December 12, 2011
Comparing the Presidential Candidates’ Tax Plans
Evaluate the Republican Contenders Side-by-Side
Washington, DC, December 12, 2011—How does Mitt Romney compare to Ron Paul on taxes? Does Newt Gingrich have a savvier plan than Michele Bachmann? With the new Presidential Candidate Tax Plan Comparison from the Tax Foundation, you can look at the tax policies of presidential candidates side-by-side and evaluate for yourself.
With the upcoming 2012 presidential election, tax policy is on voters’ minds more than ever. Taxes are one of the central issues in any national election, and it is important for the public to understand candidates’ general views toward tax policy as well as their positions on specific issues. The online Presidential Candidate Tax Plan Comparison outlines the candidates’ positions on the most important tax questions of this election.
“It can be a challenge for individual voters to wade through candidate statements, news reports, and attacks from opponents when trying to figure out how the candidates compare on the issues,” said Tax Foundation economist Will McBride. “Our Presidential Candidate Tax Plan Comparison tool gives voters the information they need to make apples-to-apples comparisons on where all of the candidates stand on tax policy.”
Ten presidential candidates were evaluated on six different parameters of tax policy: individual income tax rates, the corporate income tax, the estate tax, payroll taxes, the alternative minimum tax, and taxes on capital gains and dividends.
Data was collected from candidate questionnaires, campaign statements, and other publicly available information. Sources for all of the listed policy positions are cited and linked to, so users can easily have the opportunity to research the candidates more thoroughly.
Information is included on the following candidates for President: Michelle Bachmann, Herman Cain (campaign currently suspended), Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum. As candidates leave the campaign during the primary process, details of the plans they advocated will remain online for comparison purposes.
The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan research organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937. To schedule an interview, please contact Richard Morrison, the Tax Foundation’s Manager of Communications, at 202-464-5102 or morrison@taxfoundation.org.