Posted on 01/06/2005 1:35:03 PM PST by rwrcpa1
LINDER SHUT OUT OF COVETED POSITION
By BOB KEMPER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 01/05/05 WASHINGTON — Georgia Rep. John Linder, who for years has prepared for the moment he would take control of the powerful House Rules Committee, has been passed over for the job, congressional officials said Tuesday.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) granted a waiver to Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) late Monday that allows Dreier to serve a fourth two-year term as rules chairman, despite party term limits that would have forced Dreier to step down this year.
Linder, a Duluth Republican and the panel's vice chairman, had been in line to replace Dreier.
It's not clear how long Dreier will remain in the chairmanship or if Linder still may have a chance to take over the panel. The Rules Committee chairman holds the job at the discretion of the House speaker.
Linder has long coveted the chairmanship of the committee, which sets the guidelines for how legislation is to be considered by the House. He decided against a run for the U.S. Senate two years ago in anticipation of the chairmanship.
Neither Linder nor his spokesmen could be reached Tuesday for comment.
Hastert spokesman John Feehery said the speaker's choice reflected his satisfaction with the job Dreier has done and not dissatisfaction with Linder. He said Hastert wants Linder to focus on his years-long effort to replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax.
Linder on Tuesday reintroduced legislation to create the national sales tax. President Bush has announced he will make tax reform one of his major second-term goals.
Does this sound like the Fair Tax has no chance?
PING
Not sure at all I want a national sales tax.
Well, my friend, that's because you don't know any of the details. Read this, http://www.fairtaxvolunteer.org/smart/sketch.html and then come back and tell me what you think.
Linder is the perfect choice to lead the fight for the FairTax! He's the one who has tirelessly brought it up, year after year.
I'm sorry he had his hopes on a leadership position, but hey, he's there for the greater good, right?
I'll bet if Hastert explained it to him that way he was very excited to pass it up.
Ain't gonna happen in our lifetime. The Repubs are not crazy
about it either as a group but politics make them debate it.
Sounds like moves like this could split the House Repubs for the speaker.
Oh, really, it won't happen in our lifetime? Did you think the Soviet Union would fall in your lifetime? Did you think that we would hold the Presidency, the House AND the Senate all at one time in your lifetime? Don't be so pessimistic. It won't happen if good people don't make it happen. Like Bush says "It's hard work", but it can be done!!
Another thread on this article is here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1315522/posts
Have you ever heard him say nuclear weapons? Me, neither. It's nucular. LOL
Seriously, I haven't heard him say sales tax, flat tax or anything else. That doesn't mean he is against it. Does he have anything to lose by going with the NRST? No. No reelection, no VP to get elected. Already got house and senate.
Before they do a national sales tax or flat tax to replace the income tax, they need to do a constitutional amendment repealing the 16th.
The fair tax act repeals all of the code sections dealing with the income, estate, corporate income and payroll taxes. You can't repeal the 16th amendment without something to replace it. The Fair Tax act specifically defunds the IRS in 2-3 years and actually orders the destruction of all tax returns in its possession. There is a companion bill which does call for a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th, but the fair tax needs to be passed first.
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