DeSantis Vows to Abolish IRS, Advocates Flat Tax in Presidential Bid Amidst Stiff GOP Competition

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On Jan. 4, 2024, Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis articulated his desire to abolish the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He advocated for the adoption of a uniform rate flat tax for all U.S. residents. DeSantis declared to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Thursday, “I would eliminate the IRS, have a single rate, and just do a flat tax.”

DeSantis Targets IRS Overhaul and Flat Tax in 2024 Presidential Race

In a recent series of town hall gatherings, U.S. Republican presidential contender Ron DeSantis appeared alongside Nikki Haley, the former Republican Governor of South Carolina. At the CNN-sponsored event, DeSantis engaged with potential GOP caucus-goers and moderators, delving into a variety of national issues and sharing his presidential aspirations. Addressing the audience and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, DeSantis reaffirmed his commitment to disband the U.S. federal tax authority, the IRS, articulating:

I would eliminate the IRS, have a single rate, and just do a flat tax — That would be the ideal tax system.

DeSantis isn’t the sole Republican aiming for the presidency to express intentions to dissolve key U.S. agencies. Previously in Iowa, presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamyvocalized his plan to disband the CDC, ATF, and IRS. Moreover, DeSantis’s discussion on dismantling the IRS isn’t a new development. He previously broached the topic in June 2023 during an interview with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum. Even before that, he detailed to Dana Loesch, host of The Dana Show, his plans to substitute the tax agency with an alternative system.

Florida’s 46th Governor, DeSantis, has long been an advocate for implementing a flat tax system at the federal level, actively co-sponsoring The Fair Tax Act (H.R. 25) during 2013, 2015, and 2017. In a video from June 2013, DeSantis strongly supported the bill he helped introduce, responding to queries from his constituents. The Fair Tax Act aimed to eliminate federal personal, corporate, payroll, estate, and gift taxes, and proposed the dissolution of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Despite these efforts, the bill did not advance through the requisite legislative stages to be enacted.

Ex-U.S. President Donald Trump, however, dominates the Republican field by a significant margin, with national polling from fivethirtyeight.com showing him in the lead with 61.8% favorability as of Jan. 6, 2024. Trailing behind is DeSantis at 12.1%, with the Florida Governor slightly ahead of Haley, who stands at 11.2% favorability. Ramaswamy is further down the list with a 4.1% favorability rating in the fivethirtyeight.com polls. Additional sources, such as the 270towin Polling Average, also depict Trump as the frontrunner across nearly all regions of the United States.

What do you think about DeSantis and his idea to abolish the IRS and implement a flat tax system? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.