By Churchill

April 1, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this

This story is bogus, there has never been a tax that the Democrats do not embrace. Linder will skunk his opposition in November. As sure as the sun rises in the east and Clintons lie; Linder will win!!

By ghost of strom

April 1, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this

be careful what you say about boortz. you may cause him to have an asthma attack. that was his draft dodging exemption. i thought asthma was emotional.

By Hercules

April 1, 2008 5:53 PM | Link to this

Libs, 50 years from now they will build monuments to the foresight and greatness of GW. In 50 yrs. you libs will be sporting W bumper stickers all over your Prius’s.

By H. Chandler

April 1, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this

Heckman better check his sources. The support for the FairTax has significantly increased since 1999. The FairTax will be only slightly more than the current sales tax, plus we’ll be getting back our entire paycheck. That’s not regressive, Mr Heckman. Read up on the FairTax first before trying to knock it down.

By Tom

April 1, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this

Heckman demonstrates his lack of knowledge about the Fairtax by calling it “regressive”. Perhaps before attacking an opponent’s position on a given issue, he should first educate himself on said issue. The President’s recently convened panel on tax reform stated that the Fairtax was the ONLY tax reform plan that would completely UNtax the poor. What is additionally fascinating is how the Fairtax is described as regressive only when attached to a republican/conservative. Numerous articles describing the positions of radical left-wing former presidential candidate Mike Gravel called the Fairtax “highly progressive”. Very telling, that.

By Churchill

April 1, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this

Facts dot not matter to libs. Tax facts or otherwise.

There is a perfect example today, in DC. The libs are having some dog and pony show about gas prices and completely forget to mention the fact that the Federal Government, places a 50 cent tax on each gallon of gas. They forget to mention that when energy companies make money, so do American investors (for libs, investors mean those who have mutual funds and 401k’s and the like). They also fail to mention that liberals and Democrats block all domestic drilling and refining efforts. Screw ‘em. Liberals haven’t the slightest idea of how to approach energy or any other policy.

Viva McCain

By Hercules

April 1, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this

The fate of mankind is in the balance, fellas. Let’s get legit. LIbs., need us on that hill so they can sip their lattes, read Proust, and act like they care about humanity when in fact they only care about the superficial banality of their own existence and the crap they lay in.

By Craig

April 1, 2008 6:22 PM | Link to this

Finally a guy with some brains - how can I send this guy some money?

And thanks ghost, I always wondered how that brave warrior boortz managed to avoid Viet Nam.

Under the national sales tax, if you’re in the middle class, you will pay more. No matter how much of boortz’s Kool Aid you drink…

Good luck Mr. Heckman.

By Jason

April 1, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this

Really shocking that a politician is against something that will destroy 3/4s of the power he holds. Cant give out tax breaks and add pages to the irs code book with the fairtax.

By GAConservative007

April 1, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this

Heck, Heckman should drop, for heck’s sake.

By Churchill

April 1, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this

GAConservative007 you write like you was educated in a government school!

By GaVoter

April 1, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this

I would vote for Heckman if I could. Any politician with enough sense to recognize the “Fair” tax for what it is — junk — cannot be all bad. If Linder wants to do something worthwhile, he should try something like trying to eliminate the need for a government job — any government job, his government job even.

Here’s a novel approach — reduce spending. Some people think it has potential. How does it work? Well, it is a FAIRly simple concept but some people may have to follow along closely. I’ll type slowly. Here goes. Reduce spending and lower taxes follow. That’s called FAIR. Let me repeat the key point here. Reduce spending. Just to show how FAIR I can be, Linder can write a book using my concept and take full credit for it. I might even throw in some free consultation if he asks nicely.

By Churchilll

April 1, 2008 6:53 PM | Link to this

Heck, what am I talking about. I were educated in a government school.

By Aaron

April 1, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this

Heckman can “believe” what he wants but he is not entitled to his own facts. He not only needs to somehow disprove mountains of research that show the FairTax does not shift the tax burden (to honest taxpayers) and is more progressive than the current system it replaces but also needs to show how a common sense repeal of regressive payroll taxes and untaxing productivity is bad for the struggling economy.

