Grassroots Corner: Recent Episodes
The FAIRtax Guys
The weekly report of FAIRtax activists from around the country written by Jim Bennett, Grassroots Coordinator for the Americans For Fair Taxation.
Having a presence at public events like street fairs is a good way to spread the FAIRtax word. This week's Grassroots Corner spotlights just such an event in New Providence, NJ.
This week's Grassroots Corner features a FAIRtax poem written by Florida FAIRtax-er Roz Miller.
This week, Florida state FAIRtax director Paul Livingston recalls a successful FAIRtax presence at the 40th Fall Festival in Orange Park Florida.
The Florida FAIRtax team is at it again. This time, they were at the Orange Park Farmers Market. Read Florida FAIRtax State Director Paul Livingston's report of yet another successful FAIRtax presence at a public event.
Why would anyone want to give up their American citizenship? The primary reason would be to avoid American taxes. The US is one of only two countries in the world that tries to collect taxes from its citizens living outside the country. Here are ten famous Americans who would probably still be Americans if the United States had a sane tax code.
Even though the FAIRtax is a national level bill, it's important to keep pushing the FAIRtax to state level legislators. It's becoming clearer that showing people how well the FAIRtax would work at the state level is going to be crucial in getting it passed nationally. This week, Grassroots Corner covers a meeting with two state legislators in New Jersey.
This week, Grassroots Corner spotlights three more candidates in Alabama who have signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge and who will be running for Congressional seats next month.
You may recognize the name Ed Durr. He the truck driver who made national news when he ran a campaign on a shoestring budget and defeated a powerfully entrenched New Jersey state senator. Recently, FAIRtax volunteers Jim Bennett and Jerry McManus met with Durr about the FAIRtax. He was particularly interested in how the FAIRtax would work at the state level. Passing the FAIRtax at the state level like Alabama, Georgia and Nebraska are trying to do could be the key to getting it passed nationally, so don't pass up any opportunities you may have to talk about the FAIRtax with state level legislators.
What happened to Alexandru Bittner is a perfect example of why we need to put the IRS out of business by passing the FAIRtax. Like many other American citizens living abroad, he ran afoul of some obscure and rather illogical provisions of the US tax code. You won't believe what the IRS did to him when he came forward and made an honest effort to comply with the law. Read Alexandru's bizarre story in this week's Grassroots Corner.
How does someone who is retired take a working vacation? By turning a vacation trip into an opportunity to promote the FAIRtax. Georgia State Director Jim Duffie did just that recently presenting the FAIRtax to a Congressman in Wisconsin. Read all about it in this week's Grassroots Corner.
With the pandemic easing, FAIRtax volunteers are beginning to re-appear at public events. Recently, the New Jersey FAIRtax team showed up at a street fair in Cranford New Jersey. See why events like this are vital to spreading the FAIRtax message in this week's Grassroots Corner.
With the general election about a month and a half away, primary season is over, and the slate is set for November. While some FAIRtax candidates lost in their primaries, several more were successful and will be on the ballot in November. As a tax-exempt non-profit, Americans for Fair Taxation can't endorse any candidates, but we do encourage people to learn who the FAIRtax candidate are, and you can meet some in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Steven Elliott in Michigan and Tina Forte in New York will be facing some pretty well-known opposition in the November election. Elliott will go up against Rashida Tlaib in Michigan's 12th district, while Forte will challenge Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in NY-14. Both Elliott and Forte have signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge. Defeating these powerful Democrat incumbents in deep blue states won't be easy, but with many taxpayers alarmed at the prospect of 87,000 new IRS agents ramping up enforcement, the FAIRtax message of getting rid of the IRS could resonate well with voters. Meet Tina and Steven in this week's Grassroots Corner.
The FAIRtax movement is happy to welcome David Webber as the new state director in Maryland. He replaces Mark Schaff who moved to South Carolina. David has an impressive list of credentials that make him an ideal man for the job. Meet him in this week's Grassroots Corner.
