Chairman’s Report - October 31, 2014

Voter Education
 
FairTax supporters take seriously the mission of the FairTax® campaign to educate the public, including elected and appointed public officials, candidates for elected and appointed public officials, about the importance of tax reform and the FairTax Plan. As a nonpartisan organization, we do not advocate the election or defeat of any candidate for public office, nor do we favor one candidate or political over another. 
 
As individual citizens, many FairTax supporters work tirelessly helping candidates who support the FairTax Plan. They answer questions about the FairTax legislation, provide non-partisan candidate briefings and research and publish candidate positions on real tax reform and the FairTax.   
 
Many of our state FairTax groups don’t endorse a candidate but point out that one candidate may favor real tax reform while another doesn’t.  This is a proper and necessary activity for the FairTax campaign and for state FairTax groups.
 
The new FairTax.org website
 
Larry Ward at Political Media has now been engaged to design a new FairTax.org website, and is now working with AFFT board and executive committee member Autry Pruitt and social media consultant Susan McWilliams.  Our current goal is to have the new website live in 45 days.
 
FairTax texting
 
AFFT board member and communications workgroup chairman Randy Fischer, and his communications work group, is managing the new FairTax texting initiative. This texting program gives the FairTax campaign the ability when a supporter is meeting with or addressing a group, to have the presenter invite participants to use their smart phone and text a special number so they can receive additional information or become a paid AFFT member. Randy advises the program will be ready for rollout within the next few weeks. 
 
2015 CPAC Conference
 
The national Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) Conference is one of the premier political gatherings in the nation.  Their yearly meeting in Washington, D.C each year attracts Presidential hopefuls, Members of Congress and other political VIPS, as well as significant news media.  More importantly, the conference provides attendees and participating organizations a unique venue in which to speak and interact with each other.
 
In addition, the conference provides public policy advocates opportunities to share how the FairTax is the only real tax replacement plan before Congress that will create jobs, stimulate the economy and eliminate the IRS.
 
 
As a non-partisan organization, our mission includes educating all partisan organizations – regardless of where they are on the political spectrum.  Thus, it is very important that AFFT has a presence at CPAC as well as more liberal organizations. Because this is an educational event, anyone desiring to make a tax-deductible contribution may do so through the National Tax Research Committee (NTRC), a 501(c)(3) that is working with AFFT to support AFFT’s CPAC mission.  In the next weeks we will be letting you know more about our CPAC plans.
 
Tuesday’s Election Day - Please Vote
 
On November 4, 2014, we will have a rare opportunity to directly influence the “ruling class” in Washington, D.C.  While many in Washington are confident that voters will continue to sleep, they know that if the people actually do wake up and vote, their stranglehold on power can be destroyed. 
 
Tax reform is an area of public policy that everyone in Washington seems eager to discuss.  Why?  Simply discussing tax reform ensures that campaign coffers are filled and lobbyists become richer.  Dig beneath the covers, however, and you will find that the ruling class has very little interest in the kind of real tax reform that the FairTax promises. 
 
We can change that dynamic by sending new elected representatives to Washington who are not indebted to the special interests and who are genuinely interested in doing something good for America.
 
To paraphrase something President Ronald Reagan once said, it is not that opponents of the FairTax are ignorant.  It is just what they know is incorrect.
 
More next week,
 
Steve