The influential small government advocacy group Club for Growth heaped praise on Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s flat tax plan on Tuesday, and knocked former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for not releasing a similarly ambitious proposal.
In a statement, Club President Chris Chocola said Perry’s plan to allow American to choose to pay either their current income tax rate or a flat 20 percent tax rate, would be “massively pro-growth” if implemented.
“A flat tax like the one proposed by Perry would unleash years of economic growth if it is passed into law,” he continued. “Furthermore, eliminating the tax on dividends and capital gains would immediately add trillions of dollars in new wealth to the economy, benefiting all Americans. Perry clearly understands that revitalizing the economy should start with a complete overhaul of a tax code that has nearly choked economic growth to death. Conservatives looking for a champion to carry the banner of a pro-growth tax reform will surely rally behind this bold proposal.”
Chocola, a former Republican congressman from Indiana, criticized Mitt Romney for not embracing similar reforms. “I continue to be disappointed that Gov. Romney has yet to embrace a flat or fair tax,” he said. “He would be wise to avoid using class warfare when comparing his current proposals to those of Gov. Perry or Herman Cain. The Club for Growth is looking for bold leadership on tax reform from the Republican nominee — not demagoguery or platitudes.”
A Rasmussen poll released Monday showed that 61 percent of voters want to replace the current tax code with something simpler, but a majority are still skeptical of a flat tax similar to what Perry proposed.
