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Hastert Says GOP Has Plans to Abolish IRS August 2, 2004
by Doug Patton Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) writes in a new book that Congressional Republicans plan to push for the elimination of the Internal Revenue Service during a Bush second term. The Drudge Report revealed Sunday that Hastert's book, "Speaker: Lessons From Forty Years of Coaching and Politics," discloses a plan by President Bush and the GOP Congress to replace the burdensome federal income tax with a national sales tax. "People ask me if I'm really calling for the elimination of the IRS," Hastert writes. "I say I think that's a great thing to do for future generations of Americans." A growing number of Members of Congress have become supporters of the so-called "Fair Tax", a national sales tax on new consumer items. U.S. Reps. John Linder (R-GA) and Steve King (R-IA) have been vocal supporters of the plan. "By adopting a sales tax, ... we could begin to change productivity," Hastert writes. "If you can do that, you can change gross national product and start growing the economy. You could double the economy over the next fifteen years." "All of a sudden, the problem of what future generations owe in Social Security and Medicare won't be so daunting anymore," Hastert continues. "The answer is to grow the economy, and the key to doing that is making sure we have a tax system that attracts capital and builds incentives to keep it here instead of forcing it out to other nations." King, who campaigned on the proposal during his first run for Congress in 2002, has said he believes the measure would pass if President Bush were to get behind it during his second term. He also believes that once taxpayers understand the ramifications of the change, they will embrace it. "We need to stop taxing productivity," King said . "As Ronald Reagan said, whatever you tax you get less of. I believe we should give taxpayers a one-year moratorium on withholding tax and let them keep everything they earn while trying the Fair Tax. Do that and they will never go back to the old system." Hastert admits the change won't be easy. "Pushing reform legislation will be difficult," he says. "Change of any sort seldom comes easy. But these changes are critical to our economic vitality and our economic security abroad." Doug Patton is a freelance columnist who has served as a speechwriter and policy advisor for federal, state and local candidates, elected officials and public policy organizations. His weekly columns can be read in newspapers across the country. Readers can e-mail him at dpatton@neonramp.com. |
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