Politics

Meet The Former Taxman With Unorthodox Views For A GOP Presidential Candidate

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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Former IRS commissioner and 2016 Republican primary candidate Mark Everson spoke to the Daily Caller Monday, outlining his plan for tax reform, and explaining how reinstating the draft could benefit the nation.

Everson served under both the Reagan administration as deputy commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and under George W. Bush as commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Everson believes it is not only this executive experience that sets him apart from the crowded GOP field, but also his business experience.

“I think it’s essential if you’re going and try to run the government, which interacts with the private sector so much, and so many of the foreign affairs issues are now tied to economics, that you have not just some theoretical experience, that you have actual practical experience, which I do,” Everson told TheDC.

He has served as vice-chairman of alliantgroup and ran a factory. While he has never been a politician, Everson has had a sex-scandal, leading to his resignation as CEO of American Red Cross.

Being the former commissioner of the IRS certainly means that he will have a focus on tax reform, and that is why he proposes the “competitive tax plan.” This plan was authored by Columbia University professor and former H.W Bush Treasury official Michael Graetz.

“It’s a hybrid system, which says put in a consumption tax, then you can strip 150 million Americans off the income tax rolls,” Everson said. “Then what it would do is return the income tax to what it was, only the high earners pay it, that’s how it started, the people at the higher end would pay lower rates.Then if you follow this scheme you would also be able to lower the rates for the businesses and corporations.”

Everson said that the tax plan after being studied by non-partisan groups was found to be revenue-neutral. He called Rand Paul’s plan for tax cuts leading to $2 trillion less in revenue over 10 years “folly.” (RELATED: Rand Paul Introduces His Tax Plan)

Unless we have entitlement reform, says Everson, our spending is going up, so we can’t afford to have lower government revenue, but that this program will increase growth, thus adding to revenue. Everson proposes reinstating means-testing when it comes to government related benefits.

“The nice thing about this program is that it is distributionally neutral,” Everson explained. Unlike the common critique that flat taxes are regressive, his plan would retain the progressive nature of American taxes.

Everson’s website, unlike most GOP candidates, features a section critiquing the big banks. “There appears to be little accountability in the executive suite. Too often the banks run the light, pay the ticket, and speed on.”

He tells TheDC, “I don’t think I’ve ever been popular with ‘Big Business.’ Understanding that free-enterprise is the engine of our growth does not relieve Republicans of the requirement to provide sensible, balanced regulation.”

Everson also sets himself apart from his fellow candidates in that he wishes to reinstate the draft. One of the reasons he states is the military-civilian divide. Currently we have the lowest percentage of Americans serving in the military since World War II.

“It will lead to a more robust decision about the use of force,” he said.

Even though he served under Former President George W. Bush, Everson doesn’t pull punches. “After 9/11, he said, ‘Look, we got this, don’t worry about it. our military is going to take care of it, just keep shopping.'”

Everson is aiming to visit every county in Iowa to get his message out.

“People take a notice that you are talking about real issues and that you have a real background. It’s not just a lot of talk,” Everson tells theDC.

As of June 2, Everson had invested $130,000 in his own campaign and raised another $40,000. He boasts a 14th place finish at an Oklahoma City straw poll, but besides that does not appear on any major public polls.