Des Moines Register
07-12-07
Brownback calls for flat income tax
The Kansan also says he's the presidential candidate most true to GOP values.
By GRANT SCHULTE
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback cast himself as the "conservative alternative" to
the GOP's top-level presidential contenders Wednesday as he promoted his
federal flat tax proposal during a speech to a Des Moines business group.
Brownback sought to establish himself as the candidate most in tune with the
Republican Party.
His focus on tax policy came a day after voters throughout Polk, Dallas and
Warren counties overwhelmingly rejected a 1-cent local-option sales tax
increase.
Brownback lambasted the current federal tax system. "It is not growth-oriented,"
he told a crowd of 26 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines.
The flat income tax has been pitched by past GOP presidential candidates,
including billionaire publisher Steve Forbes, with little success.
Brownback said his proposal is different because it would be voluntary and tied
into a program that would force all spending cuts to be given an up-or-down vote,
similar to the way the government closes military bases.
Peter Orazem, an Iowa State University economist not affiliated with the
campaign, said a flat tax would generally be simpler and create incentives for
growth, but would be nearly impossible to impose without a willing Congress.
"Both of them are particularly good ideas," Orazem said of the flat tax and
spending cuts. "Can that work? Sure. Has it worked? No. What would it require?
A president who actually had the will to force it through."