The Grassroots Corner May 15 2020

Congratulations again to Decorah, Iowa FAIRtax-er Claude Mertzenich and his team.  They brought in two Congressional candidates who signed The FAIRtax Candidate Pledge and another who signed but amended it.

Steven Everly and Rick Phillips both signed Pledges and both are running in the Republican Primary for the Second Congressional District of Iowa.  There are four other Republicans running in the Primary for the IA-02 seat, and one candidate on the Democratic side.  The seat is currently held by Rick Loebsack, a Democrat who is retiring.

Steve Reeder is a candidate running in the Republican Primary for the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa.  He is the one who modified his Pledge by adding support for another tax reform plan.

Adam Yomtov already spoke with and emailed his campaign to inform his Pledge is invalid and has been rejected.  Americans For Fair Taxation will not put Reeder on our website as a supporter.  He can prove himself by signing another Pledge if he wishes.

The seat for which Reeder is running is currently held by Republican Steve King, a long-time FAIRtax co-sponsor and advocate who is seeking reelection.  King has, in addition to Reeder, three other Republicans and one Democrat running for his seat.

FAIRtax is nonpartisan and single-issue, and therefore doesn't attempt to handicap the candidates’ chances or comment on other issues the candidates support or oppose.  We merely report on candidates who have signed The FAIRtax Candidate Pledge and let you decide.

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So how did Claude’s kitchen-table team do it?  How did they convince these candidates to sign pledges?

 
Claude sourced a list of names and addresses of all the candidates running for the US Senate and US House of Representatives from Iowa, yup, all 24 of them. He sent each a letter with pocket cards from The FAIRtax Logo Store and our Pledge form.  As one would expect, some landed on rocks; some landed on sand; but some landed on fertile soil.

If you would like to replicate Claude’s experiment in your state, Claude does lots of experiments as he teaches chemistry at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, here is the text of his letter:

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“The current income/payroll tax system is broken.  Among other things (see enclosed cards), high rates of taxation are required under the current income tax system because it’s replete with exemptions, deductions, credits, and loopholes which narrow the tax base to benefit the tax lobbies.

The FAIRtax (H.R.25) will tax new goods and services at one rate with no exceptions.  Under The FAIRtax, all income and payroll taxes are eliminated; you will keep your entire paycheck.  The IRS will be eliminated.

Federal taxes will then be collected at the cash register ONLY on new goods & services sold retail.  Used goods will not be taxed.  Why?  Because they’ve already been taxed.  Because of the Prebate (click here) poor and middle-class families will be greatly aided by The FAIRtax.

For more info on The FAIRtax and the prebate, read "The FairTax Book" by Boortz & Linder and visit our Website (click here)   Let me know if you have questions.

“Please read, sign, and email the "FAIRtax 2020 Candidate Pledge" to click here for the Email-Address or mail the hardcopy to AFFT, PO Box 4929, Clearwater, FL 33758.

I'd appreciate also receiving a copy of your signed FAIRtax Candidate Pledge; my contact info is at the top of the page.  Contact me if you have questions or if you think you might not want to sign our Pledge;  I'd be interested to hear your reasoning as to why you support the current wasteful, complex system instead of The FAIRtax.

“Once in office, please support and co-sponsor “H.R.25, The FairTax Act of 2019" (click here) as it is, without any amendments.  “As I mentioned above, I'd like to hear back from you on this.  “Thank you for your desire to serve the State of Iowa and the United States of America”.

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Normally you have better chances of having a candidate sign The FAIRtax Candidate Pledge if you can find someone from the candidate’s Congressional District to write the letter.  Claude and his team live mostly in the First Congressional District of Iowa, where none of the pledge-signers are running. Claude didn’t wait to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.  He wrote and achieved results.

You can use Claude’s letter as a form, and you can pull The Pledge from The FAIRtax website at the “Get Involved” Tab.  Mouse down to “FAIRtax Candidate Pledge”, and you will see it.  In a rush, click the Image.

 
If you want to send pocket cards, go over to the “Store” Tab and place your order.  Let me know how you do.

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PS: Since writing this Grassroots Corner, two more candidates have signed on to The FAIRtax Candidate Pledge:
 

1. Bill Schafer is running in Iowa’s Third Congressional District.  The seat is held by incumbent Democrat Cindy Axne
2. Incumbent Congressman Steve King, previously mentioned as a co-sponsor of The FAIRtax, who represents the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa

Professor Mertzenich is on a roll with his FAIRtax Candidate Pledges.  Great work!

PPS: Since writing this update another one signed on:

Jeremy Taylor is running against incumbent Steve King and co-challenger Steve Reeder in the Republican Primary Fourth Congressional District of Iowa. Wouldn’t it be great if King, Reeder and Taylor entered into their contest to see who can out-FAIRtax the other?!

We need to put this Grassroots Corner to bed before all the Iowa primary candidates sign on!  Ha!

Claude inspired me to start a similar campaign in a very different state, New Jersey.  Results will be communicated in a future Grassroots Corner.

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