Fairtax Friday | FAST grassroots team, new roles filled! 'Fairtax America Support Team'

Do not miss a single issue of FairTax Friday, add info@fairtax.org to your buddy list, contact list or safe list. Weekly Feature FAST Service Comes to the Grassroots The FairTax America Support Team, FAST, was formed after a three – day meeting in Houston last week and became official upon approval from the Americans For Fair Taxation board. "FAST is a grassroots leadership group charged with organizing, managing and executing the grassroots effort and working with the FairTax board to develop a strategic plan," said FAST's elected Chairman, John Collet of Kansas. The FAST group set a goal of passage of the FairTax by 2013 and repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution by 2018. These goals will be attainable if the supporter base can grow tenfold in 12-18 months, and the donor base can grow by 500% and become more sustainable. Grassroots representatives now will be taking the lead and playing a far greater role than before. While those numbers may sound daunting, new resources will become available in the coming weeks and months and there will be new capability for the grassroots to manage them. FairTax Chief Operating Officer, Terry Stockham, spoke of a new "attract and capture" approach towards growth made possible by new technology platforms. "Volunteers will change from hunter-gatherers to cultivators," Stockham said. "Fundraising and developing the rollout mechanics are ongoing but this is a fundamental change from our past efforts. Now we have the right people and the right technology at the right time." The new FAST board members are John Collet of Kansas, Chairman, Jim Bennett of New Jersey, Secretary, David Adams, Kentucky, Kristina Bouterse, Florida, Roger Buchholtz, Michigan, Steve Curtis, Ohio, Danny Higgins, Indiana, Marilyn Rickert, Illinois and Jamie Wheeler, Washington State. Other grassroots members who attended the meeting were Gene Key, Bill Harrington, Bob Frenzel, Bill Phelps, John Pierce, Mike Warlick and Phil Hinson. Attending from the FairTax Houston office were Terry Stockham, Chief Operating Officer, Aaron Schutte, Grassroots Special Projects Coordinator, Janie Davis, Comptroller and Jason McKinley, National Media Coordinator. Special Feature: Grassroots Supporter Spotlight Gene Key has been a FairTax volunteer leader for over five years. He formerly served as a State Director of Georgia and has remained active and involved since relinquishing that title about two years ago. Gene has noted, as we all have, that the attack ads launched against the FairTax have had an intimidating effect on many legislators and congressional candidates and have impaired our progress in getting co-sponsors for the FairTax bill. Gene also understood that we do not have the financial resources to combat these ads on a "tit for tat" basis. That is, while the ideal method of responding would be to run paid media ads rebutting the deceptive ads we were being hit with, that is simply not financially feasible at this time.  Gene created a plan for mounting a multi pronged response. He assembled a package of information for FairTax supporting legislators and aspiring legislators, advising them how to combat these ads even before they are run. He also developed short videos that can be posted on YouTube and linked from other internet social media,  which supporters of FairTax supporting candidates can spread virally. Longtime FairTax supporter Herman Cain recorded the first of these videos. Another element involves Houston staffer, Jason McKinley, who books radio interviews for our national spokespersons in the areas attack ads are broadcast. Gene deserves a lot of credit for his initiative and creativity in getting this project off the ground. This strategy is being refined and honed for future election cycles so that we can make it very risky to demagogue the FairTax in the future. Hopefully, we can get the message out that the FairTax is no longer a piñata for partisan politics. Phil Hinson of Georgia has agreed to take the position of Director of the new, national FairTax Speakers Bureau.  His role as a spokesman and his grassroots expertise will be invaluable while he recruits and trains speakers who can effectively deliver the transformational message of fundamental tax reform with the FairTax. Phil has been a dedicated volunteer with Americans For Fair Taxation for more than eight years. During that time he has written and spoken on the proposal, as well as being actively involved in the campaigns of political candidates who have made the FairTax part of their platforms.  