Rand Paul would replace income tax with sales tax

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   Stacie Lposted 14 years ago

   FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul
   said Tuesday the federal tax code is a "disaster," and he wants
   to replace the income tax with a retail sales tax.
   
   Paul said that he would support changing the federal tax code to
   get rid of the Internal Revenue Service, and he would vote to
   repeal the Sixteenth Amendment that created the federal income tax.
   
   "The federal tax code is a disaster no one would come up with
   if we were starting from scratch," Paul said in a written
   statement distributed by an anti-tax group and verified by his
   campaign. "I support making taxes flatter and simpler. I would
   vote for the FairTax to get rid of the Sixteenth Amendment, the IRS
   and a lot of the control the federal government exerts over us."
   
   Paul declined to answer questions on the issue during a campaign
   stop in Louisville Tuesday afternoon. At a previous stop in
   LaGrange, he told reporters he'd also like to see the U.S.
   Department of Education eliminated.
   
   The FairTax proposal has been championed by the Texas-based
   group Americans for Fair Taxation and a newly formed affiliate,
   FairTax America Support Team. Paul's former campaign manager, David
   Adams, is a member of the affiliate's governing board.
   
   Paul faces Democrat Jack Conway in one of the most closely
   watched races in the nation. They're seeking to replace 78-year-old
   Sen. Jim Bunning who opted not to seek a third term.
   
   University of Kentucky political scientist Stephen Voss said
   Paul's stand could help him in Kentucky where voters, especially
   those of the tea party persuasion, are angry about the tax burden.
   
   "It could play well in a state like Kentucky when you show all
   the things that are not progressive about the current tax system,"
   Voss said. He noted that the issue is ripe for political spin.
   
   Kentucky tea party gubernatorial candidate Phil Moffett, whose
   campaign is managed by Adams, predicted Paul's stand will energize
   his base of support three weeks before Election Day, though it
   could dissuade others.
   
   "The problem with the FairTax is that it's one of the easiest
   things to demagogue," said Moffett, who has made a similar
   state-level proposal a centerpiece of his campaign. "It's an easy
   way to scare some voters away. But those who would be scared away
   probably aren't up on the FairTax and likely wouldn't have voted
   for Rand Paul anyway."
   
   Conway spokeswoman Allison Haley said Tuesday the proposal calls
   for a tax of nearly a quarter on every dollar.
   
   "Working people are having a tough enough time making ends
   meet," she said. "They don't need a 23 percent sales tax on
   everything they buy - from groceries to gas to medicine."
   
   Americans for Fair Taxation wants a so-called "FairTax" that
   would abolish all federal personal and corporate income taxes as
   well as gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social
   Security, Medicare, and self-employment taxes. Those taxes would be
   replaced with a federal retail sales tax administered primarily by
   existing state sales tax authorities.
   
   Adams said the group is "delighted" to have Paul among the
   proposal's backers, who include Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.
   DeMint has come to Kentucky to campaign for Paul.
   ---
   Associated Press writer Bruce Schreiner contributed to this
   story from LaGrange.
   http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/ … 31709.html

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2. 74

   Mighty Momposted 14 years ago

   So, does he not think that to avoid the sales tax people (and especially corporations) will buy overseas, thus continuing the spiral down of our economy?
   And is that 25% on TOP OF city and state sales tax or inclusive?
   Well, I guess the one good thing about Rand Paul's proposal is it would definitely encourage saving!

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      lady_love158posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I hardly think people would buy over seas to save a couple of bucks, of course if the disparity in prices and exchange rates was great enough that might be a concern but that would be less likely to happen if the government had a balanced budget amendment to go with it and actuallly controlled their spending.

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         Jillian Barclayposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, and Rand Paul also wants regulations on mines and mining companies removed! What a genius! He is really a frightening piece of work!

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            Evan G Rogersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I fully endorse these proposals - government regulations are a disaster.
            
            But this sales tax thing... I'm... against!
            
            He should get rid of the income tax and replace it with nothing.

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   Amie Warrenposted 14 years ago

   He'd put some sort of cap on it, I'm sure, so as not to tax the yachts and limousines of the rich.

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      Evan G Rogersposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      nah, Rand isn't a "let's all give rich people a break" republican. But I am worried about his idea of replacing Income tax with ANY tax.
      
      Maybe his is a "weed out" sort of thing - replace the income tax with a tax that only generates half as much.
      
      I'd be for that!

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