2010 Ron Paul 58:1
Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, today I voted for
H.R. 4853, legislation which ensures file continuation
of many of the Bush tax cuts. If no
action had been taken by this Congress, all
Americans would have had to pay higher income,
dividend, and capital gains taxes beginning
on January 1, 2011. While I would have
preferred that the current lower tax rates remain
in place for all Americans, the fact is that
a tax cut for most people is better than a tax
increase on everyone. I will always vote to
lower taxes at all levels, and I will never vote
for tax increases. The passage of this bill will
result in the overwhelming majority of Americans
paying lower taxes next year than they
otherwise would have.
2010 Ron Paul 58:2
It is unfortunate that this bill was so highly
politicized and that so much debate focused
on whether or not those making over
$250,000 per year would receive tax cuts. Arguments
that tax cuts for the rich are unfair,
or that those making more money should pay
higher taxes, are based largely on envy.
Whether one group or another thinks it is
“fair” or not does not change the fact that the
money should stay with the person who
earned it. This is true for people at all levels
of income.
2010 Ron Paul 58:3
But rather than getting bogged down in the
minutiae of what the ideal tax rate should be,
I believe we should abolish the income tax
and eliminate the IRS altogether. Congress
funded the government using excise taxes for
more than 120 years without an income tax,
and the federal government not surprisingly
adhered much more closely to the constitutionally-
defined limits of its powers during that
time. Real tax reform can only happen when
we insist on reducing the size of the federal
government and reducing the pork in its bloated
budget.
