John,

The current budget-deficit debate in Washington, like too many fiscal debates over the past 40 years, has been dominated by Republican demands to cut spending on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education, housing, nutrition programs, and much more.

The GOP is even threatening to default on paying the government’s debts and forcing a full-blown government shutdown―actions that could create an international financial crisis and a deep recession here at home.[1]

And in an outrageous display of hypocrisy, Republicans are gearing up to put forward a budget that renews the Trump tax cuts that are expiring in 2025, which largely favor the rich and would add up to $3 trillion to the federal debt.[2]

But, thanks to you, we’ve helped change the conversation on the other side of the aisle in Congress and at dinner tables across the country. We’ve given Democrats and progressives the messaging research and applied the pressure to shift the debate from cutting spending on critical programs that benefit working families to raising taxes on the rich and corporations. We know that when they pay their fair share in taxes, we can prevent cuts to critical programs, invest in our future, lower costs for working families and create a more just economy.

After 11 years of helping to found and lead Americans for Tax Fairness, I will be retiring this week and handing the reins to our new Executive Director David Kass.

I am honored to have successfully fought by your side, changing the national narrative around tax fairness―ensuring that the voices of working people are heard over the rich and powerful―and in achieving critical victories like a 15% minimum tax on billion-dollar corporations and major IRS investments to crack down on wealthy and corporate tax cheats and modernize the agency to better serve the American people.[3]

We’ve also begun building massive support for a Billionaire Minimum Income Tax that is now supported by 74% of likely voters including a majority of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.[4] And, President Biden has joined us in this fight.

This coming Tuesday is Tax Day―a day where you and I pay what we owe in taxes. But due to loopholes and tax avoidance schemes, the rich and powerful are still not paying their fair share.

Sign now to tell Congress: Raise taxes on the rich and corporations; don’t cut services for working families.

Thank you for fighting by my side as, together, we have taken on Wall Street billionaires and mega-corporations and shown the power of our grassroots movement for change.

In solidarity,

Frank Clemente
Executive Director
Americans for Tax Fairness Action Fund

[1] “Debt Default Would Cripple U.S. Economy, New Analysis Warns,” New York Times, Mar. 7, 2023
[2] “Renewing the Trump Tax Cuts Benefits the Rich & Threatens Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid & More,” Americans for Tax Fairness, March 3, 2023
[3] Tax Fairness Reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act,” Sep. 13, 2022
[4] “Polling Compilation: Billionaires Income Tax Plans,” Americans for Tax Fairness, Oct. 5, 2022, and Impact Research Polling Memo, Sept. 20, 2022