Max Baucus: “The philosopher Bertrand Russell said, ``The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating a problem in a way that will…”

“The philosopher Bertrand Russell said, ``The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating a problem in a way that will allow a solution.'' I come to the floor today with my good friend Senator Orrin Hatch to state our concerns about a national problem that is holding back our economy. We are here to call on our colleagues to provide ideas that will allow a solution. First, the problem. America's Tax Code is complex, it is inefficient, and it is acting as a brake on our economy. Senator Hatch and I believe it is in need of a serious overhaul. It has been close to three decades since the last major revision to the Tax Code. In that time Congress has made about 15,000 changes to the Tax Code. The Code now contains nearly 4 million words. Here it is, right here. The Tax Code. This is America's Tax Code, all 24 pounds of it. Paperback. Think how heavy it would be for hard cover. It would take more than 18 days nonstop to read the Tax Code. In fact, it takes the average taxpayer 13 hours to gather and compile the receipts and forms to comply with the code. It costs Americans $160 billion a year to comply with the code, let alone the taxes Americans pay. This complexity in the code is eroding confidence in our economy and creating uncertainty for America's families and businesses. Clearly, the Tax Code is broken. That is the problem. It is a serious one. The solution calls for a more simple, more fair Tax Code, one that will allow the economy to grow and to create jobs.…”