John Linder

John Linder
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 5, 1993
Preceded by	Bob Barr
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	September 09 1942 (1942--) (age 65) Deer River, Minnesota
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lynne Linder
Religion	Presbyterian

John Elmer Linder (born September 9 1942), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1993, representing Georgia's 7th congressional district (map).

He was born in Deer River, Minnesota, was educated at the University of Minnesota, served in the United States Air Force, was a dentist and businessman, president of a lending institution, and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives before entering the House. He serves on the Rules committee, the Committee on House Administration, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Homeland Security. Linder also serves on the Subcommittee on Oversight and the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. He is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attack, and named to the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity, and the Subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight.^[1]

Linder has also taken a leadership role in the effort to enact fundamental tax reform. His legislation, the Fair Tax Act (H.R.25), is a proposal for changing United States tax laws to replace all federal personal income taxes, payroll taxes, corporate taxes, capital gains taxes, self-employment taxes, gift taxes and inheritance taxes with a national retail sales tax and monthly tax prebate to households of citizens and legal resident aliens.^[2] In 2006, he voted against renewal of the Voting Rights Act.

District history

Georgia gained two seats after the 2000 census, but the Georgia state legislature produced a map intended to produce a congressional delegation of seven Democrats and six Republicans. Linder and fellow Republican Bob Barr were drawn into a heavily Republican district that, while retaining Barr's district number (the 7th), contained more of the territory Linder had represented in what had been the 4th District from 1993 to 1997 and the 11th District since 1997. Linder handily defeated Barr in the 2002 Republican primary, all but assuring him of a sixth term. Linder ran unopposed in 2004. In 2006, he was re-elected with 70.9% of the vote.^[3]

Fair Tax Act

For more details on this topic, see FairTax.

U.S. Rep John Linder holding the 132 page FairTax Act in contrast to the more than 50,000 pages of tax code laws and regulations currently in effect.

Linder is coauthor of The FairTax Book with radio talk show host Neal Boortz, which spent time atop the New York Times bestseller list..^[4] The book discusses H.R.25, also known as the Fair Tax Act, which Linder sponsored.

Linder first introduced the legislation in July 1999 to the 106th United States Congress. He has reintroduced substantially the same bill in each subsequent session of Congress. While the proposed bill has yet to have a major effect on the tax system, the Fair Tax Act has the highest number of cosponsors among tax reform proposals (attracting 61 in the 109th Congress),^[5] gathering much stronger support than popular flat tax legislation. A number of congressional committees have heard testimony on the FairTax; however, it has not been voted on in either Chamber. The bill is cosponsored by former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, but has not received support from the Democratic leadership.^[6] Matching legislation has been introduced into the Senate by Georgia Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss. The FairTax has generated a large grassroots tax reform movement in recent years, led by the non-partisan group Americans For Fair Taxation.^[7]

Criticisms

FairTax presentation

The FairTax Book, co-authored by Neal Boortz and John Linder, was published on August 2, 2005.

Some have criticized Linder, Neal Boortz, and Americans For Fair Taxation for the way that they have presented the FairTax plan. The most common critique is the presented FairTax rate of a 23% sales tax on the total transaction value of new retail goods and services purchases; consumers pay to the government 23 cents of every dollar spent (sometimes called tax inclusive).^[4] However, American sales taxes have historically been expressed as a percentage of the original sale price (sometimes called tax exclusive): items priced at $100 pre-tax cost $130 with the tax added.^[8] The use of the tax inclusive number in presenting the rate has been criticized as deceptive and by some as a "lie".^[8] However, Linder argues that the 23% number represents a better comparison to income tax rates.^[4] If you are in a 25% income tax bracket, you will pay $25 in federal income taxes out every $100 you earn. With the 23% FairTax, you would pay $23 in taxes out of every $100 you spend. This is also how the legislation is written — as an inclusive tax.^[2]

Non-disclosed travel

Linder has also been criticized for omitting a trip paid for by a client of lobbyist Jack Abramoff from travel disclosure forms, even though he declared it on his personal income filings. According to John Byrne and Ron Brynaert of The Raw Story, "Linder should have filed a travel form shortly after his trip and could have corrected it when he belatedly filed for other trips last year. Failing to properly report sponsored travel is a violation of House rules."^[9]

See also

• Americans For Fair Taxation
• FairTax

References

External links

• U.S. Representative John Linder official House site
• John Linder at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Federal Election Commission — John Linder campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — John Linder issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — John Linder campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative John Linder (GA) profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — John Linder profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: John Linder voting record
• John Linder for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Linder's FairTax official site

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