I have the honor of regularly talking to grassroots activists across America: people who volunteer on campaigns, go door to door to talk to voters about their beliefs, and work the phone booths to help encourage political engagement. They aren’t just “likely voters,” they are voters who make a difference in their communities. Recently, I asked them what they thought about Congressional tax reform, and they looked back at me with an empty, blank stare.
Many statements about tax reform have been bouncing around the internet, but they’re frequently written in confusing, opaque language – similar to the tax codes – so no one really knows what to think. Plus, the news changes every day. The Senate and the House have two different plans, with significant differences. Both Republican Senators and Congressmen argue in favor of – and against – each of the plans not only in their own chamber, but also in the opposite house. In the meantime, Democrats point in the air screaming, “the sky is falling,” while talking heads say anything from “just get something done” to “this is all fake reform anyway.”
How can an everyday American working a full time job possibly have the time to sort this out? How can they figure out what’s reality, and what’s a pre-packaged sound bite while scrolling through the news on their phone during their lunch break? Does it just depend on which talking head you trust? Which Senators or Congressmen to believe? Here’s the truth about grassroots activists: they don’t believe any Senator or Congressman.
Amidst all the noise, the grassroots are pretty clear about what they want.
Click over to The Hill to read their very clear desires about tax reform.
