Congress Versus Hobbit

Gail Collins, NYT
JUNE 6, 2014

Let’s talk about tax reform.

Come back! This is going to be really interesting. Or at least I will try to trick you into feeling that it’s interesting by making copious references to popular culture.

We should begin with Representative Dave Camp, a Republican from Michigan who is the current chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Camp has been on a quest to make the tax system cleaner and simpler. In this matter we might think of him as a Hobbit, facing great danger in his search for the golden W-2 form.

“I aim to launch and fight the tax reform battle once again,” Camp announced, rather grandly. After many, many hearings and discussions, he unveiled a proposal to reduce the nation’s high corporate tax rate by eliminating loopholes that allow a number of corporations to avoid paying anything at all.

It was, if not supremely heroic, at least a nice principled stand. Like on “Mad Men,” when Don Draper gave Peggy the chance to do the presentation for the Burger Chef account.

(More here.)