flag Burners, Traitors."
Well, we can hope the other side continues to self-destruct, but we all know we need to offer clear, attractive choices to move voters toward us. Now that everyone knows that the Republicans are actually Big Spenders, we have a chance of capturing the mantle of fiscal responsibility. We already have the legacy of the Clinton years to show we are capable of fiscal restraint. However, now that these short-sighted GOoPers have put us into dangerous fiscal territory, any fiscal responsibility would require tax increases if we preserved the current tax structure. Therefore, I think it would a good idea that one of our BIG IDEAS for this election cycle and for the next Democratic Presidential candidate would be (drumroll, please).....TAX SIMPLIFICATION.
This would not be the first time that Democrats embraced tax simplification as the
following 2004 letter from House members:
Dear Mr. President,
As we approach a new session of Congress, Democrats and Republicans agree that we must reform the tax code now. Recent statements by Administration officials indicate that you may postpone the appointment of a tax reform advisory panel and may delay sending Congress a proposal until 2006. We are writing to encourage you to act now so that tax reform can move us toward a system that is more fair, less complex, and that adequately funds the budget without perennial deficits.
Democrats are committed to the following principles:
Fairness: Tax reform must not result in tax increases on middle-income families, and we must uphold our commitment to progressive taxation. Millions of middle-income Americans are paying more than their fair share as a result of an overly complicated, loophole-ridden tax code. This tax burden will only increase as more families are ensnared by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). By 2010, the AMT is expected to hit 33 million taxpayers, up from just 1 million in 1999. We believe that tax reform must include a long-term solution to protect middle-income taxpayers from the AMT's unintended consequences.
Simplification: We must make the tax code far less complex. The tax code and its regulations currently span more than 60,000 pages, thousands of which have been added since the mid-1990s. It takes the average family nearly 7 1/2 hours longer to complete their tax return than it did in 1994, and tax changes made since 2001 have only served to further complicate the tax code. The following example illustrates how the current tax code is unnecessarily complex. Parents with children in college must choose between two non-refundable tax credits and the higher education deduction, all of which are calculated differently with different income limits and phase-outs. Moreover, parents saving for their children to attend college have to decipher three different saving mechanisms. It is a taxpayer's nightmare.
Fiscal Responsibility: We must not add to the deficit; indeed, we must steadily reduce it. Revenue neutrality is especially important given the historic level of debt. Democrats are committed to reforming the tax code without burying our future under a mountain of national debt.
We look forward to working with you on a bipartisan basis to simplify the tax code for all Americans. Together, we can create a tax system that reflects common values and creates a more vibrant economy.
Thank you for your attention to our concerns.
Sincerely,
Nancy Pelosi - Democratic Leader
Steny H. Hoyer - Democratic Whip
Robert Menendez - Democratic Caucus Chairman
Charles B. Rangel - Ranking Member, Committee on Ways and Means
John M. Spratt, Jr. - Ranking Member, House Budget Committee
George Miller - Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce
Well, nothing has been done since then. Now that we are on the verge of possibily taking both houses of Congress, I think we need to embrace the idea of tax simplification for the very reasons highlighted in this letter.
I am no economist or tax expert. I would not know where to start in the first place. But I have heard over and over again that fewer people would avoid and hate paying taxes if the tax code were less complicated. Therefore, here are a few links to articles I have found on the web about Democratic and liberal tax simplication:
1. An article Josh Marshall in The American Prospect
2. Testimony before the House in 2001 from the Urban Institute
3. An article from the Democratic section of WatchBlog
4. A call to action from Liberal Oasis
5. An editorial from The Las Vegas Review Journal urging tax simplification
I apologize for not making my own suggestions but I thought those here better versed in this kind of struff would be better able to make informed suggestions. In fact, I think we should do for tax simplification what Jerome a Paris has been doing for energy policy: have those at Daily Kos who are experts in this area to outline a proposal for a Democratic Congressional majority to push. Only when the American people see we have an alternative to the irresponsibility demonstrated by the Republicans will they vote for us rather than just against the Republicans.
So what do you guys think?