By RJ

April 1, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this

Heckman…The numbers may be against you in terms of party affiliation but there are a lot of other things in your favor if you will exploit them. First, that’s a pretty sophistocated district and as such, it has the potential of being pursuaded with sound arguments and positions. Second, hold him accountable for what the Congress did and did not do for the nation and his district the seven years the Republicans were in control. Third, hold him accountable for his loyalty to GW Bush. Fourth,call attention to the fact that he will be even less effective under a Democratic controlled Congress. There are many more suggestions but in the interest of brevity we will stop here.

By RJ

April 1, 2008 7:27 PM | Link to this

All bluster aside, I realize that Heckman has a snowball’s chance in heck of wining the election.

By BobG

April 1, 2008 7:32 PM | Link to this

Just another intellectually-dishonest Democrat. So what.

By RJ

April 1, 2008 7:46 PM | Link to this

Heckman…The second RJ post is not authentic. Its the act of a misguided fool.

By RJ

April 1, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this

No it was not, I a too ashamed to admit that Democrats may win elsewhere, but not in GA.

By Craig

April 1, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this

I, too, must admit that Linder is going to win. As far as confessions are concerned, I must also confess that Hillary and Barack are going to wreck our chances in November. Fellow Democrats, it is time to contact Gov. Dean and push him to end this destructive primary process before we blow it.

By Heckman

April 1, 2008 8:13 PM | Link to this

RJ, you could have said it better. It was an inauthentic post? Yes? Listen, words are important. It is not your fault. You should vote for me, because, as you have demonstrated, we need more fundings for our schools.

By concernedinga

April 1, 2008 11:03 PM | Link to this

I second your post, Craig. It is time for us to end this endless primary. Hillary must get out. She will not win, she will lie all day. Snipers? She will harm our best chance in history to win the Whitehouse. I believe in hope, and our future. Hillary is the past. I wish every democratic voter will contact the DNC and force them to avoid deadlock. We must not let the neocons win again. Save the troops. Save the country. Vote Obama.

By Phil

April 2, 2008 4:43 AM | Link to this

Mr. Heckman must have been gassed during his tour of Iraq. His assertion that the FairTax has roughly the same amount of support as it did when Linder introduced it in 99 is demonstrably false. If he does not want to address the broad range of economic problems that our current tax system exacerbates with the FT, how does he want to address them? 1. The spiral of higher complexity and higher compliance costs, 2. the crisis in Medicare and SS, 3. the federal budget deficit, 4. the trade deficit and the loss of our manufacturing base, 5. The AMT

Oh, he wants to ignore those problems and demagogue the FT? I’m sure that political tactic will go over well with the voters of the 7th district.

By tom ga hunter

April 2, 2008 6:35 AM | Link to this

We have a SPENDING problem not a tax collection problem.

By Churchill

April 2, 2008 6:48 AM | Link to this

Boortz reminds me of Bush, all hat and no cattle. It seems the loudest repubs/patriots have never served they just get off on wearing tiny flags and putting their hand over their heart while judging everybody and everything. Just because you scream loud does not make you a credit to this great nation. Boortz you sir are a fraud and people who follow you are the same lemmings who elected GW based upon his proclamation of being born-again. Yikes, I weep for my country.

By Churchill

April 2, 2008 7:44 AM | Link to this

Boortz/Bush all hat no cattle. Like most of the neocons on this site they love war as long as they can skip out and pontificate. Republicans love sending the poor to fight their battles all the while screaming cut taxes. Yeah, we all want to pay less but shut your pie-holes you chicken hawks be glad you can sit your fat asses on the sofa while the people you love to demean fight the battles you love to start but would never have the guts to finish. Collectively, you repubs are a bunch of wimps.

By Damien

April 2, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this

The fact that he has stood by an issue he believes in for 15 years without wavering in the face of public unpopularity is just another star on a long list of creditials.

