Why didn’t Republicans simply the tax code like they said they would?

Back in the early 1980s Pres. Reagan pushed through a tax reform bill that was supposed to simplify the tax code. But it got out of hand and ended up increasing the size of the tax code by 50%.

Not long after that the Philadelphia Inquirer did a massive study of the tax code. They actually had people read the whole thing, then try to research where certain provisions came from. What they found was that Congress had always used to the complexity of the tax code to hide a lot of special favors they did for certain industries, certain corporations, even certain individuals. Congress has always given tax breaks in return for campaign sponsorship. Plus EVERY upgrade to the tax code has the effect of concentrating wealth--shifting the burden of taxation off the rich and corporations and onto the Middle Class.

The Inquirer published a series of articles, which was then pulled together into a book titled 'America: Who Pays The Taxes'. It was a huge subject of discussion in the mid 80s.

In the late 80s to the mid 90s, many candidates for president had a 'flat tax' plan where everyone would pay exactly the same percentage, no deductions, and you could file your taxes on a postcard. Everyone wanted this, both parties, but the plans never came with any actual details. It was like a candidate promising, if elected, that he'd cure cancer. Finally everyone just got tired of the idea and stopped talking about it.

Bottom line: Republicans CAN'T simplify the tax code because they still have to work more and more 'deals' into it to reward their sponsors! You know the old saying--politicians get money from the rich and votes from the poor by promising to protect each from the other.

Only a total moron of a DNC drone would say they did not do this.

Yes but politicians aren't capable of anything that intelligent. You have to treat them like 3rd graders, so I'd say the tax cut is pretty good.

Because...

They wanted to cut taxes for some formost...and try to pay for it, by increasing taxes on

others.

In the end they found that to be pretty complicated.

Cutting brackets in half is not simplifying. The rest is not politically palatable.

They did some but not enough. Establishment Republicans are working against Trump as hard as Democrats are. Take Graham for instance.

Wouldn’t cutting all federal tax brackets in half and eliminating the deductions and loopholes have done a better job?

--- No.

(Can't read the rest of your details.)

Too many special interests with their fingers in the bill writing. Everybody has a favorite provision in the tax code, and he will fight to the death to keep that one provision. Everyone else is the same way, but with different provisions. In the end, nothing much gets changed. What Trump most wanted was rate reduction.

Free filing? how would tax accountants make money? The reforms have done away with some loopholes like putting assets in tax havens. The tax brackets have been simplified. We cant eliminate deductions. People need tax credits for many things like child and senior care, mortgage interest.

Simply the tax code? Reading it would greatly improve your ability to ask a question.