US Senate candidate Vikram Mansharamani from New Hampshire is interested in providing relief to those most adversely affected by the US tax code--American citizens living abroad. Georgia state director Jim Duffie and I tried to show him how the FAIRtax would solve the problem. Mr. Mansharamani isn't quite ready to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge yet, but he's at least open to learning more about the FAIRtax. Check out the whole story in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is a controversial firebrand. Many love her. Many don't. Commenting on the plan to hire 87,000 new IRS agents, Greene said it's time to replace the IRS with the FAIRtax. While some may question Greene's suitability as a FAIRtax spokesperson, there's no doubt that having someone with her name recognition and national prominence on board with the FAIRtax can only help our cause.
Tina Forte has become the latest candidate to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge. She is running in New York's 14th District, trying to unseat AOC. Meet her in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Steven Elliott has won the Republican primary in Michigan's 12th District and will run against Democrat Rashida Tlaib in the general election. Steven recently signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge. Meet him in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Americans for Fair Taxation has a Board of Directors that elects the Board of Directors. Requirements for being a delegate have been relaxed, so if you'd like to help promote the FAIRtax at the national level, here's your chance. Check it all out in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Mississippi has implemented a provision exempting income up to $18,000 from the state's income tax. However, the Mississippi Center for Public Policy is calling for the abolition of the state's income tax. Neighboring Alabama is trying to do just that, and Mississippi would be wise to follow suit. If there is movement in your state to eliminate the state income tax, Grassroots Director Jim Bennett would like to hear from you.
Talk show host Dan Bongino was recently asked what he thought about the FAIRtax. Like many of us, he thinks it's the best system out there, but he has some reservations about whether or not we can actually get it passed. In order to get the FAIRtax passed, it must be part of the national discussion. Keeping people like Bongino talking about the FAIRtax is key to keeping it in the national discussion. So, if you get the chance, call Bongino's show and encourage him to keep talking about the FAIRtax.
Here's wishing everyone a happy Fourth of July, and reminding you that special Fourth of July events present a great opportunity for you to spread the word about the FAIRtax.
Without Neal Boortz advocating for the FAIRtax on daily radio any more, it's going to take having a presence at public events to spread the word about the FAIRtax. Recently, Doug Dash gave us such a presence at New Jersey's Gloucester Township Day.
Bob Lewis is running for Congress in the fourth district of Colorado. AFFT board member Jade Walle recently had a chance to speak with him about the FAIRtax. Check out that conversation in this week's Grassroots Corner.
David Morelli has stepped up to become the FAIRtax State Director in Arkansas. Meet him in this week's edition of Grassroots Corner.
After a long pandemic, the FAIRtax is beginning to re-emerge in the public eye. The first Memorial Day Parade in a couple years in Summit NJ had a FAIRtax presence. Other events are planned for later in the year in New Jersey and other states. Read all about it in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Sometimes FAIRtax volunteers stumble onto candidates by chance. Such is the case with John Barker, running in New Jersey's second district. Meet him in this week's Grassroots Corner.
This Grassroots Corner continues the series dealing with hostile questions that people may raise about the FAIRtax. This week's argument is that the FAIRtax will hurt state and local governments by erasing the tax advantage that government bonds currently enjoy over corporate bonds. Listen as Grassroots Director Jim Bennett shows how that's not the case.
This week, Grassroots Director Jim Bennett takes a look at two other organizations--Convention of States and Association of Mature American Citizens--for ideas that we in the FAIRtax movement could apply to our efforts to replace the income tax with the FAIRtax.
Ron Eller is the latest candidate to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. Eller is running for Congress in Mississippi's Second District. Meet this extraordinary man in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Did you know that the United States is one of only two countries in the world that makes their citizens living abroad file income tax returns? As you might imagine, there are a multitude of problems with that system. In this week's Grassroots Corner, Jim Bennett details some of these problems and notes they would all go away if we replaced the income tax with the FAIRtax.
