Joseph Lawler
The Washington Examiner
2/13/2015
Rep. Paul Ryan set an aggressive timeline for a tax reform Friday, saying that it had to be done before the end of the summer if it is going to be done during President Obama’s tenure.
“Summer is — if we’re going to find common ground on tax reform, that’s when it’s going to be found,” the chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee told reporters Friday. “If it goes past summer, it’s hard to see,” he added.
Beyond the August break, the politics of the 2016 elections would make it difficult for the two parties to strike a major deal in which both sides would have to make compromises.
Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who plays the leading role in setting policy for congressional Republicans, said he passed up a presidential run in 2016 because he sees an opportunity to achieve significant goals as Ways and Means chairman.
“I see a window of getting things done, and I don’t want to be clouded with that,” he said of a presidential campaign.
“I didn’t run for president because I think the best place for me is right here,” he said.
One of Ryan’s top priorities is comprehensive tax reform that would lower tax rates by broadening the tax base, by cutting credits, deductions and other preferences.
Ryan acknowledged that he and the White House face difficulty finding agreement on individual tax rates. President Obama raised the top rate to 39.6 percent in 2012 after a long and bruising showdown with Republicans and is not likely to budge on lowering it to the levels Republicans prefer…
The article continues at The Washington Examiner.
Update: IRS Flip-Flop: Illegals who didn’t pay taxes will still receive refunds
…On Wednesday, [Koskinen] said even illegal immigrants who didn’t pay taxes will be able to apply for back-credits once they get Social Security numbers.
The EITC is a refundable tax credit, which means those who don’t have any tax liability can still get money back from the government.
“Under the new program, if you get a Social Security number and you work, you’ll be eligible to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit,” Mr. Koskinen said.
He said that would apply even “if you did not file” taxes, as long as the illegal immigrant could demonstrate having worked off-the-books during those years…
