General Description
In 2005, firebrand radio talk show host Neal Boortz and Georgia congressman John Linder created The FairTax Book, presenting the American public with a bold new plan designed to eliminate federal taxes and the IRS, jump-start the U.S. economy, bring back lost industries and jobs, and recapture billions of untaxed dollars hoarded by criminal and offshore businesses. Their book became an immediate #1 New York Times bestseller, propelling a powerful grassroots tax reform movement that’s spreading like wildfire across our nation.
Now, three years later, the authors are back to answer the outspoken and misinformed critics of their innovative proposal. Offering eye-opening new insights not covered in the original book, FairTax: The Truth debunks the negative myths and gross misrepresentations of this groundbreaking idea. The FairTax plan is simple, brilliant, and it will work—enabling you to keep all the money in your paycheck; eliminating the fraud, hassle, and waste of our current system; and revolutionizing the way America pays for itself.
Why the President Should Read This Book
The concept of the FairTax, a national sales tax designed to eliminate federal taxation and the IRS, thus freeing up the billions of dollars spent each year on tax compliance, not to mention closing loopholes and encouraging saving rather than consumption, has taken hold with many, and is a compelling idea. Whether or not it is the best idea for reforming our tax structure, as opposed to a flat tax, taxes being paid first to states and by the state to the federal government, or all-out elimination of federal taxes, it deserves to be considered.
Personal Notes
When I first read this book I became an overnight fan. But I soon came to see the FairTax as a way to make government more efficient, a sort of “polishing of the cage”, if you will. I believe in the abolition of all federal taxes, and I do not see the FairTax as a step in that direction. It may even be harmful towards that ultimate goal, since it; 1) might make people feel as though something has been resolved, thus lulling them into a false sense of security, 2) would very likely be adopted in addition to the current taxes, rather than as a replacement. If I had to compromise, I would prefer to see a temporary and low flat tax, designed to pay off the national debt, after which the government would be funded by sources of revenue other than taxation.