UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Friday, February 9, 1996
5A
Young voters get involved
Student Democrats gear up for Clinton-Gore campaign
By Lindsey Henry Kansan correspondent
Bruce Kent, administrative member of Kansans for Clinton/Gore '98, posted a warning for the middle class last night to a group of 40 listeners in Alderson Auditorium.
Brian Hott / KANSAN
"The proposed changes from the current Republican Congress will take away the safety net of the middle class. They are in danger of creating a two-class society with one permanent underclass." Kent said.
Kent's comments came in a University of Kansas Young Democrats meeting titled "Working for a Winning Team: Kansas Democrats in '96." The event focused on the importance of volunteer and internship opportunities for student supporters of Clinton.
Brett Cott, associate director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said there was no excuse for concerned young Democrats not to take part in the 1966 election.
"No matter where you live, there is going to be an election in your neighborhood," Cott said. "Our generation got the wrong idea watching Family Ties, thinking it was cool to be a Reagan Republican like Michael J. Fox. It's not cool. It's actually dangerous for the country."
Bruce Kent, member of Kansan for Clinton/Gore '96,
addresses KU Young Democrats last night in Alderson
Auditorium. Kent spoke on volunteer positions available.
Katie Bagby, Springfield, Mo., junior, agreed.
"I came tonight because I agree that the Democratic platform is better for the economy. These radical Republicans are scaring me with their religious views.
Chris Gentry, KU Young Democrats treasurer and Alma sophomore, said he thought the evening presentation went extremely well, despite the smaller crowd.
"It is hard to compete with NBC's Thursday night lineup," Gentry said. "But it turned out really well and touched on a lot of different opportunities to keep Democrats and to get Democrats in office."
Economists criticize flat tax
Experts say tax plan could increase deficit
By Scott MacWilliams Kansan staff writer
As the presidential campaigns heat up, candidates are trying to get ahead of each other. Some are promoting a flat tax as a way to distinguish their campaigns.
Presidential candidate and multi-millionaire Steve Forbes has made news and political hay with his flat tax plan, but it might not be as wonderful as he would like voters to believe.
Some critics have termed it deja voodoo economics.
Someone making $15,000 under 1995 tax laws would receive a $2,355 refund, assuming no investment income, standard deduction, and $2,355 earned-income tax credit.
Under the flat tax plan, there would be no refund.
David Burress, research economist with the Institute for Public Policy and Business Research, said there were good economic reasons for having a flax tax, but it would not guarantee simplicity.
Forbes' proposal calls for removal of exemptions for home mortgage interest, standard and itemized deductions, and property and state income tax.
Burress said local governments would likely have to raise tax rates to recover revenues lost because of lower property values.
The National Association of Realtors, in a statement released Jan. 31, cited a DRI/McGraw-Hill study that found that under a pure flat tax, home values would lose an average of 15 percent of their value, for a total loss of $1 7 trillion dollars.
Presidential candidate Phil Gramm's flat tax plan would retain the mortgage interest and charitable contribution deductions.
Critics of the various flat tax proposals contend that a flat tax plan would increase the federal deficit.
and estimates run as high as $200 billion per year.
Burress agreed that a flat tax plan would increase the deficit, but was not willing to estimate how much the deficit would be increased.
Other areas of concern include the potential for more cheating on income tax returns by businesses and the loss of health-care deductions for business that might force cuts in benefits.
IRS auditors would have a hard time catching cheaters because less information would be supplied with each return.
Forbes also has been criticized for the unfairness of his plan for the middle class.
"The exemption for investment income would be huge for those with higher incomes," Burress said.
"The majority of income by the top executives would be untouched, since they could exercise stock options."
GW2K INFO SESSION
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Setting the pace at a slightly different pace.
That's right, Gateway 2000 is coming to the University of Kansas, and we request the honor of your presence.
A representative will be available to tell you about our GW2K Internship Program and answer any questions you may have regarding Gateway 2000. Such as, why a cow for a high-tech computer company? Come to the Info Session and find out.
For more information on Gateway 2000 job opportunities,
see the Monitor Board on the internet at http://www.monitor.com
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