Capital Commerce

Giuliani's Shock-and-Awe Tax Plan

By James Pethokoukis

Posted: January 10, 2008

My pal and blogger Andy Roth over at the Club for Growth just sent me this E-mail with a few more details and a sprinkling of analysis about Rudy Giuliani's $6 trillion tax plan, which would be the largest tax cut in the history of the American republic. Actually, of any republic—ours, Rome's, Greece's. Just huge:

$6.3 trillion over 10 years.

Make permanent the Bush tax cuts NOW...not in 2010

Permanently index AMT and then eliminate it when practical (no timetable).

Get rid of the Death Tax

Lower cap gains and dividend rate to 10% and index to inflation.

Lower corp rate from 35% to 25%.

Trio of tax free savings accounts—Roth style—available to ALL income classes.

  • Retirement account ($5000 year/single, $10k year/couple, draw only at retirement)
  • General account (same limits, available at any time for any reason)
  • Lifetime skills account (only for education, job training, $1000 year/single)

Tax simplification strategy—one page tax return

Three rates—10% (40k), 15% (150k), and 30% (150k+).

It's an optional tax plan. You can pick it or the current tax code. Unlike [the Fred] Thompson plan, you can opt in and out any year. Four major deductions remain:

  • Mortgage
  • Charitable
  • State and Local taxes
  • Child tax credit

This plan would be huge. It would be 4% of GDP. By comparison, [the George W. Bush] tax cut was 1.3% of GDP. Reagan's was 1.9% of GDP.

This would be a great plan. My lord if this came true our country would grow an be so prosperous. It would spur so much growth it wouldn't but funny. The true question would be can he hold spending and fix SS and medicare. If he was able to get the tax cut through I believe could get ss fixed by allow people to have personal accounts.

berry of OH @ Jan 11, 2008 02:17:28 AM

Rudy's tax plan

Thank God for Rudy!!! Working people need a break from paying taxes (emphasis on need).

mark of NY @ Jan 10, 2008 19:58:03 PM

Rudy's plan

Its about time we, the people, got some relief from the governments appetite to keep taking our money. I would hope the gov spending could be reduced by a similar or greater amount. Bravo Rudy. You have my vote.

Chris Thomas of CA @ Jan 10, 2008 19:40:29 PM

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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