Observations on the Republican Debates

Like many of you, I’ve been watching the ebb and flow of the Republican debates, trying to gain insight into what the next potential President has in mind for our country.

For me, the line in the sand is tax policy.

By now, you know that my plan calls for the elimination of our 100 year-old, corrupt, confiscatory income tax system and a return to the original taxing clauses set forth in Article I, Section 2, Article I, Section 8 and Article 1, Section 9 of the U.S. Constitution.

During the South Carolina debate on Monday, January 16th, Fox’s Bret Baier asked the candidates this question:

“I’d like to ask a question about keeping money for all of the candidates down the line. What is the highest federal income tax any American should have to pay? We are looking for a number.”

And, here are the answers:

PERRY: “Seven 7 percent flat tax. Simple. Keep it simple.”

SANTORUM: “Well, my plan has two rates, 10 and 28 percent, which is the highest rate under Ronald Reagan when he cut taxes.”

ROMNEY: “I would like 25 percent, but right now it’s at 35, so people better pay what is legally required. But ultimately let’s get it down to as low as we possibly can, if it’s 20, if it’s 25 but paying more than 25 percent, I think, is taking too much out of our pockets.”

GINGRICH: “I would like to see it be a flat tax at 15 percent and I would like to see us reduce government to meet the revenue, not raise revenue to meet the government.”

PAUL: “Well, we should have the lowest tax that we’ve ever had, and up until 1913 it was 0 percent.  What’s so bad about that?”

There was wild applause for Ron Paul’s answer.  So much, that it was hard to hear Mitt Romney’s remark (not published in the Fox transcript), which went something like this:

“I don’t know how we’re going to have a strong military with a zero percent tax rate.”

In a moment of clarity, I was struck, not only by his inability to think outside the “establishment” box, but also by his ignorance of the Constitution.

From that remark, I concluded that, while Mitt Romney might take our country in a different direction than President Obama, it would not be in the direction of economic freedom.

And, I knew then that I would not waste my vote on him.

Remember that a vote based in principle, and cast with conviction, is not a wasted vote.  It is the most powerful weapon on earth.

I’m holding true to my principles and writing in “Bob McNeil” for President in November.

In freedom,

Bob McNeil
All About Bob
Phone: (713) 806-5199