Urgent Mail from Congressman Dick Armey to Cliff Cofer

E X P R E S S P R I O R I T Y   M A I L

The above envelope was marked as shown and sent to me via USPS mail...

URGENT!    URGENT!    URGENT!    URGENT! Extremely Urgent: Recipient Please Hand Deliver to Addressee.

(Sender's Name) Dick Armey Company Americans for Tax Reform Address P.O. Box 98019 City                          State     Zip Washington  DC  20090-8019

(Recipient's Name) Cliff Cofer Company   Address 726  8th St. City                                 State     Zip W. Des Moines  IA  50265

Notes by Cliff: The material in the EXPRESS PRIORITY envelope consists of a six(6) page letter from Armey touting his "Flat Tax" Plan and begging for donations on behalf of "Americans for Tax Reform" (ATR) -- an organization headed-up by a Mr. Grover Norquist.

Also, the envelope included a "PASS THE FLAT TAX" Petition Form.

Look at the Address label above. The (Sender) is Dick Armey and the Sender's (Company) is Americans for Tax Reform (ATR).

Hmmm, I didn't know that Dick Armey worked for ATR!  :-)

Here's another surprise: For years, ATR favored Tax Reform, but was neutral as to a specific plan. They're neutral "in name only" inasmuch as they and Dick Armey are now marching in "lock-step" for the "Flat Tax."

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Here's the most startling thing I learned from the material that Armey sent to me (and I quote directly from page 2 of his letter):

** The IRS would become a thing of the past -- we could effectively
     abolish the most intrusive government agency around!

...and here's a direct quote from page 3 of his letter:

     "But the best part about the Flat Tax is that it would put an end to the I.R.S. and our current unfair and inefficient tax system."

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Hmmm, somehow I must have missed it when I read Armey's Flat Tax Bill, H.R.1040, coz I didn't see where it abolished the IRS... did you? Ah, TRUTH, wherefore art thou?

The Truth Is...  HERE!  ...Click On It!

Sorry, Mr. Armey, but you just forfeited your Boy Scout Badge for TRUTHFULNESS!  Don't you know that a "half-truth" is the same as
a "whole-lie?"

I'm not gonna take the time to transcribe the six(6) page letter from Armey. About one-half of it is just loud touting of the "Flat Tax" and the other half is begging for money for ATR.

Here's the Petition he wants me to sign and send to him along with my check:
Hey, Dickie boy... dream on! (heh heh)

PASS THE FLAT TAX Petition To: U.S. Congress WHEREAS, the Flat Tax would treat every American equally, locking in a low 17% tax rate; WHEREAS, the Flat Tax would provide for a generous standard exemption of $36,900 per family of four; WHEREAS, the Flat Tax eliminates double taxation like the Death Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and the tax on savings, helping secure my family's future; THEREFORE, I petition the U.S. Congress to Pass The Flat Tax and send it to President Bush. SIGNED:___________________________________________ Cliff Cofer (No way!)

Were I debating Armey, I'd ask him a few quick questions about his "Flat Tax" plan: Like...

1. Under your "Flat Tax" plan do taxpayers still have taxes deducted from their paycheck for Social Security and Medicare? If not, how are these two programs funded?

BTW, I'm sure you are aware that the Soc. Sec. & Medicare taxes are the most regressive of all the taxes imposed by our governmment today! Your "Flat Tax" plan leaves these taxes in place... right?

2. Under your "Flat Tax" plan will businesses still add their Income Tax and compliance costs into the price of goods they sell... thus the buyer would still pay (as he does today) the businesses' Income Tax (and compliance costs) hidden in the price of the product/service? If not, how (under the "Flat Tax" plan) will businesses recover the cost of their taxes and compliance costs?

IOW, Mr. Armey, under your "Flat Tax" plan the hardworking taxpayers of America will continue to be "double-taxed" just as they are today under the Income Tax System... where they pay the businesses' Income Tax (and compliance costs) when they buy his product/service p-l-u-s they pay their own Income Taxes on what they earn? 'Taint fair... why do you want to continue it?

3. Under your "Flat Tax" plan, how does the government collect taxes on the undrground economy? Will drug dealers be expected to voluntarily declare their income and pay the "Flat Tax" on it.

4. Given the "nature of the bureaucratic beast" to grow itself ever larger and larger, will not the IRS (under your "Flat Tax") get bigger and bigger over time? ...just as it has done today?

5. Is your "Flat Tax" plan "Revenue Neutral?" If so, please cite the Study that indicates it will generate the same level of funding that the present Income Tax System generates.

You are aware, I'm sure, of the "PAYGO" rule that the House enacted, i.e. No tax bill will be considered which reduces the government's overall tax income. Does your "Flat Tax" plan comply with the "PAYGO" rule.

6. Again, please tell us how the "Flat Tax" plan would make U.S. made products more competitive with foreign imports sold in the USA, and how would it enable U.S. companies to be more competitive abroad?

You realize, I'm sure, that the FairTax makes U.S. made goods more competitive with imports, and makes U.S. companies more competitive in the world market, plus encourages job creation here in the USA.

