I’d like to think that in the GOP, ads are fair and deal in truth. I said I’d like to think that, but even in the GOP the means justify the ends, and ads are allowed to shade or distort the truth in order to make a point.

Case in point is the pro-Trump PAC “Maga, Inc.”, branding DeSantis as “Ron DeSalesTax” and asserting that he wanted to — and here’s the key word — add a 23% federal sales tax on the backs of every American. That simply isn’t true.

Let’s start with the basics. In 2015, then Representative DeSantis co-sponsored a bill called the “Fair Tax” that imposed a 23% federal sales tax on nearly all purchases made nationwide.

According to the leglislation however, that imposition came with a few perks. No federal income tax. Zero capital gains taxes. No death taxes. Corporate taxes would go to zero. No employment or self-employment taxes. When you consider that average marginal tax rates are between 10% and 30%, and that corporate taxes are passed down to consumers, it’s easy to see that a 23% federal sales tax was likely a net reduction in taxes for nearly everyone in the US.

That’s hardly the story the ad tells however. When you consider the reality of DeSantis’ plan, and the fact that similar legislation in Florida (with DeSantis at the helm) would have added carve-outs for diapers, cribs and the like; it becomes clear that DeSantis’ approach is not only a net savings for nearly everyone, but also just a good idea in general.

And that’s before you realize that Trump himself has signaled support for Fair Tax initiatives, the audacity of the ad becoming even more apparent, and verging on hypocritical.

I don’t really care who you support in this election — Trump, DeSantis, or one of the ankle biters trying to make some noise at the bottom of the candidate pile. It would behoove us all to write our favored choice and encourage them to run an honest campaign so that we can make a choice based on the merits, not on falsehoods and distorted claims.

Did you appreciate this post? Consider becoming a Patreon supporter of the Gadsden Revolution. Making a small donation each month helps to support our efforts to bring conservative truth to the forefront during the 2024 campaign.