Heckman’s pandering to the uneducated masses (who are more interested in American Idol than in politics). These uneducated masses, would have trouble naming anything that Linder did in the last 15 years unless he ran an political commercial between reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

By Tom

April 2, 2008 8:30 AM | Link to this

To tom ga hunter:

We both a spending AND a collection problem. Most who support the Fairtax also agree we need to fix the spending issue, but no claims have ever been made that the Fairtax does that. It’s a separate issue altogether and does need to be addressed.

Tc Craig: you said “Under the national sales tax, if you’re in the middle class, you will pay more. No matter how much of boortz’s Kool Aid you drink…” Curious as to whether you’d care to explain how the Fairtax is so regressive and hurtful to the middle class only when attached to a conservative. When attached to a radical left-wing candidate like Mike Gravel, a staunch supporter of the plan, it’s called “highly progressive”. My explanation is simple uneducated demogoguery.

By Ted

April 2, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

Churchill, a typical Lib, all Ad hoimin attack and no solution. All name calling and nothing positive to say. A very bitter person for a reason that he doesn’t even understand. I suppose if we allow the terrorists to come fight the battle here that he would be happy. I wonder if he would be happy if we also taxed him 75% to cover government programs. Now he won’t admit it but he’d be the same as he is now bitter and full of vitriolic rhetoric with no solutions. Maybe W got elected because he actually stood for something, whether you agree with what that was or not is another matter, the fact remains, He won because the other contenders could not annunciate a platform just like today’s lib candidates. No content just discontent. I would love to listen to you if you would come up with something tangible and logical that didn’t include Ad hominim verbiage.

By Grover

April 2, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this

Garbage in Garbage out

By Duane

April 2, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this

In the interview Mr Heckman referred to himself as a “conservative democrat”. An oxymoron if every I’ve heard one. Mr. Heckman refers to The FairTax as regressive and supports the current system. Perhaps he can explain why he supports the payroll tax, the most regressive tax ever because the tax is only paid on earnings up to a limit. The rich pay it on the first few paychecks and then it goes away while the poor pay it on their entire earnings.

By Copyleft

April 2, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Did you read the article, Duane?

“Mr. Heckman refers to The FairTax as regressive (RIGHT) and supports the current system (WRONG).”

Heckman emphatically does NOT support the current system; he said so, quite plainly. Read it again.

By Matilda Sletchenhorse

April 2, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this

WHaaaa! Taxes. Mean ole government. Blah Blea Blah. Do you neocons realize one day your blabbering souls will be dead and gone leaving the trash of hatred behind that consumes you for generations to come. What a beautiful gift for your future blood. I command thee to go hug a tree today.

By John

April 2, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

I’ve been to many John Linder speeches and I have followed him for years. He is about reducing the size of goverment and getting the goverment out of peoples lives. These ideas confuse and confound liberals who naturally believe anything that reduces the size and scope of goverment is counter-productive.

By Rich G

April 2, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Yes spending is out of control as many have agreed on this post. My question is “why penalize us all by not enacting the FairTax because the politicians can not stop spending?” Let’s get the FT passed and then continue to work on decreasing spending, something that will go on seemingly forever. Why penalize us all because Congress cannot control it’s spending? Pass the FT now!Linder stands for us all, not for spending. Heckman, you will lose, just like all who have tried to beat Linder by going against the FairTax. Nice strategery!

By Scooter

April 2, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this

Heck, if democrats can preach about lowering oil consumption and promoting alternative fuels, then argue that gas prices should be kept artificially low and their followers don’t see that as counter productive… well I guess you can tell them anything.

Kind of like they believe Bill Clinton had some sort of mercury regulation that Bush diluted. It would be laughable if the ignorance wasn’t so pervasive under the “big tent”.

By Art Mathews

April 2, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this

For all of you who love to blunder about (move clumsily)with all the noise about the State of affairs in this Country, why not do something about it or SHUT UP. For those of you who claim that ALL Repub’s are whimps and dodged the Military, try to remember Sweet Willy. He ran off to Russia and bad mouthed America at the same time. By the way, how many of you served in the Military, willingly or otherwise?

