Grassroots know tax reform isn’t enough — Stop spending too

I have the honor of regularly talking to grassroots activists across America: people who volunteer on campaigns, go door to door to talk to voters about their beliefs, and work the phone booths to help encourage political engagement.  They aren’t just “likely voters,” they are voters who make a difference in their communities. Recently, I asked them what they thought about Congressional tax reform, and they looked back at me with an empty, blank stare.  

{mosads}Many statements about tax reform have been bouncing around the internet, but they’re frequently written in confusing, opaque language – similar to the tax codes – so no one really knows what to think.  Plus, the news changes every day.  The Senate and the House have two different plans, with significant differences.  Both Republican Senators and Congressmen argue in favor of – and against – each of the plans not only in their own chamber, but also in the opposite house. In the meantime, Democrats point in the air screaming, “the sky is falling,” while talking heads say anything from “just get something done” to “this is all fake reform anyway.”  

How can an everyday American working a full time job possibly have the time to sort this out?  How can they figure out what’s reality, and what’s a pre-packaged sound bite while scrolling through the news on their phone during their lunch break?  Does it just depend on which talking head you trust?  Which Senators or Congressmen to believe? Here’s the truth about grassroots activists: they don’t believe any Senator or Congressman.

Amidst all the noise, the grassroots are pretty clear about what they want.

The grassroots want real, permanent reform.  Tax cuts that go away after a few years are absolutely ridiculous, akin to “I voted for them before I voted against them” nonsense.  Why would Congress propose meaningful tax reform that goes away in the future? Why not write the reform bill in disappearing ink?  America doesn’t have time for this Congressional stupidity. Whatever gets done, should be done.  Period.

The grassroots want fewer tax brackets, lower rates, and less deductions. Regular people shouldn’t have to hire high priced accounting professionals to determine how much the federal government is going to steal, then flush down the toilet. Taxes are onerous enough. How about making it simple to pay?

Also, jobs. Having one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, means jobs are leaving the country. We don’t blame businesses for acting with common sense and leaving.  We’d leave for far lower tax rates, too, if we could. However, this understandable corporate flight causes the middle class to hemorrhage jobs.  The grassroots want Congress to lower the tax rates on business, so jobs stay here. Folks in Congress have high paying jobs with good benefits in D.C., but everyday Americans need the work.

But most importantly, grassroots activists know America’s current deficit is a spending problem, not just a tax problem. Taxpayers owe the Social Security Trust Fund $3 trillion; Medicare has been in deficit since the very beginning since premiums and payroll taxes were never meant to fully bear the program’s cost.

Paul Ryan was asked about this at a recent town hall.  He responded, “It’s a very, very good question.”  He then went on to explain why a reduction in spending was not a part of this reform.  “We’re going to focus on spending cuts, we’re going to go back at that next year,” he said.  “What we don’t want to do is complicate the issue at hand.”

Next year? Our tax burden has taken the money out of the pockets of the people across this nation, but we know what to do when the money runs out: stop spending so frivolously.

Now, it’s time Congress learn this lesson. Stop with the stupid games. Enough is enough.