KNOW YOUR ENEMY AND KNOW YOURSELF
This statement comes from Sun Tzu's influential work "The Art of War," which was written around the 5th century BC.
The full quote, as it appears in most English translations of The Art of War, is: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
This quote emphasizes the importance of understanding one's adversary in order to achieve success in any conflict or competition. While originally written in the context of military strategy, the wisdom of this quote has been applied to various fields, including business, politics, cybersecurity, and real Tax Reform—the FAIRtax.
We must accept that we are going into a war. We are not advocating for a simple reduction in tax rates. We seek the most fundamental shift of power from D.C. to the people—the FAIRtax.
Certainly we can be excited over a President who has the courage and the desire to eliminate the federal income tax. President Trump gives us the best chance we’ve ever had to pass the FAIRtax. We may not get another chance like this in our lifetimes.
However, it will be a fatal mistake if we let that excitement blind us to the real “enemies” of this reform. If we are to succeed, we MUST know our adversaries and understand how they think. That’s the only way to ensure that we can make such a fundamental and important change happen.
First, we must understand that our adversaries are not a monolithic group. We have a number of different adversaries. They all have different desires and objectives. That means that a “one size fits all” approach isn’t going to work. We must approach each group in a way that addresses each one’s particular concerns about the FAIRtax if we are to be successful.
Here are some of the groups who will most likely oppose President Trump’s effort to eliminate the income tax. Some will operate overtly, some more covertly.
- All of the income tax lobbying groups
- Industry groups like the National Association of Realtors whose primary purpose is protecting special tax benefits for their members
- Many of the Elites who believe that only they are smart enough to decide what is best for the rest of us
- Non-profits whose primary purpose is to discuss and write papers on the income tax
- Federal government employees whose job depends on having the income tax
- Many tax professionals
- Many Members of Congress in both parties who have raised large amounts of money selling tax favors to lobbyists
- Many Congressional staff who work on income tax-related committees.
- The IRS and the Treasury staff that work on income tax policy
It’s important that we not look upon most of the people who work for our adversaries as all being evil people. Most of these people have families. Like us, they are focused on feeding and educating their children. Like us, they want to maintain their financial stability and save for retirement. Most of the people in these groups are not concerned with broad policy impacts. They’re legitimately concerned about how their families will be impacted if the income tax is eliminated.
Of course, there are some who are only concerned with the power that they lose if the income tax is repealed and advocate keeping the income/payroll tax even though they know it is destroying America. To these, I think we show no mercy. We need to expose them to the ridicule that they deserve.
How do we address the opposition groups that are worried about how they are going to survive if they are suddenly out of a job?
One thing we can do is support a plan under which displaced government workers receive a generous severance package that will allow them to provide for their families while they find other work. This will show that the FAIRtax doesn’t mean bankruptcy for them and will show these people that we are not attacking them but a terrible system.
One of our biggest problems is that time is on our opponents’ side. They don’t have to convince the American people that the income tax is a better system than the FAIRtax. They just have to delay things. President Trump will have only four years in office. He’s only guaranteed two years of his party controlling both houses of Congress.
Historically, major reforms like usually get done in a President’s first two years, and only when his party also controls Congress. The party in power historically loses ground in midterm elections. Should the Democrats take either the House or Senate in the 2026 midterms, our opportunity to pass the FAIRtax is all but gone.
President Trump understands that the FAIRtax is consistent with what he wants to do:
- Frees the American people from the chains of the Elites
- Rewards hard work and savings
- Doesn’t tax Social Security payments and protects the future solvency of Social Security and Medicare
- Fulfills his promise of no tax on tips or overtime pay
- The prebate ensures that the FAIRtax is progressive. Unlike tariffs, it doesn’t hurt lower income taxpayers and the rich will pay their fair share
- Makes U.S. made products and exports more competitive
- Allows prices to be reduced by eliminating hidden taxes
- Clearly shows the cost of government to every consumer in the U.S.
This is our opportunity to really make a change that will lead to the greater prosperity for our children and the nation—and it’s an opportunity that may not come again in our lifetime.
We must come together and ensure that real tax reform, the FAIRtax, is not subverted by the Elites in D.C.
This will take the diligent efforts of all of us. We need your financial assistance and we need your grass roots assistance.
Please email us at info@fairtax.org and we will give you some options on how you can best help us.
At a minimum please call your Congressional representative and ask if he or she supports the FAIRtax. If so, thank him/her for their support and suggest they become a cosponsor of HR-25 if they’re not one already. If not, ask why not. If your representative claims to be unfamiliar with the FAIRtax, offer to have someone come to their office and explain it to them.
Please go to this link to invest in AFFT and help us pass the FAIRtax. It’s an investment in your and your family’s future.
THE SOLUTION—PASS THE FAIRTAX!
Why would D.C. pass the FAIRtax and give up this almost unlimited source of donations? The only way that they will is if the rest of us demand it!
Isn’t it time to end this ludicrous tax collection system and the IRS?
HELP BRING ABOUT REAL TAX REFORM AND STOP FUTURE IRS ABUSES
By contributing (investing) $10.40 per month, you help provide a financial base to AFFT. If you can make larger contributions (investments), these will be used not for salaries, as we are all volunteers, but for the needed updates to our economic studies which will be vital for all future years.
Please go to this link to invest in AFFT and help us pass the FAIRtax. It’s an investment in your and your family’s future.