Like all Republicans, he wants businesses and 1%ers to pay less in taxes. "Simplifying the tax code" is transparently dishonest rhetoric they sell to the rubes who are too poor to benefit from their tax plans. Like, you're never ever, ever going to see a simplified tax plan where the rich wind up paying more. We're never going to see a proposal to simplify things by taxing investment income the same way we tax salaries.

And this isn't just far-right wacko-bird Cruz. Starve the beast, drown govt in a bathtub, that's been 100% mainstream Republican philosophy for decades.

lou is bitching in the Debate thread about how leadership needs to compromise, but one tab over on his browser in here he's defending Cruz's plans to abolish the IRS as rhetorical and also good.

I could strawman the **** out of why the Dems don't want to simplify the code-so they can hand out tax breaks to their base in order to buy votes. But really our code is beyond stupid and defending it is beyond dumb.

I am not worried about collectors and enforcement agents. Cruz might be but be does seem to recognize that is an important function of the government. Everyone should want to close loopholes, which is the essence of code simplification.

I do like my electric golf lift that was subsidized by the govermment. Thanks fellas.

But everyone DOESN'T want to close loopholes. The GOPers in Congress fight long drawn out battles to keep even the most egregious loopholes alive.

Yes, but what they say they want to do is vastly more important than what they do.

lol only the GOPers!

God this board.

What exactly is a "loophole" for the terms of this discussion?

The carried interest break, yeah, that's a loophole in common usage. And it's one that the GOP(generally) opposes closing, because jerb creators.

But lou is talking about the Dems wanting to keep giving "tax breaks to the base to buy votes", like EITC or whatever? That's not a loophole. And now ikes is acting faux aghast at something or other.

Guys, when Trolly said this,
y'all are aware, that unlike the Bernie discussion, he's not just guessing? Rubio and Cruz have released tax plans. The Lee tax plan is out there. He's not strawmanning or making something up, he's simply accurately describing the disconnect in "tax reform" rhetoric and the actual consequences of actual policies.

It's a loophole if you don't like the rule. It's not a loophole if you like the rule.

According to the search function in my browser, the only person to suggest that only GOPers do it is the person whose posting more and more resembles the views of an Old yelling "get off my lawn" at the kids outside.

Someone who was paying attention might have noticed that the topic being discussed was specifically the GOP's genuineness in advocating for tax reform, so it may have been relevant to talk about their behavior on the subject.

They want to have a code overhaul. They don't want the Dems just to close loopholes they don't like. The same strategy the Dems are taking with immigration.

I think corporate gets done in the next administration. Depends on Hillary. Bill has been a vocal proponent hope they are of the same mind.

Don't worry, Goofy. Ikes is here to call everyone a hypocrite if they don't mention the Democrats in a conversation specifically about Republicans. No one even claimed that preserving loopholes was a strictly Republican trait, but no matter.

As others have pointed out, this "overhaul" you speak of is just code for making sure taxes on the wealthiest people either remain the same or get reduced.

Hopefully we can get a negotiated settlemt that closes loopholes and is more progressive. The corporate code has to be fixed.

Those poor corporations are really suffering. lol

It is a mixed bag, some are paying next to nothing and the full tax payers are bolting. Where did you go to school? Lol.

I wouldn't question my education as you should question your own. You give out your lip service so freely. I'm sure you could charge the GOP for it.

Lol. At least you are not trying to defend the indefensible, the tax code.

Probably true in the GOP sense but most Americans including democrats think the tax code is too complex and too easy to abuse. It does need an overhaul.

Regarding Cruz' plan, the Tax Foundation analysis I read said it would benefit all income levels in terms of increasing their adjusted gross income, not just the rich. However, it would benefit the rich more. Quite a lot more, in fact.

But I don't see why a simple plan such as the Cruz plan, but with additional brackets for higher incomes, couldn't be both simpler yet fair. The brackets are not really what makes the code so complex.

You can laugh all you want, but you're the type that makes guys like Sanders popular.

"Those poor corporations and the tax coe" is really a message struggling Americans want to hear...

Revots-It is obviously hard to do given that tax payers hold dear certain tax deductions.

Maybe it the rise of socialism ( as minor as it is) and protectionism (quite worrisome) is due to Republicans but I suspect that global economic trends such as globalization and winner take all markets are magnitudes of order more significant. A little robust growth would certainly help. Has it been a decade since we had 3 percent annual growth?

I just think the Republicans are so out of touch with labor from being in bed with business that it is making guys like Sanders attractive. Which is worrisome to me. I think Sanders' sentimentality is admirable, but he isn't someone I'd vote for when it comes to looking for practical and real economic solutions to current problems and affairs.

Think we need a President that can work with both labor and business. Not one or the other.