USA Today: on Tax Reform


Tom Steyer: Repeal Trump tax cuts; close corporate tax loopholes

It is time for companies and the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. We can begin to do this by repealing the Trump tax cuts that went primarily to the wealthy and corporations, and by instituting a wealth tax -- 1% on those whose net worth is above $32 million. Undoing years of Republican giveaways to corporations and the wealthy also means closing corporate tax loopholes across the board, and ending subsidies in large, successful industries.
Source: USA Today on 2019 Democratic primary Nov 7, 2019

Tom Steyer: Implement 1 percent annual wealth tax on America's richest

Along with filling in the holes of our Swiss cheese tax code, Congress should institute a new type of tax altogether: a 1 percent annual wealth tax on the top .1 percent of Americans. Here's what that would look like. If you are worth more than $20 million, you'll pay a single penny on every dollar you have above that level. No deductions, no exemptions, no loopholes at all. Every .1 percenter pays.
Source: Steyer Op-Ed in USA Today by 2020 presidential hopefuls Oct 22, 2016

Ted Cruz: Abolish the IRS

In a word association game, Cruz said the phrase "Hillary Clinton" brought to mind "Washington" and the name of Bill Clinton was "youth outreach" in a dig at the former president's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Cruz described Obama as "lawless."

But it was the question about what Cruz would do as president that drew the most raucous response. "Repeal every blasted word of ObamaCare," Cruz said as he ticked off a list that included "abolish the IRS," "restore America's leadership in the world," get rid of "amnesty" in the immigration system, and reduce the "alphabet soup" of regulations.

Source: USA Today on 2015 Conservative Political Action Conf. Feb 26, 2015

Kenny Marchant: Make Bush’s tax cuts permanent

No. 1 on his “12-point Republican action plan” is making Bush’s tax cuts permanent. He also lists improving commuter traffic flow, making health care affordable, protecting family values and religious freedoms, education excellence and local control, winning the war against terrorism, cracking down on illegal immigration, less government and more free enterprise and protecting Second Amendment rights.
Source: Candidate Profile of Kenny Marchant, USA Today Nov 2, 2004

Wesley Clark: $5T tax cuts for the rich are legalized theft

Clark accused the president of squandering a $5 trillion budget surplus in two years, largely by borrowing to give large tax cuts to the rich. ‘If it weren’t for the law, you’d call that theft.“
Source: USA Today, “Clark says he may run for president” Jun 20, 2003

George W. Bush: Retroactive tax cuts may bolster faltering economy

President-elect Bush said in an interview published Friday that he was open to the prospect of making tax cuts retroactive to Jan. 1, if that could spur growth in the faltering US economy. Bush called a recent suggestion by congressional Republicans to backdate the tax cut “encouraging” and described himself as “open-minded” to discussing it. But for now he planned to send Congress his original $1.3 trillion, nine-year tax relief package, which would not take effect until 2002. “It’s the plan I campaigned on,“ he said.

”I think the plan ought to not only fulfill the goals, which are reducing all marginal rates, simplifying the code, helping make sure the tax system is more fair to people at the bottom end of the economic ladder, getting rid of the death tax, doing something on the marriage penalty.“ But if it looked as though retroactive tax cuts would help a faltering U.S. economy, then Bush said he would ”make that decision based upon where we are at the time.“

Source: CNN.com reporting from USA Today Jan 12, 2001

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2020 Presidential contenders on Tax Reform:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Sep 23, 2022