He currently serves as the South East Volunteer Regional Director for Americans For Fair Taxation. As a current spokesperson for FairTax.org, with a Bachelor of Sciences and a Masters degree in accounting, Phil can address a variety of subjects but specializes in international trade issues. Peter Moorman has joined our staff team and we're thrilled to announce his addition! "I'm excited to come on board as the new IT Director for the FairTax," Peter said. "In the coming months we'll be launching several new online platforms to further the FairTax. I'm grateful for the opportunity to join the cause at a critical time in the organization's fight for a more sensible tax policy." Before joining AFFT, Peter worked for the Virginia based Leadership Institute as a field representative where he started political clubs on college campuses. He also is an internet marketing consultant for small business around Houston. He's excited to combine his passion for grassroots activism and technology in his new role at as IT Director. FairTax In the News Pantano supporters start viral email campaign against McIntyre ad - WWAYTV.com WILMINGTON, NC -- Democratic Congressman Mike McIntyre's latest political ad is drawing some vocal criticism from his opponent's supporters. In the ad, McIntyre claims Republican Ilario Pantano wants to raise taxes 23 percent. What the ad does not say is that the increase would be part of a Fair Tax plan that would abolish the IRS and eliminate all income taxes, payroll taxes and deductions. Pantano supporters are fighting back with a viral email campaign, encouraging people to e-mail local TV stations and demand they pull the ad due to "factual inaccuracies." Here's an example of one email: "Hello everyone, This is a call for immediate action. Mike McIntyre has began airing ads claiming Ilario Pantano wants to raise our taxes by 23% without any further explanation of the Fair Tax. Obviously we know McIntyre is referring to the fair tax and spreading inaccurate and false statements... Please call and write to WWAY TV3 and WECT asking them to pull the ad due to factual inaccuracies. Tweet about it, change your Facebook status, do everything you can to help derail this ad!!!! This is an important issue and we can't let Mike McIntyre distort the Fair Tax for his own political gain." Fair Tax lies – blueridgenow.com To The Editor: It's election season again, which means it's time for citizens to beware of politicians' lies. A subject that will be ripe for distorting this political season is the Fair Tax. The truth about the Fair Tax is that it replaces the federal income tax, gift tax, estate tax, capital gains tax, alternative minimum tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes and self-employment taxes with a 23 percent national consumption tax. Any politician or political group who claims or implies that the Fair Tax adds a 23 percent national consumption tax on top of all the other taxes listed above is either lying to you or is ignorant of the facts. This lie is already being told in ads by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union on behalf of Democratic Rep. John Boccieri in Ohio's 16th Congressional District. Whether this false claim is due to ignorance or outright lying, the politician on whose behalf these claims are made is not worthy of your vote. Learn more about the Fair Tax and the lies being told about it at www.FairTax.org. Dale Johnson Take Action Watch the FairTax TV special: Click here to see the 30-minute show Did You Know? How does the FairTax affect U.S. competitiveness in foreign trade? Because the FairTax is automatically border adjustable the percent competitive advantage of foreign producers is eliminated, immediately boosting U.S. competitiveness overseas. American companies doing business internationally are able to sell their goods at lower prices but at similar margins, and this brings jobs to America. In addition, U.S. companies with investments or plants abroad bring home overseas profits without the penalty of paying income taxes, thus resulting in more U.S. capital investment.  And at last, imports and domestic production are on a level playing field. Exported goods are not subject to the FairTax, since they are not consumed in the U.S.; but imported goods sold in the U.S. are subject to the FairTax because these products are consumed domestically.  Update email preferences | Unsubscribe | Contact Us Americans for Fair Taxation, PO Box 27487, Houston, Texas 77227-7487 1-800-FAIRTAX (324-7829) Paid for by Americans for Fair Taxation Americans For Fair Taxation is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. One provision in the 65,000+ pages of the federal tax code makes investments in your non-profit FairTax organization non-deductible. If you would like to send a check or credit card contribution by mail please download and print our contribution form here.