HOW TAX CUTS FUELED T H E REAGAN REVOLUTION : A Q&A with Jack Kemp February/March 2008 Volume 42, No. 1 FIRED UP! READY TO GO! With voters calling for change, MA R K SANFO R D and PAUL RYAN fan the flames for one of the biggest changes of all — TAX REFO rm Plus – A capital idea: a budget that plans for the future And – The boldness of Theodore Roosevelt and the politics of today www.riponsociety.org $4.95 U.S./$5.95 Canada They need more support if we want a safer food supply. Recent events have exposed weaknesses in our nation’s food Even though the FDA regulates 80 percent of America’s safety system and shaken consumer confi dence in the safety food, it receives about one-third of the nation’s food safety of the food supply. In fact, a Food and Drug Administration budget. That is unsustainable and unacceptable. (FDA) advisory panel concluded that the FDA “suffers from We believe Congress and the Administration need to serious scientifi c defi ciencies” and is not positioned to meet double the FDA budget so that it can hire more highly-qualifi ed current or emerging food safety challenges that fall under the staff and inspectors, invest in advanced technologies, build agency’s area of responsibilities. new lab facilities and expand its scientifi c programs. And we These results should come as no surprise. The FDA has urge Congress and the Administration to work with the food been ignored for far too long. Over the last 15 years, the industry and consumer groups to implement new prevention agency’s budget has barely kept pace with infl ation, and it is measures that will strengthen America’s food safety system losing key staff at an alarming rate. The FDA has 800 fewer and protect consumers. food experts than it had just four years ago – fewer inspectors, fewer scientists and fewer critical food safety staff. KEEP AMERICA’S FOOD SAFE Support increased FDA funding Learn more at www.gmaonline.org and www.cspinet.org “Ideas that matter, since 1965.“ Volume 42, No. 1, February/March 2008 Politics & Perspective Cover Story (cont’d.) 4 Present at the Creation: How Tax Cuts 18 Why Tax Cuts Still Matter Fueled the Reagan Revolution By William Beach A Q&A with Jack Kemp With the economy slowing, now is not the The former Congressman, Cabinet Secretary, time to be raising taxes. Yet with the Bush and candidate for Vice President discusses his tax cuts set to expire, that is exactly what role in making tax cuts the centerpiece of the some are proposing. Reagan economic platform in 1980, and the state of U.S. tax policy today. Articles Cover Story 20 Incentive and Inventive: Smart Tax Policy Needed to Promote U.S. Manufacturing 8 Fanning the Flames of Change By John Engler By Mark Sanford South Carolina’s Governor outlines his 22 A Sacred Trust: Health Care Begins plan for changing the tax system in his with Keeping the Doctor-Patient state and explains why he believes real Relationship Strong reform begins with giving people a choice. By Tom Price 10 In the Hands of the People 25 The Handwriting is on the Wall: The By Paul Ryan Increasing Importance of E-prescribing With Washington failing to act on reforming in Health Care the tax code, a plan is put forth that will put By Jon Porter the power for real change with the American taxpayer. 27 A Capital Idea: A Budget that Plans for the Future 12 Reforming the Tax Code: A Step-by-Step By Andrew A. Samwick Guide to Getting it Done By Scott Hodge 29 The Boldness of Theodore Roosevelt It’s easy to talk about scrapping the and the Politics of Today current tax system. But how do you go By William N. Tilchin about doing it? One of America’s leading experts on the issue tells how. Sections 15 Beyond Simplification 3 A Note from By Ernest S. Christian & Gary A. Robbins the Chairman Emeritus Reducing paperwork is an important goal of tax reform. But minimizing the government’s 32 Ripon Profile impact on the economy is key. Shelley Moore Capito Publisher Editor The Ripon Society Louis M. Zickar One Year Subscription: Comments, opinion editorials and letters should be addressed to: The Ripon Forum, $35.00 individuals President Editorial Assistants 1300 L Street, NW, Suite 900, Washington, $10.00 students DC 20005 or may be transmitted Richard S. Kessler Meredith Freed electronically to: [email protected]. Alli Brennan The Ripon Forum (ISSN 0035-5526) is Chief Administrative Officer published bi-monthly by The Ripon Society. The Ripon Society is located at 1300 L Street, George McNeill In publishing this magazine, the Ripon Society NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005. seeks to provide a forum for fresh ideas, Editorial Board © Copyright 2008 Postmaster, send address changes to: well-researched proposals, and for a spirit William Frenzel By The Ripon Society The Ripon Forum, 1300 L Street, NW, Suite of criticism, innovation, and independent William Meub All Rights