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Mitch Daniels on Tax Reform

Republican IN Governor


Reform the income tax; raise tax rate if necessary

The fundamentals of a pro-growth tax system are simplicity and low rates. The innumerable special deals in our tax code impose an enormous drag on the economy. Raising tax rates on individuals or businesses may be emotionally satisfying to some people, but if it delivers less revenue and higher unemployment, then the satisfaction isn't worth it and it won't last long. There is wide concurrence on the essence of a growth-friendly tax code. It involves the elimination of all or almost all current exclusions and deductions.

Clearly I am an advocate of the lowest taxes consistent with national necessity. The national necessity of our age is to overcome our debt burden. This is no time for theological, think-tank arguments about 18% versus 19% versus 20% of GDP. We can resume those debates after the enemy is thrown back from our gates. If it takes a slightly higher rate to bring together the majorities necessary to pass radical simplification & a pro-growth federal tax structure, count me in.

Source: Keeping the Republic, by Mitch Daniels, p.216-218 , Sep 20, 2011

Solemn duty to spend wisely when taking from free citizens

There is a game I like to play whenever I visit high school classrooms. I ask if anyone has a dollar bill handy and when a youngster produces one, I thank him, stick it in my pocket. I make the following point: Please note that Brandon is now a dollar less free than he was a minute ago. If he still had that dollar bill, he could decide what to do with it. Now I get to decide. And that's why we need to be so careful before we take away Brandon's money, or yours, through the coercive power of taxation. If we really value personal freedom the way we say we do, then we should never take a dollar away from a free citizen without a very good reason. And then we have a solemn duty to spend it as wisely and effectively as possible. Otherwise, we should never have taken it in the first place.
Source: Keeping the Republic, by Mitch Daniels, p. 72 , Sep 20, 2011

Raising taxes is the worst thing possible in a recession

Around our nation, states have closed parks, thrown people off Medicaid, & stopped plowing snow. We have done none of those things and don't intend to. Saddest of all, our sister states, at least forty of them, are doing the worst thing possible in times like these. They are raising taxes, adding to the burden on families, and making their economic climates even less attractive to new jobs. We will do whatever is necessary but we will not make this recession worse by adding one cent to the tax burden.
Source: Indiana 2010 State of the State Address , Jan 19, 2010

2010 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Tax Reform: Mitch Daniels on other issues:

IN Senatorial:
Daniel Coats
Richard Lugar

2011 Special Elections:
CA-36:Jane Harman(D)
CA-36:Janice Hahn(D)
NV-2:Dean Heller(R)
NY-9:Anthony Weiner(D)
NY-26:Chris Lee(R)
NY-26:Kathleen Hochul(D)
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CA-6:Lynn Woolsey(D)
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ND-0:Rick Berg(D)
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Page last updated: Nov 05, 2011