Senator Allen responds

Senator George Allen (R-Va) has responded to an e-mail letter i sent his office regarding the FairTax Act (FTA) of 2005. i sent a similar letter to Congressman Cantor's office as well, the contents of which can be read here. Cantor's office replied with a snail mail form letter that was typical and expected. Allen's letter, by contrast, is well-argued and adresses directly the principal challenge i raised - namely, that someone from his office explain his positions regarding the FTA in specific and restructuring the federal taxation system in general. read for yourself:

From: senator_allen@allen.senate.gov
To: christopher@no.spam
Date: Oct 4, 2005 2:39 PM
Subject: A response from Senator George Allen

Dear Christopher:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Fair Tax Act. I appreciate your concerns and value your input on this important matter.

The federal tax code is in urgent need of comprehensive reform to make it simpler, fairer and more conducive to economic prosperity. The new code should be transparent and consistently applied to all taxpayers, minimizing the opportunities for manipulation and evasion. It must also be supportive of America’s expanding and dynamic economy. One proposal currently before Congress, the Fair Tax Act, seeks to accomplish these objectives by eliminating the income tax and other taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service, and enacting a national retail sales tax to be administered primarily by the states.

Proponents of the Fair Tax legislation argue that a consumption tax, as opposed to the current system of taxing income, would be a fair, simple, progressive and revenue-neutral tax replacement system. They claim it would reduce the administrative costs associated with collecting taxes, share the tax burden among taxpayers in a progressive manner, promote long-run economic expansion and encourage Americans to work more and to save and invest their money.

The Fair Tax proposal is only one of the ideas being discussed. As a principle, I support revisions to the tax code that stimulate our markets, create more jobs, help Americans keep more of their hard-earned dollars and simplify the process of collecting government revenue. Abolishing the federal income tax and replacing it with a consumption tax would, however, be a drastic change with a myriad of implications. I am currently researching the potential consequences, both on the economy and on individual Americans in all economic classes, to ensure that such a change would produce the desired results. I appreciate you keeping me informed of your thoughts, and I will be certain to keep them in mind as I work with my colleagues to improve the federal tax code.

I hope you will not hesitate to contact me again about issues important to you. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (http://allen.senate.gov). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.

With warm regards, I remain


Sincerely,


Senator George Allen