Reserved 900, Washington, DC 20005. thinking within the Republican Party. Billy Pitts RIPON FORUM February/March 2008 Securitas USA Event Services With clients such as entertainment award shows, major sporting events and political conventions, Securitas USA is recognized for its security services at high-profile events. Securitas USA’s Event Services is uniquely able to quickly and efficiently accommodate the staffing needs of your facility and customers. Employees are trained specifically to deal with issues in high-visibility settings such as concert venues, trade shows, corporate outings or any event where there is high degree of interaction with the public. Services can include access control for perimeter and auditorium, crowd and parking control, executive protection, and explosives sweeps with canine patrol. Protecting the Future of America Since 1850 www.securitasinc.com 800-232-7465 THE RIPON SOCIETY HONORARY CONGRESSIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Senator Chuck Hagel (NE) Senate Chairman Senator Richard Burr (NC) A Note from Senator Norm Coleman (MN) Senator Susan M. Collins (ME) the Chairman Emeritus Senator Judd Gregg (NH) “Fired up! Ready to go!” Senator Orrin G. Hatch (UT) For some Americans, those five words, a familiar refrain at Senator Pat Roberts (KS) Barack Obama rallies, have become synonymous with change this Senator Gordon Smith (OR) election season. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (ME) Other Americans want more meat on their rhetorical bone. Senator Arlen Specter (PA) They’re looking for people who are not just talking about change. Senator Ted Stevens (AK) They want people who are actually working to get it done. Representative Judy Biggert (IL) THE RIPON FO R UM spotlights two individuals who are doing Representative Roy Blunt (MO) just that. One is the Governor from South Carolina; the other the Representative Ken Calvert (CA) Congressman from Wisconsin’s 1st District. What Mark Sanford and Representative Dave Camp (MI) Paul Ryan have in common is a belief that the tax system is broken, Representative Eric I. Cantor (VA) and that the tax laws as written are weighing down families and Representative Michael Castle (DE) businesses struggling to stay afloat. Representative Howard Coble (NC) Both are pushing plans that would dramatically change the status Representative Ander Crenshaw (FL) quo. We focus on their plans in this edition. We also look at the Representative Thomas M. Davis III (VA) broader issue of tax reform with some of the best known authorities Representative Vernon Ehlers (MI) on the subject. Scott Hodge offers advice on how to avoid some of Representative Jo Ann H. Emerson (MO) the landmines that stand in the way of reforming the tax code, while Representative Philip S. English (PA) Ernie Christian and Gary Robbins discuss why the goal of any reform Representative Mike Ferguson (NJ) effort should be to minimize the impact of government itself. And Bill Representative Vito Fossella (NY) Beach provides us with a reminder as to why keeping taxes low still matters. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ) We kick things off, though, with an individual who perhaps did Representative Kay Granger (TX) more to change the tax debate in the United States than anyone else. Representative Robin Hayes (NC) More than 25 years ago, Jack Kemp convinced Ronald Reagan to Representative David Hobson (OH) make tax cuts the centerpiece of his economic platform for President. Representative Ray H. LaHood (IL) In the process, he also convinced a generation of Americans that Representative Steven LaTourette (OH) reducing taxes was good policy and good politics. We talk to Representative Jerry Lewis (CA) Secretary Kemp about the revolution he helped create and how its Representative Jim McCrery (LA) impact is still being felt today. Representative Thomas E. Petri (WI) This edition of the FO R UM also features articles on health care and Representative Deborah Pryce (OH) the budget, and a splendid essay on one of the statesmen of our Nation Representative Adam Putnam (FL) and the Republican Party – Theodore Roosevelt. Representative Jim Ramstad (MN) We hope you enjoy this edition and encourage you to write us at Representative Ralph Regula (OH) [email protected] with any comments or questions you may Representative Christopher Shays (CT) have. Representative Fred Upton (MI) Representative James T. Walsh (NY) Bill Frenzel Representative Edward Whitfield (KY) Chairman Emeritus Ripon Society The Ripon Society is a research and policy organization located in Washington, D.C. There are National Associate members throughout the United States. RIPON FORUM February/March 2008 3 Politics & Perspective Present at the Creation: How Taxes Fueled the Reagan Revolution A Q&A with Jack Kemp Jack Kemp has spent most of his adult life in friend of mine.