Chairman’s Report - May 22, 2015

Why “My Member Doesn’t Talk About the FAIRtax” is Not Necessarily Bad.

To those of us who have made passing the FAIRtax a priority in our lives, it is very frustrating to have someone become a cosponsor of HR 25 or S 122 but not mention it when they are interviewed or at a town hall meeting.

We all know that the cosponsor has the ability to influence many others, and their failure to become a public advocate of the FAIRtax looks to us like they are acting as a typical politician.  They became a cosponsor because we pressured them but maybe they really don’t support the FAIRtax.  

However, before we upbraid them publicly, we should try to find out two things.  First, are the cosponsors doing things in D.C. that support the FAIRtax?  We know of several cosponsors who are not publicly vocal about the FAIRtax but who are active lobbying their colleagues about the FAIRtax.    These people are very valuable - we know one of them was successful in helping get another cosponsor who is on the Ways And Means Committee.  

Second, do they really understand the FAIRtax enough to properly answer questions about the workings of the FAIRtax?  Most of the cosponsors are not really experts on the FAIRtax.  They know it is a better option, but the actual mechanics of the FAIRtax they leave for their staff or other Members to handle.   No politician wants to open themselves up publicly to questions that can be embarrassing.

More important to us, the last thing that we need is for a cosponsor to make an inaccurate or incorrect statement about how the FAIRtax affects, for example, lower income people or seniors.  Just as their comments have influence, their misstatements will have more influence because they will be forwarded by people who don’t want us to pass the FAIRtax.  

Mark Twain said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”  This is true for any incorrect or inaccurate statement made by a politician.  We all remember examples of politicians making an incorrect statement and seeing their political careers ended.    Misstatements about the FAIRtax will be widely quoted and magnified.  This will make our task even harder. 



Every Vote Counts

As one Member of Congress told me, “Even a vote from someone that doesn’t understand the bill is still a vote that can get it passed.”  We need every vote and, like all of us, the Members often specialize in aparticular area and don’t have the inclination or interest in learning enough about the FAIRtax to be an effective spokesperson for it.  However, their support and vote is still critical.  We should let them know that we appreciate their taking a public position in favor of the FAIRtax while we try to further educate the Member and their staff on the FAIRtax. Then all of us will be more comfortable with the Member publicly advocating the FAIRtax.

AFFT National LOGO Store Open for Business  

Last week, State directors received the new 2015-16 National FairTax Palm Cards from the new National Store.  The AFFT National Logo Store has new logo palm cards, hats, polo shirts, and tote bags with many new promotional items to follow weekly.  Please visit the AFFT National Logo Store at www.fairtaxlogostore.org.

Our special thanks to Rudy Treml for his countless hours of work to make this happen for all of us!!

Washington June Trip

Peggy and I are going to Washington, D.C. on June 1st and expect to have a very full schedule of appointments while we are there.  There are a number of our AFFT state leaders who have contacted Peggy and indicated that they have had meetings with their Members of Congress in their districts and want us to meet with them in D.C.  

Please contact your Members of Congress and ask them to meet with Peggy and me.  It will be a great help in getting appointments and spreading the FAIRtax message.  Please email Peggy at peggy.green-ernst@fairtax.org and let her know who in your Members’ office with whom you have been in contact.

Thank You For Opening The FAIRtax Chronicles, Our Sponsored Mailings 

We plan to do several of these mailings each month. If you take a minute to open the sponsored emails and click through to the website, you are making an in kind contribution to AFFT. It is not required to actually make a purchase, but your minute of time will ensure that AFFT is paid ever larger amounts from people paying for us to send their offers to our supporters.

Again, we are making every effort to ensure that we work with only reputable companies. If you feel that any FAIRtax-sponsored email is objectionable, please email us at info@fairtax.org and tell us why. You can also opt to not receive these sponsored email messages but still receive FAIRtax emails.
  
Thank you for staying FairTax strong!