Will your "Flat Tax" plan help reduce the Trade Deficit our nation suffers every year? How?

7. If there were a tax reform plan that would absolutely deal with all of the above quandries (and preclude the negatives from happening), would you support it in lieu of your "Flat Tax" plan?

There is such a plan, Mr. Armey. The name of it is... H.R. 25, The Fair Tax Act! I invite you to endorse it and help get it enacted. You would long be remembered as one of the all-time truly great Congressmen and a genuine "man of the people!" Unlike your "Flat Tax" plan, the FairTax plan does this... Hurrah!     Hurrah!          Hurrah!     Hurrah!

.

Readers... BE AWARE! The mailer I received from Dick Armey clearly shows the level to which he will stoop to try to bamboozle the American taxpayers into falling for his "Flat Tax" trap!

Dick Armey is on record as having said he will support a National Retail Sales Tax "WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER!" He is a die-hard "Flat Tax" advocate. The "Flat Tax" is still (UGH!) an Income Tax and it retains the IRS! Armey has announced that he is not seeking re-election, but he's still in a key position (until the 108th Congress convenes in January 2003) to block any Sales Tax bill from reaching the House Floor. One must ask the question: If Armey isn't running for re-election, why is he making the kind of all-out effort to push the "Flat Tax" plan? ...and why is Norquist and ATR willing to spend so much money riding on the back of an outgoing Congressman? In Armey's letter, he said "Believe me, it was expensive to send you this letter by EXPRESS PRIORITY." Based on what Armey's 6-Page letter says, it appears that he's gonna make an effort to get his "Flat Tax" plan enacted before he exits the House. I quote from page 5...

The liberals in the media and in politics are fighting the "Flat Tax" with every dirty trick in the book: lies, distortions, and scare tactics.       They'll stop at nothing to keep us from passing the "Flat Tax."       Thankfully, you and I have the good conservatives at Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) on our side.       ATR has been supporting tax reforms like the "Flat Tax" from the very start.       In fact, ATR has been behind every tax reduction fight in Washington, D.C. since it was founded by Grover Norquist in 1986       They're the most effective taxpayer group in Washington.       And they work tirelessly, every year, to get serious tax relief for you.       But ATR and I can't get get this done alone.       We need your help to pass the "Flat Tax" this year.

Therefore (Cliff speculates), I doubt that Bill Thomas (Chairman W&M), Dennis Hastert (Speaker of the House), et al, will want to bring about a public House Republican battle -- "Flat Tax'ers" vs FairTaxer's -- during this Fall's election cycle, so I see little chance of getting the FairTax out of the W&M Committee and over to the House Floor until after the Nov 5th election at the earliest, and more realistically, not until the newly elected House convenes in January 2003.

Similarly, I doubt that Thomas & Hastert will allow Armey's "Flat Tax" gang to start a Republican battle over 'tax reform' during the election cycle. IOW, I suspect that Armey's "brave words" in his Letter to me about his plan to make a big effort to get the "Flat Tax" enacted this Fall was primarily a 'sop' to his buddy, Grover Norquist of ATR, who has finally (publicly) declared ATR as favoring the "Flat Tax."

Going one step farther out on the 'prediction limb,' I doubt that a House Floor debate on 'tax reform' will take place until after the President's S.O.T.U. address... and more likely not until March/April at the earliest.

...and, finally, the whole subject of 'tax reform' is contingent in no small degree on which Party controls the two Houses of Congress. If the Republicans have control in the 108th of both the Senate and the House, there's a real possibility that 'tax reform' will be debated -- possibly even in 2003. If the control of Congress is still devided in 2003 as it is today, 'tax reform' will have an uphill struggle.

A final comment from Cliff: I'm an "Independent," and I staunchly favor H.R. 25, the FairTax! Therefore, I'm doing whatever I can to help the Republicans retain control of the House and gain control of the Senate, coz I'm convinced that the odds of getting the FairTax out of Committee, onto the Floor and debated, then enacted into law is far better with the REPUBS in control of both Houses of Congress.

For more info about why the FairTax is better than the "Flat Tax" for tax reform, visit these websites:

1. CONFESSIONS OF A FLAT TAXER!

2. DAN MASTROMARCO SPEAKS... LISTEN-UP!

3. DAVID BURTON re: FAIR vs "FLAT" TAX!

4. COMPARE: FAIR vs FLAT vs INCOME TAX!

5. SIX MISCONCEPTIONS about the FAIRTAX!

6. The FLAT TAX Unveiled!

                          ...and,

7. The Tax System's Broken. Let's Fix It!

Though it appears we won't get the FairTax debated in Congress until 2003 (at the earliest), we should continue to work diligently, IMHO, to bring supporters on-board for the FairTax from all quarters... the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Administration, the Public, wherever!

Hence, I promote the AFFT Petition for H.R. 25, The Fair Tax Act. It's accessible here:  PETITION!

If you haven't signed the FairTax Petition, please do. If you have signed it, please ask others to logon and sign it, too.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing!"                                               -Edmund Burke

Onward & Upward!

Cliff Cofer - West Des Moines, Iowa
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* * The Tax System's Broken. Let's Fix It! * *
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