As to Hillary’s dodging bullets and being fired upon by snipers, ya right! When an Ammmo Dump, 2 miles away, is blown up in the middle of the night and the sky lights up like daytime, you remember it. The rest of the night you spend in a bunker or trench waiting to be attacked. Or the night you are walking guard duty, in a down pour that has lasted for 2 months during the monsoon season, and the ground opens up under you. The VC were digging a tunnel into our compound from the rubber plantation nearby. You remember, you don’t get facts mixed up because you are tired and have spoken or written about this so many times. Give me a break.

As for the “FairTax”, if you CAN READ, Mr. Heckman, as the drones who follow you obviously can not; you need to know the facts before you open you mouth and insert you feet. As someone once stated, ” It is better to remain silent and be thought to be stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt”.

From a VET who doesn’t haide behind a handle.

By MarcB

April 2, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this

It’s a funny thing how someone in Ga can think they can beat Linder in an election by knocking the Fair Tax when right next door here in S.C. the candidates are jumping all over endorsing it to win their elections. All the people running against Grahamn here have all strongly supported the Fair Tax, and what we see here is Grahamn going by the wayside this year. We also have congressmen waiting in line to co-sponsor the fair tax to keep their jobs. Win by telling the people they will never have control of their own country? Dream on Heckman.

By linder

April 2, 2008 8:47 PM | Link to this

At least Heckman served honorably in the military. Linder used his student deferment as long as he could,went to dental school, and then avoided Vietnam (AF Dentist). Another chickenhawk. Bush, Cheney, Linder - all deferments - any pattern forming???

By Herb Whitson

April 2, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this

Your running as a democrate for Congress……….figures…….your just as “clueless” as the current incumbent.

No problem………with this stupid rhetoric……..you lose!

By jason

April 2, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this

The Faittax has 70 cosponsors - it had 60 in 1999 - real progress…..and you need 228 votes in the house to pass anything - it is DEAD, but profitable…….for a few…… McCain hates it, too !!!!!

By Herb Whitson

April 2, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this

I used to be a member of the Communist Party - they have better candidates !!!!!

By Ashford Schwall

April 2, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this

I wonder if Heckman has done the research on H.R. 25, or even read the economist’s research? sounds like just another un-informed character to me. Ashford Schwall

By Josie Jackson

April 2, 2008 10:11 PM | Link to this

check out his website - he looks like he has a pretty good background - certainly more of a business/economics background than linder - I think he might be the best candidate - even if you disagree with me, check it out

By Ashford Schwall

April 3, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

Go beyond Boortz and Linder, see FairTax research from: David G. Tuerck, Ph.D. Jonathan Haughton, Ph.D. Paul Bachman, MSIE Alfonso Sanchez-Penalver, MSF Phuong Viet Ngo, MSIE Paul Bachman Director of Research, Beacon Hill Institute, Suffolk University Jonathan Haughton Associate Professor of Economics Senior Economist, Beacon Hill Institute Suffolk University Laurence J. Kotlikoff Professor of Economics, Boston University Research Associate, National Bureau of Economic Research Alfonso Sanchez-Penalver Economist, Beacon Hill Institute, Suffolk University Gilbert E. Metcalf is an associate professor of economics at Tufts.

Further there is a letter to congress urging the FairTax and signed by over 70 economists. http://www.fairtax.org/PDF/AnOpenLettertothePresident051606.pdf

By Herb Whitson

April 4, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

And I can get you 700 economists and tax experts that will tell you the Fairtax is bunk. There will always be “expert witnesses” willing to take a side.

By Winford Nettles

April 4, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this

The author states that “Heckman describes himself as a “moderate to conservative” Democrat. And he concedes that he’s running in Republican territory. “Yeah, the numbers are against me,” he said.”

Indeed, the numbers are against anyone with such a socialist slant to their understanding, or, lack thereof, of our capitalist economic system.

If you want less of something, then, tax it. The more it is taxed, the less of it you will get. But, don’t take this middle income worker’s word for it, just tax me at 90% of my income and see just how fast I can do nothing at all. It will utterly amaze you.

The FairTax Act, as it is currently written, is the most fair, transparent, and progressive revenue collection method ever devised in the history of our nation. Is it perfect? No. Is is our best bet to remain fiscally solvent and prosperous as a nation of free individuals? You bet it is!

