Congressman Yoder: “A bold proposal”
The Internal Revenue Service admitted in a 2012 report that Americans waste around $168 billion and 6.1 billion hours every year trying to comply with the tax code. At over 4 million words, the code is a lengthy nightmare and thousands of jobs are lost as individuals and small businesses must waste precious resources paying accountants and lawyers to navigate its complexities.
Not only is it a constant drain on our economy, but it is also fundamentally unfair. This year alone, over half of all Americans – and many corporations – will pay no income tax due to the numerous loopholes existing in the current code. Much like today’s political system, the tax code’s main strategy is class warfare, with its primary purpose being the redistribution of wealth, not the generation of revenue to finance the operation of government.
It’s been said that the power to tax is the power to destroy, and this should be the motto of the current Administration as it deploys the powers of the tax code to trample the constitutional rights of Americans. From targeting the free speech of conservative groups and individuals, to spying and reading Americans’ emails without a warrant, to seizing Americans’ assets without due process, the IRS cares not for the Constitution.
That is why I am a cosponsor of Representative Rob Woodall’s HR 25, The Fair Tax. It scraps the tax code by repealing the income, employment, estate, and gift taxes. Most importantly, it abolishes the IRS.
By moving from an income-based tax system to a consumption-based tax system, Americans would be encouraged to earn, save, and invest, which in turn would create an economic boom in our country. Everyone would pay what they owe based upon what they consume, without loopholes, social engineering, or government-picked winners and losers.
The Fair Tax admittedly is a bold proposal. But simply moving deck chairs on the Titanic won’t work. The IRS is broken and it’s lost the trust of the American people. It’s time for Congress to take up real change and to take bold acts. It’s time to stop the IRS from suffocating our economy and trampling our constitutional rights. It’s time to consider and pass the Fair Tax and give each individual the tools to realize the American Dream.
Representative Kevin Yoder Congressman
Watch him question an IRS official on the agency’s toxic culture at a recent House hearing:
EDITORS NOTE: Congressman Yoder represents the third district of Kansas.