This week's Grassroots Corner documents the "Maalox moments" AFFT Grassroots Director Jim Bennett had in using tax preparation software to do his taxes. And while tax preparation software combined with personal finance software may make the task of preparing your tax return easier, there are still no guarantees that everything comes out right. The ultimate solution is to pass the FAIRtax and do away with tax returns entirely.
Do you know someone with some degree of name recognition who supports the FAIRtax, but who doesn't have a lot of time to devote to it? Nominate them for a position on the new AFFT Advisory Board. Check out this week's Grassroots Corner for details.
Several FAIRtax volunteers recently attended CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, in Orlando. In this week's Grassroots Corner, Jim Bennett takes a look back at this year's CPAC, and a look forward to next year's.
John Gaver is really good at getting candidates to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. He has written a four-part series of articles sharing his tips and secrets. In Part 4, John gives you some technical tips on editing your video and sending it in to FAIRtax Power Radio.
John Gaver is really good at getting candidates to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. He has written a four-part series of articles sharing his tips and secrets. In Part 3, John walks you thru to process of actually meeting with your candidate and documenting his/her pledge signing with pictures and video.
John Gaver is really good at getting candidates to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. He has written a series of articles sharing his tips and secrets to help other FAIRtax volunteers replicate his success. In Part 2, John shows you how to how to successfully prepare for your meeting with the candidate.
John Gaver is really good at getting candidates to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. Today, we reprint the first of four articles that John has written in which he shares his tips and secrets. In Part One, John shows you how to identify and obtain the contact information for the candidates in your area, and how to initiate that first contact.
John Gaver is really good at getting candidates to sign the FAIRtax candidate pledge. He has written a series of articles covering the various aspects of successfully getting candidates on board with the FAIRtax. This week, we reprint John's introduction to this series. Over the next four weeks, we'll be sharing John's tips on identifying and approaching candidates, preparing for the interview, conducting the interview, and then some technical tips on producing and editing your video.
Thomas Watercott is a working man running for Congress in North Carolina. He's also a strong FAIRtax supporter as evidenced by his signing the FAIRtax candidate pledge. Meet him in this week's Grassroots Corner.
CPAC in Orlando is a great opportunity to put the FAIRtax in front of a myriad of political and media people. It's coming up soon and we need as many FAIRtax supporters as possible to show up.
Despite our best efforts to eradicate it, the myth persists that by taxing consumption, the FAIRtax is regressive and unfair to poor and working-class families. Once again, Grassroots Director Jim Bennett busts this myth and explains how the FAIRtax is really a boon for lower income and working class families.
Jeanne Seaver is a long time FAIRtax advocate now running to be Georgia's Lieutenant Governor. Seeing that the political climate at the national level is unfavorable for significant tax reform, Seaver is running hard in support of the Georgia Fair Tax Act that would replace Georgia's state income tax with a consumption tax modeled on the FAIRtax. Meet her in this week's Grassroots Corner.
In this Grassroots Corner, communications and marketing manager Randy Fischer outlines some proposed changes in the FAIRtax movement's social media presence. Plus, the call goes out for additional volunteers to help with social media.
This Grassroots Corner continues the series on dealing with hostile arguments people may raise about the FAIRtax. Today, Jim Bennett tackles the argument that basic necessities should be exempt from the FAIRtax because taxing those items is unfair to lower income people.
Of all the candidates who have signed the FAIRtax candidate pledge, Martin Etwop has perhaps the most compelling story of all. Born in Uganda, Martin now lives in Texas and is running for Congress in Texas' second district. Listen to Martin's fascinating story and see how supporting the FAIRtax blends with his campaign message and his vision for America,
Mike Saliba didn't like the FAIRtax when he first heard about it. Mike is a Libertarian who opposes forcing people to pay taxes. Libertarians want to replace the income tax with nothing. However, after looking the FAIRtax over, Mike saw where it was a lot more voluntary than the income tax, so he got on board and signed the pledge.
Sometimes big organizations miss solutions that are right under their nose. When the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) surveyed their members regarding saving for retirement, Jim Stehr pointed them in the right direction--The FAIRtax.
