Charlotte Observer
RALEIGH --
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wants the Internal Revenue Service to calculate and complete the income tax returns of up to 50 million Americans annually.
In a podcast the campaign will post on its Web site today, Edwards says the U.S. tax code is unnecessarily complicated and full of loopholes that favor the wealthy over the working class.
Under his plan, the IRS would gather tax information for 50 million Americans with relatively simple returns. The IRS would calculate their tax bill or refund, and mail a final report to the taxpayer, who would be able to just sign and return the form. Edwards' campaign estimates it would save taxpayers about 225 million hours annually.
The IRS already collects basic tax information for audit purposes, but Edwards questioned why the service makes taxpayers spend days "gathering their information, hunched over tax forms and tax tables and calculator trying to figure it all out, just to tell the IRS the information it already has."
The former N.C. senator, speaking on the podcast, dubbed the new paperwork Form 1 "because there's only one thing you need to do: sign and return it," he said.
For those with more complex tax needs, Edwards wants the IRS to allow taxpayers to file their returns online for free.
Eric Toder, a former IRS director of research and a senior fellow at The Urban Institute in Washington, praised Edwards for proposing new ideas but questioned whether they were realistic. "It's possible to make those changes, but it would be costly on employers and costly on the service," Toder said.
Toder supports Edwards' plan to provide free Internet filing but warned there would be strong opposition from tax preparers.
The podcast, a recorded audio discussion, is the first in a weekly series Edwards plans for his campaign Web site.
In other news Friday, Edwards pulled out of a second debate co-hosted by Fox News Channel, saying the cable network has a conservative slant.
The campaign said it will not attend the Sept. 23 debate hosted by Fox News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, but added that Edwards will participate in a debate hosted by the institute and CNN.
"We believe there's just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform to advance the right-wing agenda while pretending they're objective," said Jonathan Prince, Edwards' deputy campaign manager.
RALEIGH --
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wants the Internal Revenue Service to calculate and complete the income tax returns of up to 50 million Americans annually.
In a podcast the campaign will post on its Web site today, Edwards says the U.S. tax code is unnecessarily complicated and full of loopholes that favor the wealthy over the working class.
Under his plan, the IRS would gather tax information for 50 million Americans with relatively simple returns. The IRS would calculate their tax bill or refund, and mail a final report to the taxpayer, who would be able to just sign and return the form. Edwards' campaign estimates it would save taxpayers about 225 million hours annually.
The IRS already collects basic tax information for audit purposes, but Edwards questioned why the service makes taxpayers spend days "gathering their information, hunched over tax forms and tax tables and calculator trying to figure it all out, just to tell the IRS the information it already has."
The former N.C. senator, speaking on the podcast, dubbed the new paperwork Form 1 "because there's only one thing you need to do: sign and return it," he said.
For those with more complex tax needs, Edwards wants the IRS to allow taxpayers to file their returns online for free.
Eric Toder, a former IRS director of research and a senior fellow at The Urban Institute in Washington, praised Edwards for proposing new ideas but questioned whether they were realistic. "It's possible to make those changes, but it would be costly on employers and costly on the service," Toder said.
Toder supports Edwards' plan to provide free Internet filing but warned there would be strong opposition from tax preparers.
The podcast, a recorded audio discussion, is the first in a weekly series Edwards plans for his campaign Web site.
In other news Friday, Edwards pulled out of a second debate co-hosted by Fox News Channel, saying the cable network has a conservative slant.
The campaign said it will not attend the Sept. 23 debate hosted by Fox News and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, but added that Edwards will participate in a debate hosted by the institute and CNN.
"We believe there's just no reason for Democrats to give Fox a platform to advance the right-wing agenda while pretending they're objective," said Jonathan Prince, Edwards' deputy campaign manager.
We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.
The Hildabeast
The Hildabeast








