Orrin Hatch: “Today the tax man cometh. Americans have April 17 circled on their calendars, and not with a smiley face. This year…”

“Today the tax man cometh. Americans have April 17 circled on their calendars, and not with a smiley face. This year, roughly 135 million Americans sat down to complete their tax returns. Many have made the unfortunate discovery that they owe additional money to the IRS. Others are shocked to learn that they owe something called the alternative minimum tax. I would like to emphasize one point today, a point that many of my constituents have learned the hard way: their tax burden is already too high. For middle-class Americans, tax day has become an aggravation at best, and an outrage at worst. Many Utahns, as well as distraught taxpayers throughout the Nation, know the look of tax overload. They see it when they look in the mirror, and they see it when they look at their spouse. There is the kitchen table. A late night. Some scattered papers and receipts. An elbow on the table. And a hand on the forehead in disbelief. This is the look of overtaxed Americans. It is the look of misery and confusion. It does not need to be this way. There are economic burdens as well, and that burden is only going to grow if the Democrats get their way. Many of us pay too much in taxes already. But the policies of the congressional majority are a blueprint for even higher taxes. Neither our citizens nor our economy can bear much more. Middle-class Americans are overtaxed. According to the Tax Foundation, this year Americans will work 120 days to pay their total tax burden.”