The FAIRtax Marketplace is an exciting new way for you to buy the things you need and help the FAIRtax at the same time. But, to get it off the ground, we need vendors to establish a presence in the Marketplace. Your local Chamber of Commerce is an excellent source of potential vendors.
In this week's Grassroots Corner, Jim Bennett shares the message he's taking to his local Chamber, and invites you to do the same
CPAC is one of the largest gatherings of political and media people in the country, and it represents an excellent opportunity to present the FAIRtax message to them. Last year, a small contingent of FAIRtax supporters made themselves visible and the results were good. A candidate who had never heard of the FAIRtax became a pledge signer, and a Congressman who had signed the pledge was persuaded to follow thru and become a co-sponsor.
This year, we have an opportunity to build on that success. We're asking as many FAIRtax supporters as possible to show up at CPAC wearing some kind of FAIRtax gear and be as visible as possible. With the Biden administration proposing vast increases in the size and scope of the IRS, there's no better time to promote the only tax reform proposal that gets rid of the IRS entirely.
Come to CPAC. We need your help.
Jeb Hanson is a cattle rancher by trade, and a tireless worker for the FAIRtax. His ranch is in eastern Wyoming and he has taken it upon himself to make sure that every candidate that announces for office is provided with information on the FAIRtax.
It was Jeb's efforts that led to candidate Marissa Selvig becoming the first candidate in the country to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge for the 2022 election cycle. He's now working on Harriet Hageman, the candidate Donald Trump has endorsed to unseat Liz Cheney.
This week's Grassroots Corner is proud to spotlight Jeb Hanson.
Roth IRA's are savings accounts funded with after tax dollars. So, there should be no income tax due when you withdraw money from a Roth IRA, right? Well, if the government has its way, that might not be the case. There is a provision in the House tax bill to tax IRA withdrawals even though the government promised that would never happen. It's the same promise the government broke regarding Social Security benefits. The solution? Pass the FAIRtax.
Occasionally, someone who believes that the income tax was never lawfully enacted will be drawn to the FAIRtax group. While we share their goal of abolishing the income tax and the IRS, we differ with those people on both Constitutional and practical grounds. Check it all out in this week's edition of Grassroots Corner.
In several prior Grassroots Corners, we went thru the principles of what makes a message "sticky". In other words, what makes a message stick in people's minds and spurs them to action? Applying the principles in the Heath Brothers book on the subject, the FAIRtax movement has zeroed in on a sticky message about the FAIRtax--"Take Back Control".
FAIRtax people constantly point out the insidious double taxation that occurs with the income tax. Any time you buy a product or service, a portion of what you pay for that product or service ends up at the IRS as the seller's income tax. So what about products that are in a retailer's inventory prior to implementation of the FAIRtax? Will buyers have to pay the FAIRtax on top of all those embedded costs? Fortunately, the answer is "no". Listen as Jim Bennett explains how the inventory credit provision in the FAIRtax shields retail buyers from this form of double taxation,.
Allen Waters is the seventh candidate to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge for the 2022 election cycle, but this is far from his first run as a FAIRtax candidate. In this week's Grassroots Corner, Grassroots Director Jim Bennett interviews a man who doesn't just talk the FAIRtax talk, he walks the FAIRtax walk.
This week's Grassroots Corner continues the series of hostile arguments people may raise against the FAIRtax. This week, it's the allegation that there will be massive evasion under the FAIRtax because the rate is so high. Listen as Jim Bennett explains why that's just not true.
Dan McKaughan is the sixth candidate to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge for the 2022 election cycle. It was FAIRtax'er John Gaver who secured McKaughan's signature on the Pledge, and he shares some tips and pointers that you can use to persuade candidates running in your district to also sign onto the FAIRtax.
The FAIRtax movement lost a powerful voice with the unexpected passing of Ron Maiellaro. For over six years, Ron co-hosted FAIRtax Power Radio, a weekly podcast and streaming video program. He also worked tirelessly for other FAIRtax causes including serving a stint as president of the Florida FAIRtax Educational Association. This week's Grassroots Corner pays homage to Ron Maiellaro.
