Ending Poverty in America, by John Edwards: on Tax Reform

EITC lifted 4.4M out of poverty and helped 22M others

The record of the past is not perfect. We made mistakes in the War on Poverty. At times, new government programs failed to reflect our belief in the values of work, family, and responsibility. They gave too much money to bureaucracies and not enough to people.

Nonetheless, there has been progress. IN the 1990s President Clinton dramatically expanded the Earned Income Tax Credit, which President Ford created and President Reagan supported. The EITC reduces the taxes of low-income workers, which gives them an incentive to earn money and helps them save for the future. In 2003, it helped 22 million low-income working families, and the EITC alone lifted 4.4 million people out of poverty, including 2.4 million children.

Source: Ending Poverty in America, by John Edwards, p.258 Apr 2, 2007

Shift burden from taxing work to taxing wealth

We must build an economy that values work. For starters, that means reversing tax cuts that have shifted the tax burden away from wealth & onto work. Americans aspire to wealth, surely, but we honor and respect work, and our tax code should reflect that. It also means guaranteeing workers a meaningful right to organize. With strong unions, service jobs can be the foundation of the middle class, as manufacturing jobs once were. Source: Ending Poverty in America, by John Edwards, p.260 Apr 2, 2007

Progressive tax credit for first-time homebuyers

Homeownership is important in promoting economic security and building household wealth. A progressive tax credit could remedy inequalities in our tax code and help millions of first-time homebuyers. I have previously proposed a work bonds tax credit that would give low-income workers $500 toward a new bank account or safe investment fund. Source: Ending Poverty in America, by John Edwards, p.261 Apr 2, 2007

The above quotations are from Ending Poverty in America How to Restore the American Dream, edited by John Edwards, Marion Crain, and Arne Kalleberg. Click here for definitions & background information on Tax Reform. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by John Edwards on Tax Reform.
*Candidates and political leaders on Tax Reform:*
*Incoming Obama Administration:* Pres.:Sen.Barack Obama V.P.:Sen.Joe Biden State:Hillary Clinton Staff:Rahm Emanuel Treas.:Tim Geithner DoD:Robert Gates A.G.:Eric Holder DHS:Janet Napolitano DoC:Bill Richardson	*Outgoing Bush Administration:* Pres.:George Bush V.P.:Dick Cheney A.G.:John Ashcroft(2005) DEA:Asa Hutchinson(2005) USDA:Mike Johanns(2007) EPA:Mike Leavitt HUD:Mel Martinez(2003) State:Colin Powell(2005) State:Condoleezza Rice HHS:Tommy Thompson(2005)	*2008 Presidential contenders:* AIP: Frank McEnulty Constitution: Chuck Baldwin GOP: Sen.John McCain GOP VP: Gov.Sarah Palin Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney Independent: Ralph Nader Liberation: Gloria La Riva Libertarian: Rep.Bob Barr NAIP: Amb.Alan Keyes Socialist: Brian Moore
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