Ted Cruz’s claim that the IRS tax code has more words than the Bible

Washington Post ^ | March 11 at 3:00 AM | Michelle Ye Hee Lee

[SoConPubbie]

“On tax reform, we, right now, have more words in the IRS code than there are in the Bible — not a one of them as good.”

–Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), speech at International Association of Fire Fighters legislative conference, March 10, 2015

Comparing the number of words in the U.S. tax code with the number in the Bible is a common theme among conservatives who fault the tax code for being overly burdensome. In fact, the claim has been made in some variation for at least 10 years. We tracked down a similar comparison by Republican Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in 2005. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said the same at a press conference in 2013. There are countless other examples.

Cruz is correct on the comparison of words in both texts. But regular readers of The Fact Checker know we frown on such counting exercises, like the number of pages in “Romneycare” health-care law in Massachusetts or the number of pages in President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. Such comparisons — in this case, the word count of the evolving tax code of the most industrious country in the world to words in a religious document that was written thousands of years ago — don’t really tell you much of anything.

We will not issue a Pinocchio rating or award a Geppetto Checkmark. But it is worth exploring this word-count comparison and how the tax code’s complexities affect taxpayers.

The Facts

The literally translated King James Version of the Bible contains just over 800,000 words. There are as many as 3.7 million individual words in the IRS tax code. (Another count places it as low as 2.6 million words without substantive words such as “is” and “and.”)

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

CRUZ or LOSE!

CRUZ or LOSE!

[TADSLOS]

Courtesy Ping.

[MrB]

The tax code’s complexity is intentional.
It is that way in order to allow elected officials the ability to reward friends and punish opponents.

[circlecity]

They acknowledge the truth of the statement but then go on a political rant about why they don’t like people using the comparison. This pretty much destroys any claim to objectivity they may make.

[TADSLOS]

They acknowledge the truth of the statement but then go on a political rant about why they don’t like people using the comparison. This pretty much destroys any claim to objectivity they may make.

Well, it's the Washington Post, so....

[Evil Slayer]

A good comparison between good and evil.

[ealgeone]

This is what they fact check????

[jstaff]

I’m a little confused here, after reading the byline. I always thought it was spelled “Yee Haw”. That’s the way we say it around here anyhow.

[csmusaret]

Obama has received so many Pinocchios Valerie Jarret’s secret service code name is Geppetto.

[ilgipper]

Amazing what gets severe scrutiny out of a Republican’s mouth vs the complete lack of scrutiny of the words of any leading Democrats. Utterly pathetic.

Then, I see people I respect on the libertarian front who scoff at the idea that there is any liberal bias in the media. At the end of the day, most libertarians play for the other side in their imbalance of standards between the left and right. They should side with the right and advance the liberty issues where there is agreement, but IMO their feelings on religion drive them to side with their worst enemies...the totalitarian big-government left.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Cruz is correct on the comparison of words in both texts. But regular readers of The Fact Checker know we frown on such counting exercises . . . "

In other words, what Cruz said was true - not even close to an exaggeration - but we're going to suggest that he's a liar anyway.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Sadly over 30 years ago this subject of the tax code was being lamented. Then GW Bush was going to reform the tax code and on and on. Its never going to happen or it already would have.

[Steve_Seattle]

"This is what they fact check????"

Amazing, isn't it? They write an entire article fact-checking an offhand statement that they admit is true. Well, it's Ted Cruz, so they MUST go after him and smear him no matter what.

This sort of thing presents me with a moral problem - I begin wishing that the 9/11 planes had crashed into the Washington Post and New York Times, and that's not a very Christian thing to wish.

[Erik Latranyi]

The desperation on the part of the Washington Post is massive....and it shows.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Such comparisons — in this case, the word count of the evolving tax code of the most industrious country in the world to words in a religious document that was written thousands of years ago — don’t really tell you much of anything. We will not issue a Pinocchio rating or award a Geppetto Checkmark. But it is worth exploring this word-count comparison and how the tax code’s complexities affect taxpayers.

The Facts The literally translated King James Version of the Bible contains just over 800,000 words. There are as many as 3.7 million individual words in the IRS tax code. (Another count places it as low as 2.6 million words without substantive words such as “is” and “and.”)

Comments (in no particular order):

1. For the tax code, they provide an alternate reduced word count by omitting "and" and "the." They don't do that with the Bible. Why not?

2. "We will not issue a Pinocchio rating . . . " - How broad-minded of them, since they admit that Cruz's statement was true.

3. Yes, modern society is more complex than the society of Bible times, but that does not mean that the tax code must therefore contain 3.7 million words. A tax code that wasn't packed with lobbyist-induced loopholes and exceptions and add-ons and social engineering could very well require only a few thousand words.

[null and void]

The tax code’s complexity is intentional.
It is that way in order to allow elected officials the ability to reward friends and punish opponents.

There is no stronger argument for a flat tax.

[null and void]

Ah! Nice! I’m stealing that for a tagline...

[dead]

Is this the same “fact checker” that fact-checked a mildly anti-Obama SNL skit and found it “factually lacking”?

[nascarnation]

And it’s a “jobs program” for attorneys and accountants.