No other nation in the world values hard work and service as much as the United States – and no other citizenry reaps the reward of their hard work like Americans. I grew up on a small family dairy farm in Holton, Kansas, and the work ethic I learned there led me to college, to become a Certified Public Accountant and to an eventual successful run for Congress.
Fortunate to live the American dream, I’m not the only public leader who overcame some obstacles to succeed: from a secretary to CEO of a Fortune 20 company, Carly Fiorina’s journey is only possible in our country.
As people called to public service, Carly and I agree we must work to ensure America remains a place where hard work is rewarded and where every individual has unlimited potential. Carly and I both agree a simplified tax code and restructured student loan program are tantamount to protecting the dream that all principled, industrious Americans can enjoy success.
The United States tax code is over 73,000 pages long, 36 times as long as the Bible, with no good news. A complicated tax code leaves small businesses at a disadvantage by unfairly favoring larger corporations who can afford the army of lawyers, accountants, lobbyists and cryptologists needed to decipher it.
So we have a system that reinforces the strong and the powerful, rewards crony capitalists, and undercuts the competitiveness of the hardworking Americans who aspire to build a better life for themselves. That's wrong.
Moreover, Congress has the harmful habit of extending tax provisions on a temporary, short-term basis. Sometimes even retroactively. This is no way to write tax policy and is totally counterproductive. Carly and I know how harmful uncertain tax policy is to businesses, small and large, in Kansas and across America.
As a CPA, I have seen numerous businesses face financial crises because of unforeseen fluctuations in tax provisions. The business culture is heavily influenced by expectations; the most effective way to have pro-growth economic policies is to make sure those policies are consistent so businesses know how to forecast. Carly agrees.
As President, Carly has pledged to fix this once and for all. She is committed to work for a simple, decipherable tax code that levels the playing field and empowers honest, hardworking taxpayers to succeed. This will provide equal opportunity to all Americans and entrepreneurs striving to achieve success; the very essence of the American dream.
While we need to empower small businesses so they can effectively compete, we must also empower our hardworking students to get an affordable education. Making college affordable and helping parents save for their children’s education has been a focus of mine on Capitol Hill, and this work is in part what drew me to Carly.
I’ve introduced legislation, that has passed the House, that amends the Internal Revenue Code and modernizes 529 savings plans with common sense improvements.
Likewise, Carly is right to criticize the way the federal government has taken over the college student loan program. By wresting control of the program away from banks, the government removed all competition from the industry.
Interest rates are floating around 5 percent -- that’s after government subsidies – and there’s no incentive for them to lower the rates. They know students are locked in.
It sounds a bit like something called Obamacare works, doesn’t it? Instead, Carly will help students and families across the country have the freedom to choose what works best for them.
We need to empower hard working Americans and our children with the tools to fulfill their potential. As someone who has experienced the American dream, I know Carly will labor tirelessly to guarantee all Americans will have the same opportunity to achieve their own American dream.
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