This week's Grassroots Corner introduces everyone to a great new way to help fund the FAIRtax movement just by buying the things you were going to buy anyway. Introducing the FAIRtax Marketplace--a storefront where people can make their everyday purchases and where each participating vendor pays a commission on each sale to Americans For Fair Taxation. Check it out, and then help us grow the Marketplace into both a one-stop shopping destination, and a reliable revenue stream for the FAIRtax.
The FAIRtax would be a great thing for union members. If you belong to a union, here's an inspiring story about how you can introduce your union to the FAIRtax.
This Grassroots Corner continues the series of hostile arguments people may raise about the FAIRtax. This week, Jim Bennett tackles the argument that the FAIRtax will tax services and necessities--things that escape taxation under many current sales taxes. While that's true, the design of the FAIRtax makes sure it's not done in an unfair manner.
Grassroots Corner encourages reader feedback. This week, we got some. John Gaver, author of numerous books and articles on economic issues jumps into the discussion of whether the FAIRtax rate is 23% or 30%.
This week's Grassroots Corner profiles another candidate running for Congress in the 2022 election cycle who has signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge. Meet Willie Montague, running for the House in Florida's 10th District.
This Grassroots Corner continues the series on how to deal with hostile questions people may raise about the FAIRtax. This week, Jim Bennett shoots down the argument that having state and local sales taxes on top of the FAIRtax will make the tax rate on retail purchases unbearably high.
Byron Donalds is a rising star in the Republican Party. He's also the latest Congressman to sign on as a co-sponsor of the FAIRtax. We thank Congressman Donalds for supporting the FAIRtax, and we want to recognize our dedicated FAIRtax volunteers who helped make it happen.
This week Jim Bennett looks at another hostile question people may raise about the FAIRtax. This one deals with the FAIRtax's effect on new housing construction. Check it out an become a better informed FAIRtax volunteer.
This week's Grassroots Corner is a tribute to another fallen FAIRtax volunteer, Larry Walters.
Americans for Fair Taxation has vibrant, dynamic leaders today. But in order to have the staying power we're going to need to get the FAIRtax passed, there's a constant need to recruit younger people and groom them for positions of leadership. Know anybody who fits the bill? We'd love to hear from you.
Jerrod Sessler has quite a background. He's a conservative Christian, a successful businessman, a cancer survivor, a former NASCAR driver and an honored US Navy veteran. He's also running for Congress and has signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge. Meet this fascinating man in this week's Grassroot Corner.
This week's Grassroots Corner takes on yet another fallacious argument that people might raise about the FAIRtax. This is the one that says Congress will saddle American taxpayers with both the FAIRtax and an income tax. Pay attention as Jim Bennett shows how a special provision in the FAIRtax makes that impossible.
Rubin Young is relatively new to the FAIRtax, but has already signed the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge for the 2022 election cycle. He has a rather fascinating story behind him and a rather tough task ahead of him--trying to unseat incumbent Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Check it all out in this week's Grassroots Corner.
This Grassroots Corner continues the series dealing with hostile arguments some may raise against the FAIRtax. Today, Jim Bennett takes on the argument that the FAIRtax is unfair to seniors because it would amount to double taxation on the money they saved for their retirement.
This week's Grassroots Corner was guest written by Jim Milroy, former New Jersey State FAIRtax Director. It summarizes a meeting the he and Jim Bennett had with New Jersey Representative Jeff Van Drew regarding the FAIRtax.
This week's Grassroots Corner is guest written by FAIRtax Guy Bob Paxton. It details a special trip that the FAIRtax Guys took to Las Vegas to present the FAIRtax to a conference for candidates seeking to unseat current Members of Congress.
Last year, Grassroots Corner went thru a series of six principles that make a message "sticky". Florida State FAIRtax Director Paul Livingston is putting these principles into action. He has formed a group of seven people who meet regularly on a phone conference to develop "sticky" messages for the FAIRtax. In this Grassroots Corner, we meet the last three group members.
