Bob Kerrey: “Mr. President, I believe this piece of legislation goes to the heart of our capacity to maintain government of, by and…”

“Mr. President, I believe this piece of legislation goes to the heart of our capacity to maintain government of, by and for the people. Our republican form of government is at risk if people feel they are not getting a fair shake with this voluntary system of collection. Congressman Portman and I cochaired this restructuring commission. We noted U.S. tax collection is the most efficient in the world. Less than half of a percent of the total revenues collected is in cost. In the face of mounting criticism, problems, it seems to me it is very important to make certain that as we write the laws that will determine how this money is collected, that we not throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. We have problems, and this legislation attempts to correct the problems. But underneath these problems is a relatively efficient system of collecting taxes that enables the citizens to fund their Government, and in a relatively efficient fashion.”