[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 53 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                TAX DAY

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                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 15, 2010

  Mr. TIAHRT. Madam Speaker, ``Excessive taxation . . . will carry 
reason and reflection to every man's door, and particularly in the hour 
of election.'' Thomas Jefferson spoke these words in 1798. These words 
will ring true once again this November, 212 years later. Why? This 
Congress and the Obama administration refuse to recognize the burden 
they are placing on Americans with constant tax and spend schemes. 
Since President Obama took office he has enacted nearly $700 billion in 
new taxes. This amounts to more than $2,100 for every man, woman and 
child in the United States.
  Not only are the taxes in this country outrageous, the balance of 
those who pay taxes are also becoming more and more out of balance. But 
not all people believe this is the case. A recent CBS News poll showed 
50 percent of Americans think the amount they pay in taxes is fair. Yet 
according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, 47 percent of American 
households will not owe any federal income tax for tax year 2009. 
Coincidence? I think not. Almost half of Americans do not pay taxes and 
believe that to be fair?
  Our current tax code is ridiculously complicated, horribly unfair, 
and bad for the economy. It inhibits saving, investment and job 
creation, and imposes a heavy burden on families.
  Americans know when spending and taxation is out of control. In fact, 
back in December 1773, a group of American colonists called the Sons of 
Liberty boarded a ship docked in Boston harbor that was filled with 
boxes of tea from the East India Company. What were they protesting? 
The ``Tea Act''. The act was designed to prop up the East India 
Company, which was floundering financially and burdened with 18 million 
pounds of unsold tea. It was a 17th century bailout. Colonists boarded 
the ship and tossed the tea into the harbor, in protest of the Tea Act, 
which had recently been enacted by the British government. This tea 
party led to the realization that America must be freed from Great 
Britain in order to become a true democracy.
  Today, over 200 years after the great tea party, I stand with Kansans 
and patriotic tea partiers nationwide who are outraged by Washington's 
untamed penchant for taxing, borrowing and spending our hard-earned 
dollars. We've had enough. This runaway spending and taxing must stop. 
Yet, the Democrat Congress and the Obama Administration continue to 
propose and pass legislation that increase taxes and spending and 
jeopardize our future.
  We need across-the-board spending cuts throughout the federal 
government and tax relief for American families and businesses. This is 
one of many steps we should be taking to create high-quality jobs and 
spark long-term economic growth without a new government spending 
program.
  Just this week, I introduced a congressional resolution condemning a 
massive value added tax (VAT) system being considered by the Obama 
administration. Americans have already been subjected to one of the 
highest tax increases in our nation's history as part of recently 
passed healthcare reform. American families and the American economy 
cannot flourish under this level of taxation.
  Despite this trajectory, our country could be on a 10-month recovery 
plan. First, the federal government must end the bailouts, reduce 
spending and lower taxes for all Americans.
  The private sector, not government bureaucrats, knows how money 
should be spent, what resources are needed, and what type of training 
workers will require. Unfortunately too many government roadblocks 
stand in the way of business development--and deter investment by those 
here and abroad. Steps we can and will take to restore our nation's 
competitiveness and ensure that America remains the Land of 
Opportunity: Tax Relief and Simplification, Liability Reform, 
Regulatory Reform, Healthcare Security, Energy Independence.
  On this day, as Americans unite to demand that our government stop 
spending into bankruptcy, I pledge to continue the fight to return 
money and power back to American families as our founding fathers 
intended.

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