There's no better day than today (Tax Day) to encourage the Republican presidential candidates to go bold with their solution to our nation’s biggest hindrance to economic growth – the tax code.
Replace it!
Yesterday I did a TV interview and a radio interview, and in both cases the hosts intimated that replacing the tax code is not doable. One host suggested that's why Senator Rubio is recommending changes to the current tax code instead of replacing it.
My response to both was that the American people are sick and tired of "doable". That's why nothing ever gets fixed in Washington. The politicians do not want to fight for fixing a problem. They want to settle for what's "doable". And the longer they have been in office, the more they are willing to accept "doable". It's a defeatist attitude and not a solutions-focused attitude.
Four candidates have officially declared their candidacy for president. Two of the three Republican candidates, Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, have stated at one time or another that we need to replace the tax code. That's a good start, but if either of them gets elected they will have to be the one to provide the strong and determined leadership to make it happen. The political establishment of both parties and most of the mainstream media do not believe it can happen, and they even tell the people it cannot happen.
Senator Rubio wants to simplify the existing tax code by collapsing the tax brackets down to two for personal income, 15 and 35 percent, reduce the corporate top rate to 25 percent, and allow immediate full expensing of capital expenditures for businesses. That's a great start, but it is not bold enough, because we still have the same IRS.
The fourth declared candidate, well, Hillary Clinton has only suggested over time that we need to tax the rich more because the "little people" have always gotten a bad deal. That's why she's running on being their "champion". Translation: Let's pass more redistribution of income policies. That's what liberal Democrats do, and that's the most doable thing in Washington, D.C. More taxes and more government!
In addition to establishment political thinking and the MSM, the other barrier to believing we can replace the tax code is the political consultant class. They advise their candidates to sound moderate, propose moderately doable ideas, and to be just plain moderate. Moderate used to get you elected, but in today's crowded political environment, moderate is boring and it does not excite voters.
When I appeared yesterday on Fox Business Channel’s Varney & Co., host Stuart Varney suggested that because I advocated the bold 9-9-9 plan when I ran for president, I was attacked and my plan was attacked and trashed with lies. Of course! That's what they do when you are the front runner in the polls. But that's not why I withdrew from the race. I withdrew because the media had a feeding frenzy with false accusations against me personally. They were not interested in the truth.
Here is that interview:
There is supposed to be a crowded field of Republican primary candidates, and a not-so-crowded field of Democrat candidates. I don't smoke marijuana or do other drugs, so I don't expect any potential Democrats to suggest replacing the tax code.
But a Republican candidate who makes such a proposal might be surprised at how much traction it could add to their chances of getting their party's nomination. It worked for me and it can work again. But they have got to be committed to it and willing to defend and fight for it.
Go bold, Republicans! Not just on replacing the tax code, but stay bold on repealing and replacing ObamaCare!
You have nothing to lose except the presidency.
