Michael Bennet: “Here is this year's form. It is a different color than the one we had last year. This is the form a student has to fill…”

“Here is this year's form. It is a different color than the one we had last year. This is the form a student has to fill out-- 108 questions. This is the instruction manual that goes with the form, which is something in the neighborhood of 66 pages long. It is very tiny print. To be honest, the ridiculousness of this form would be funny if it were not for the lost time, money, and energy our country spends on it. Here are some of the examples of the questions families have to put up with on this form. Several times there are questions about income. We have been told by the witnesses we had that we only need two questions. There are a number of questions about income, investments, and assets. Each requires notes and instructions which are contained in here. Question 36: What was your and your spouse's adjusted gross income for 2014? Question 37: Enter your and your spouse's income tax for 2014. Question 39: How much did you earn from working in 2014? Question 40: How much did your spouse earn from working in 2014? It is ridiculous. The questions become even more complicated. Question 42: As of today, what is the net worth of your and your spouse's investments, including real estate but don't including the home you live in? That is the kind of reaction we get all over the country when we talk about this at home. The instruction form here says, for question No. 43, the net worth of businesses and/or investments.…”