Last year, Grassroots Corner went thru a series of six principles that make a message "sticky". Florida State FAIRtax Director Paul Livingston is putting these principles into action. He has formed a group of seven people who meet regularly on a phone conference to develop "sticky" messages for the FAIRtax. In this Grassroots Corner, we meet four of the group members.
Marissa Selvig is one of several candidates running for Wyoming's lone seat in the House of Representatives. So far, she's the only one who has signed the FAIRtax candidate pledge promising to co-sponsor the FAIRtax and vote for it should it be brought to the House floor. She has a rather interesting story. Check it out in this week's Grassroots Corner.
This week's Grassroots Corner spotlights one of the FAIRtax movement's most senior supporters--my mother!
John Wesley Nobles has been supporting the FAIRtax since before there even was a FAIRtax. Check out this week's Grassroots Corner to see how that's possible, and to learn a few other fascinating facts about one of the FAIRtax's strongest advocates.
This is another in the series of Grassroots Corners dealing with hostile arguments and comments that people may make about the FAIRtax. Today, we tackle the criticism that making state and local governments pay the FAIRtax on their consumption will drive state and local tax rates up dramatically.
FAIRtax volunteer Manny Salinas is back in the spotlight with another successful FAIRtax effort at the Orange Park Farmers and Arts Market.
This week's Grassroots Corner continues the series on how to deal with hostile questions and arguments people may make about the FAIRtax. Today, we look at the evidence that refutes the argument that the FAIRtax rate would have to be a lot higher than 23% to raise the same amount of revenue as the income tax.
This week's Grassroots Corner shines the spotlight on FAIRtax volunteer Dave Heidbreder.
This Grassroots Corner continues a series on how to deal with hostile questions and comments that people may raise about the FAIRtax. This week we look at how to handle people who accuse us of being dishonest by misrepresenting the FAIRtax rate. We take a detailed look at tax-inclusive vs. tax-exclusive rates and explain why quoting the FAIRtax using the inclusive rate is an honest and fair way to represent the FAIRtax.
The FAIRtax movement needs your help. With the convening of a new Congress, we are back to square one in securing cosponsors for the FAIRtax. Several returning Members of Congress who cosponsored the FAIRtax in the last Congress have re-signed onto the bill. However, there are still some previous cosponsors who have not re-upped in the 117th Congress. Additionally, several previous cosponsors retired from Congress and we need to convince their successors to become cosponsors. This week's Grassroots Corner lists all the Representatives who need a visit from a FAIRtax volunteer to encourage them to cosponsor the FAIRtax. If you live in one of the targeted districts, we could sure use your help.
Dr. Karen Walby is the economic brain behind the FAIRtax movement. This week's Grassroots Corner spotlights Dr, Walby's remarkable resume in academia, state government and the private sector.
This Grassroots Corner begins a series on how to handle hostile questions and comments that may be raised against the FAIRtax. Our first example is an attack ad that ran against a FAIRtax supporter who was running for Congress. First, we look at the ad, and then a possible response to it.
This Grassroots Corner salutes the efforts of several FAIRtax volunteers who are taking the time to meet with their Congressional representatives and try to sell them on the FAIRtax.
FAIRtax volunteer John Grafer is a man of many talents and he knows some pretty influential people. Check it all out in this week's Grassroots Corner.
Tax Day is approaching, which gives FAIRtax volunteers a good opportunity to remind everyone that they don't have to live with the income tax. There is a better way to fund the government. This week's Grassroots Corner lists several things we in the FAIRtax movement can do on an after Tax Day to help get the FAIRtax message out.
Today, Grassroots Corner takes a look at a vendor that has become more than just a vendor. Political Media provides web hosting and communications services to the FAIRtax movement, but they've become a true friend in the process.
Horror stories abound about the tyranny perpetrated by the IRS against innocent taxpayers. This is one such story about Chris H's battle with the IRS. Also, learn how a businessman in Georgia who was mistreated by the IRS may be getting some sweet revenge.
