WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- In a preview of the GOP agenda after the fall election, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, says they are determined to repeal the federal income tax.
Long an advocate of a national sales tax, a confident DeLay told a conference of tax lobbyists Wednesday that House Republicans will have hearings and push the issue in 2005 and 2006.
He said that replacing the income tax, payroll and other related federal taxes would provide more money for people to use and he endorsed a proposal from Rep. John Linder, R-Ga., for a national sale tax.
However, he added that even a flat tax would be a better than the current federal tax model.
When asked by UPI Thursday about the proposal, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California refused to comment on the substance of the plan, but did say that DeLay's comments were predicated on the GOP retaining power over both the House and White House.
Pelosi added that the Democrats were committed to making sure that did not happen. But conventional wisdom is that it is highly unlikely that Democrats will regain control of the House.
