The current federal income tax code is a 9 million word mess, and it cannot be reformed or restructured. It creates disadvantages for families wondering how to pay for their children's education, for small businesses struggling to pay the bills and meet payroll, for multinational businesses trying to compete in the global marketplace against lower priced goods from foreign countries, and for any U.S. citizen working hard everyday to achieve their American Dream.

No amount of tinkering with a portion of the tax code is going to fix it. It is too complicated. It is too unfair and inefficient. It discourages people from working harder to achieve upward economic mobility, which destroys hope and opportunity. The federal income tax code must be replaced, and it must be replaced with a national retail sales tax, also known as the "FairTax."

Several commissions over the last 20 years, including the one I served on in 1995 (The National Commission on Economic Growth and Tax Reform), have all concluded that a replacement tax system should satisfy six principles.

• First, it should promote economic growth by reducing marginal tax rates and eliminating the tax bias against savings and investments.
• Second, it should promote fairness by having one tax rate and eliminating all loopholes, preferences and special deductions, credits and exclusions.
• Third, it should be simple and understandable. Simplicity would dramatically reduce compliance costs and allow people to truly comprehend their actual tax burden.
• Fourth, it should be neutral rather than allowing misguided officials to manipulate and micromanage our economy by favoring some at the expense of others.
• Fifth, it should be visible so it clearly conveys the true cost of government and so people would not be subjected to hidden changes in the tax law.
• Sixth, it should be stable rather than changing every year or two so people can better plan their businesses and their lives.

The FairTax satisfies all six criteria.

To enact the FairTax and unleash the full economic potential of the U.S., we must apply Vocal and Persistent pressure on Congress each week.

Email, call or fax your members of Congress today. Send them this simple message: "Please support replacing the federal income tax code and become a co-sponsor of HR 25 or S 1025, the FairTax."