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Paul

If I Were President…

May 29, 2007 · 0 comments

Oh, don’t even get me started.

But there are a number of folks who are actually making a run at it this year, some expected and some, well, not.

I have contacted each of the candidates several times to ask their positions on various tax issues. And a number of them responded promptly and their replies were posted earlier this month on taxgirl.com. To recap, you can check out the posts from these presidential candidates, in order of posting:

- Tommy Thompson
- Sam Brownback
- Joe Biden
- Ron Paul
- Mike Huckabee

I’ve been in contact by phone and email with John Edwards’ campaign and Mike Gravel’s campaign, each of whom have assured me that their answers are forthcoming, so look for those in the next few days.

Rudy Giuliani’s campaign is difficult to contact; they don’t respond to email and I was unable to get a fax number. I sent a letter to them via USPS, so I’m not sure what the outcome of that will be.

Senator Obama’s office sent me an email that someone would get back to me, so hopefully I’ll have something to post from his campaign shortly. He’s recently unveiled a tax strategy to pay for health care (which sounds similar to John Edwards’ plan) so I expect his answers to address that issue.

Senator Clinton’s office has been strangely silent – no emails, no faxes, no calls – odd since she’s been taking a beating in the press on her stance on corporate tax.

I am similarly surprised to not hear from Senator McCain’s office. He’s been making the rounds in the press, and seemed to pose the most well thought out plans during the debate, so you’d think he’d take advantage of the momentum.

That’s where we stand for now. Keep checking in to see what your favorite candidates have to say about taxes. And of course, if they won’t tell you, you know that I will!

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Tax Talk 2007: Ron Paul

May 21, 2007 · 12 comments

Our next presidential candidate to be featured in our series of interviews is Ron Paul, a Republican and Texas Representative.

Here are his unedited answers to my six questions:

1. What’s the single most important tax issue facing Americans today?

Simply put, taxes are too high.

2. If you could only make one “quick fix” in terms of an extra credit, a disallowed deduction, whatever – what would it be?

I would eliminate the income tax.

3. Which is a more egregious tax on the American public: the AMT or the federal estate tax?

It depends on your income level and personal situation. Both should be eliminated.

4. It has been suggested that the IRS should be eliminated. Do you believe that this makes sense, and if you do, what would you establish in its place?

I have advocated eliminating the IRS for my entire political career. The IRS could be replaced with a flat tax or national sales tax, although any consumption tax must be coupled with prompt repeal of the 16th amendment.

5. Do you think that significant tax cuts are possible considering the current state of the economy, specifically the escalating cost of the war in Iraq?

All tax cuts must be paid for with cuts in spending. I would start by changing our interventionist foreign policy, in which we spend hundreds of billions of dollars policing the world, fighting war and subsidizing the security of other wealthy nations. By changing our foreign policy, we can cut taxes and address the burgeoning problem of exploding entitlement spending.

6. And just for fun, if Uncle Sam handed you a huge refund check right now, what would you do with it?

I would buy gold.

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Thanks, Congressman!

For more information on Representative Paul’s policies, visit his website.

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