Time for Tax Reform

Time for Tax Reform
STRAIGHT TALK WITH SAM

Volume 5, Issue 44 October 31, 2005

Former Treasury Secretary William Simon said that, "the United States should have a tax system which looks like someone designed it for a purpose." The only thing our current tax code seems to accomplish is to confuse people. I think Americans deserve better.

This week the President's bi-partisan commission on tax reform will report back with suggestions to streamline our tax code. We need to reform our tax code, but the way to do it is to rip up the current one and start over. With over 54,000 pages and 2.8 million words, it seems to me that we need fewer rules, not more.

I've become so fed up with it that I have decided to change it. I am going to put together a group of Republicans, Democrats, economists, farmers, small business owners, accountants and anyone else with common sense to help me find a way to undo the mess that has become our tax code. Missouri common sense tells me that we should not have different rules for different groups. Make no mistake, there are going to be those in Washington that hate this idea, but that's because they want to spend more of your money.

I agree that our tax code should be designed with a purpose. My purpose will be to make it simpler, fairer and good for economic growth. Now is the time for a frank discussion about our tax system. Considering the mess we have now, it might be wise to start with a blank piece of paper.

http://www.house.gov/graves/straighttalk/2005issue44.htm