Republicans Break Their Promise To Simplify The Tax Code

Trump and Republicans promised to simplify the tax code so much that Americans could file their taxes on a form the size of a postcard. Instead, their tax law included new loopholes for the wealthy, and now that they’ve unveiled their new form, it’s clear their postcard promise was also a lie.

 

THEN: The Trump administration and Republicans promised a postcard size tax form that would “simplify things.”

 

Paul Ryan: “We will consolidate the existing seven brackets into three, double the standard deduction, and simplify things to the point that you can do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard.”

 

Steven Mnuchin: “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said during an event for The Hill on Wednesday that the goal of President Donald Trump's tax plan was to allow Americans to ‘do their taxes on a large postcard.’”

 

Donald Trump: “This will be the last time — April — be the last time that you’re going to go that old-fashioned, big, lots of pages, complicated tax form.  Because next April you’re going to, in many cases, one page, one card.”

 

NOW: Republicans’ new “postcard” tax form is more complicated than ever, omits many popular deductions, and actually requires six extra forms.

 

New York Times: “The New Tax Form Is Postcard-Size, but More Complicated Than Ever”

 

New York Times: “Smaller is not necessarily simpler. The new form omits a variety of popular deductions, including those for student loan interest and teaching supplies, forcing taxpayers to search for them — and tally them up — on one of six accompanying worksheets.”