Radio talk shows are a good way to get the FAIRtax message to the public. Hosts who book FAIRtax guests need to be encouraged to continue to talk about the FAIRtax. One such host is Keith Hanson, who had AFFT Director Jade Walle on his show last summer. This week's Grassroots Corner gives FAIRtax volunteers a model letter they can modify and send to Keith to encourage him to keep the FAIRtax part of the national discussion.
Randy Fischer never sleeps, or so it seems. In this Grassroots Corner, you'll meet one of the hardest working FAIRtax volunteers in the country. Randy's long career has taken him from the courtroom to the boardroom of Americans for Fair Taxation. We're really fortunate to have him on our side working for the FAIRtax.
Grassroots Corner kicks off the new year with a profile of the "recovering tax attorney" who has been at the forefront of trying to replace the Federal income tax with a national retail consumption tax. Steve Hayes has been working toward that goal since before the FAIRtax was born. This is his story.
AFFT maintains a list of state leaders on their web site fairtax.org. It's important that this information be kept as current as possible. This week, Grassroots Director Jim Bennett issues a call to all state leaders in the FAIRtax movement to check over the accuracy of their published information and to encourage those who have not yet submitted a bio and profile to do so.
This is the final part of the series examining the principles set forth by the Heath Brothers on how to make ideas stick in people's minds. It looks at how FAIRtax advocates can use stories to inform people about the FAIRtax and inspire them to act.
Mark Pearson is a man of many talents and interests. Currently, he's working to bring a REAL state level FAIRtax to his home state of Illinois. Mark is a retired correctional psychologist who has worked with a wide variety of inmates and other patients. But one thing he is most proud of is his work as a Guardian in the Honor Flight organization. That organization provides a trip to Washington DC for any honorably discharged veteran with an escorted tour of the relevant memorial. He likes to dabble in thinking and writing about ideas that will improve the world and society--and the FAIRtax certainly fills that bill.
Few people have worked as hard for the FAIRtax as Victor Alberigi. He's currently working for the FAIRtax in two different states at one time. This week's Grassroots Corner documents his many successes on behalf of the FAIRtax.
This week's Grassroots Corner introduces you to the man behind the FAIRtax Power Radio Network. Thanks to Bob Scarborough of radio station WTOB in Winston-Salem, NC, the FAIRtax Guys' podcast, FAIRtax Power Radio, is already heard on three over the air broadcast stations with more to come. Listen to the amazing story of how Bob and the FAIRtax Guys got together and what it could mean for getting the word out about the FAIRtax.
Nick Rudelic was one of the most energetic and innovative FAIRtax volunteers anywhere in the country. Sadly, he passed away on October 2. This week's Grassroots Corner recaps his many ideas and efforts on behalf of the FAIRtax. He will be sorely missed.
Not many people work any harder for the FAIRtax than Florida volunteer Mike Simmons. He serves on the Board of the Florida FAIRtax Educational Association and is their go-to guy for internet marketing and web development. This week's Grassroots Corner is proud to spotlight Mike Simmons.
This is the first in a series about FAIRtax warriors who are still with us, but for one reason or another, are no longer active in the FAIRtax movement. Our first featured warrior is John Collet. This Grassroots Corner features a re-creation of an interview between Jim Bennett and AFFT President Steve Hayes about John.
This Grassroots Corner examines the fifth of six principles developed by the Heath Brothers to explain why some ideas stick in people's minds and others don't. This principle is "Emotional". Spurring people to action often requires reaching them on an emotional rather than an analytical level. Jim Bennett looks at ways we can present the FAIRtax in ways that will make other people care enough about the idea to spur them to action.
Unfortunately, the FAIRtax family has lost yet another faithful and tireless member. This week's Grassroots Corner is a tribute to FAIRtax-er Carol Ann Chouinard of Claremore, OK.