Literally thousands of financial and tax experts have carefully and thoroughly researched the FairTax and their collective, professional opinion vastly outweighs the uninformed rantings of one Doug Heckman, Democratic candidate for Congress.

Someone should kindly inform Mr. Heckman that his lack of basic understanding of the FairTax is causing him to embarrass himself.

If Mr. Heckman is truly a Democrat, then he should recognize and applaud the progressivity that is built into the FairTax and help to promote it. It would be the single most effective thing that he could do for his potential constituents, bar none.

I hope that someone will get him on board, as the FairTax movement is a nonpartisan, American movement that we all shold be a part of.

By Jack

April 7, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this

Winford

It appears that you drank too much Linder kool-aid. Good luck with that. The FairTax is DEAD !!!

By JLindeen

April 10, 2008 4:32 AM | Link to this

Mr Heckman and Craig need to educate themselves about the Fair Tax before showing how ignorant they are of the facts. I am embarrassed for them. The facts are that the Fair Tax completely untaxes the poor, makes the underground economy a participant in the support of society, will create jobs, and bring trillions of dollars and lost jobs back to this economy. Anyone with half a brain can figure this one out!! JL

By FAIRTAX Supporter

April 10, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this

FAIRTAX will be the greatest return of POWER to the PEOPLE since the Revolution, but ONLY if the Federal Income Tax is abolished, ditto state income taxes. Workers will embrace KEEPING 100% of their paychecks!!!

www.SmallGovernmentNews.com

www.Fairtax.org

www.Fairtaxgroups.com

By Fred

April 10, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this

Yes, the opponents really need to learn more about it. The UnfairTax is based on simple math: 2 + 2 = 50.

What’s so hard about that?

By Mike

May 1, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

you neocon morons. I have known Heckman’s son for many years. My daughter has been in his son’s classes for 12 years. Danny is quite conservative.

By The Professor

May 19, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this

There is no such thing as a fair tax!! They are all unfair!! Anyone who tells you that they’ve invented a fair tax is either a self-serving hypocrite or just plain stupid.

By Leigh E. Wise

May 22, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

We support the “FairTax” movement and simply, other genuine reform initiatives, to restore the U.S. Government to “We the People.”

TRUEMAN FOR CONGRESS! www.truemanforcongress.us

Thank you.

Leigh E. Wise Manager USAF (Ret.)

By Togut Togut

July 13, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Rep. Linder’s Fair Tax is a distraction to vbters of the 6th Congressional District. While we are facing record oil and gasoline prices, increasing food and health care costs, foreclosures, inflation and 80% of the country thinks we are heading in the wrong direction, Rep. Linder keeps saying his mantra Fair Tax until we are all lulled to sleep. It is time for everyone in this district to wake uo and smell the coffee. Rep. Linder does not care what you think or whether if you are unemployed you need unemployment benefits; if you have an illness, disease, or accident and need health insurance; and if you are facing foreclosure and need protection for losing your home. All Rep. Linder cares about is his Fair Tax. The voters of the 6th Congressional District can vote this November for a Democratic candidate and send Rep. Linder home packing.

By Wil Petty

July 15, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this

Togut, we’re 7th District.

Anyway, the fair tax is flawed and will not work. a 30% tax on everything you buy doesn’t take into the effect that the states will raise their taxes as well. Not to mention that in reality with our economy going down the drain in Iraq that the tax will probably increase because it’s “Progressive”. It’s progressive in the sense that it will progress higher or lower according to what we all buy. Almost everything gets taxed by it, even houses and cars. We’re so upset about gas prices yet we want a 30% tax on our gas as it will be applyed there as well. Unless you make under $10k a year or over $200k a year, the fairtax in the end will cost you (The Middle Class) more money. Try almost a 3% increase if you are in the $100k range. Last but not least, the fairtax will be “hidden” so we do not really know how much we are giving to the government, state, and in some places the county. The Fairtax is nothing more but a reverse effect of Robin Hood “steal from the poor, give to the rich.”