PLAIN ENGLISH SUMMARY OF THE FAIRTAX
Many FAIRtax volunteers are reluctant to actively promote the FAIRtax because they think they need to understand it better. Tax reform is a technical subject compared to other political issues. Volunteers shy away from reading the bill because they hesitate to wade through all the “legalese”. The numerous cross-references can make the bill hard to follow and difficult to understand.
Several years ago, our economist, Dr. Karen Walby, updated a "Plain English" summary of the FAIRtax bill she had written years before. Her version of the summary is the Fair Tax Act of 2015, but it’s still a good read today. Some dates have changed in the current version of the bill and the prebate figures need updating, but the overall language of the bill has remained the same over the years. Here is a link to the *.pdf document that you can download:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review/?locale=en-US&uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3AYP9teHSyTvSOP1Iaa3LsEg
The tone of Dr. Walby’s summary is as close to conversational as a summary of a bill can be. Dr. Walby illustrates points with examples to keep the material fresh - not dry.
Yet the summary does justice to the bill. The reader comes away with an in-depth understanding of the FAIRtax legislation and is prepared to discuss the plan at length, including some of the more subtle provisions such as proxy buying, treatment of insurance, and gambling winnings.
The summary is 37 pages long, single-spaced. By comparison, the bill is 132 pages long, double-spaced with wide margins. So, you will need about 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time to go through it, but it will be well worth your time. Reading the Plain English Summary first is helpful. When I read the bill, the Plain English Summary puts many points in perspective. I re-read the bill each time it is re-introduced into a new Congress. So, it's time for me to re-read the bill!
I want to thank our volunteers, John O'Rourke and Margaret Tharp, for calling my attention to the value of this educational tool.
I would love to hear your techniques to boost confidence in talking about the FAIRtax. Please let me know.
Jim Bennett
AFFT Grassroots Coordinator & Secretary🇺🇸 Call For Pictures & WriteUps - When others see your activity, they are inspired, the process snowballs and Representatives, Senators and, yes, even the President start to listen to you and me. Please send your material to me at Jim.Bennett@FAIRtax.org.
🇺🇸 The Official FAIRtax Store - Don’t forget to order your FAIRtax gear from the FAIRtax Store.🇺🇸 We've Got You Covered, If You Let Us Know - If you are planning an event, we have event insurance coverage available for you. Email me the "who-what-where-when" and I will obtain for you a COI. Once the event is underway, it's too late.