What happens when a Congressional candidate wants to sign the FAIRtax Candidate Pledge, but there are no volunteers in the immediate area to meet with him and secure his signature on the Pledge? That's exactly the situation we faced when Kevin Kahn, a candidate from Cincinnati, Ohio wanted to sign. This is the story of the creative solution that got the job done, along with a brief introduction to Mark Porta, the FAIRtax volunteer who made it all happen.
This week's Grassroots Corner spotlights a man who became a FAIRtax advocate while still working for the IRS! Todd Hilgefort, now retired, spent 27 years working for the IRS. He now actively works to put his former employer out of business by advocating for the FAIRtax.
Recently, the FAIRtax lost a tireless and dedicated member of the family. This week's Grassroots Corner pays tribute to the life of FAIRtax volunteer Nancy Keesee.
This week's Grassroots Corner spotlights a letter to the editor written by Florida FAIRtax volunteer Rudy Treml. It was published in the West Volusia Beacon on April 16, 2020. In it, Rudy explains how the FAIRtax is the answer to bringing manufacturing back to our shores from overseas.
There's power in numbers and Doug Dash needs your help. He has contacted every Representative who is a FAIRtax co-sponsor and asked them to reach out to their colleagues who have not signed on to the FAIRtax. Similar requests from an army of constituents can definitely make a difference in creating support for the FAIRtax. Will you help?
For Florida FAIRtax-er Manny Salinas, the second time was the charm as he and FFTEA President Paul Livingston manned a FAIRtax booth at the Orange Park Farmers and Arts Market. Bad weather forced the event's postponement on its original date, but it was successfully held on its rescheduled date. And again, we urge all FAIRtax volunteers who are going to have a booth or table at a public event to do what Manny did---contact us ahead of time and secure liability insurance at no cost to you.
Americans for Fair Taxation recently added Jade Walle, a CPA in Colorado, to the Board of Directors. Here's your chance to meet Jade and see what a great addition he is going to be to the FAIRtax effort.
Recently, the FAIRtax Guys (and their producer) had a chance to present to the Winter Haven, FL chapter of the 9-12 Project. The main topic of discussion was the suggestion by one of President Trump's economic advisors to replace the Federal income tax with a consumption tax. Check out this week's Grassroots Corner to see how it went.
Licensed professionals have a unique and powerful opportunity to advance the FAIRtax by writing articles for their professional trade publications. Grassroots Coordinator Jim Bennett offers some tips and actually suggests some specific trade publications that could be used to help tell the FAIRtax story.
While the various organizations within the FAIRtax movement neither support nor oppose the efforts being made by the Convention of States movement, Grassroots Coordinator Jim Bennett takes a look at COS's organizational structure with an eye toward seeing if there is anything we can learn from them.
Today, Grassroots Coordinator Jim Bennett explains a very important benefit that FAIRtax volunteers can and should take advantage of. Liability insurance is available at no cost to volunteers who plan to have a FAIRtax table or booth at a public event. Check out how it all works in this week's Grassroots Corner.
AFFT Grassroots Coordinator Jim Bennett offers some tips and ideas for getting new FAIRtax volunteers up to speed.
It's hard to tell what James Oliver has more passion for, muscle cars or the FAIRtax. He can speak with authority about both. The Florida FAIRtax Educational Association is certainly glad to have him on board with us.
This week, Jim Bennett explores the fourth principle for making ideas stick in people's minds. As a FAIRtax volunteer and supporter, this is good information you can use when trying to convince others to support the FAIRtax.
AFFT is constantly striving to be sure the contact information listed on fairtax.org is current and accurate. This week, Jim Bennett explains how you can help in that process.
Do you think a flat tax is the answer to the broken Federal income tax system? Think again. Illinois has had a flat income tax since 1969 and they don't like it. They want to replace it with a graduated, layered income tax. There has been a graduated Federal income tax since 1913 and people don't like it either. So, it should be clear that ANY income tax is a bad idea and that they all should be replaced with a consumption tax like the FAIRtax.
AFFT Grassroots Coordinator Jim Bennett looks at the corruption in the Ukrainaian government, and how a simple tax code, like the FAIRtax, would be a tremendous benefit for them, and for the United States.