POLITICS AND TAX REFORM

It is, I am sure, no surprise to anyone who reads TWTP or follows me on Twitter that I strongly oppose dangerous narcissist Donald Trump in his campaign for the Presidency.

As I have said here and elsewhere before, I very strongly believe that all Americans who care anything about freedom, democracy, civil rights, the economy, and the future of the country and the world have a moral obligation to publicly denounce and aggressively oppose Donald Trump and his campaign for the Presidency.

I have clearly identified the “Ten Reasons Why Donald Trump Must NEVER Become President”.

But, since this is supposed to be a blog about taxes, let me also make this statement – I firmly believe that the Republican Party “take” on federal taxation and tax reform is the more correct one.

I strongly oppose the tax philosophies of the Democratic Party.  The answer to all our problems is NOT to tax the rich merely because they can afford it.  Success, ambition, and entrepreneurship should NOT be punished.  The rich already pay their “fair share” of taxes.  And the US Tax Code must NOT be used to distribute social welfare program benefits or to “redistribute” income or wealth.  The purpose of the US Tax Code is to raise the money needed to run the government – period.

I also believe in doing away with the dreaded Alternative Minimum Tax and the federal Estate Tax (as long as the step-up in basis on inherited assets is maintained) and the federal Gift Tax.

My beliefs on tax reform, as a citizen and as a 40+ year veteran tax professional, are clearly identified on my website TAX PROFESSIONALS FOR TAX REFORM.  

 

However, no Presidential, or any other, vote should be based on only one specific platform issue.  We must consider all the issues of an election, and not just taxes, as well as the history, character and “temperament” of the candidates.  I have voted both Republican and Democratic in past presidential, and other, elections, and I have also on occasion voted for a third-party candidate.  My vote in each election was based on the individual candidate and all the issues involved, not merely on my position on taxes.

I believe, or at least hope, that when someone other than Trump, probably Clinton, is in the White House during the next four years the Republicans in Congress can pass proper tax reform, or at least keep the unacceptable Democratic tax proposals from becoming law.  Just because a citizen denounces and opposes the Republican Party’s candidate for President does not mean that he or she cannot support and vote for some or all of the Party’s Congressional candidates.

But, unfortunately, the 2016 Presidential election is indeed about one issue – keeping Dangerous Donald out of the White House at whatever cost.  The vote this November will, again unfortunately, not be about voting FOR a candidate, but voting AGAINST a candidate.

TTFN