| Message From Leo Linbeck, Jr. As we look at the year through the rear view mirror of our FairTax vehicle, one can observe a mixture of success and failure. The failure was embodied in the decision to terminate for cause the services of our consultant who directed The National FairTax Victory Campaign. We embarked on the NFTVC with high hopes and expectations only to find disappointment in the efforts of our selected leader. Although there were episodic events which elevated the FairTax in the period around April 15, on balance, the year failed to meet our hopes and expectations. On the success side of the ledger our grassroots leadership began to coalesce around a group of patriots who are focused on the passage of the FairTax Plan into law. As we all know, success will only be achieved when the citizens of this country decide they have had enough of the current system and they will rise-up and demand that their elected representatives replace the current income/payroll tax system with the FairTax Plan, starting with the constitutional amendment and the legislative statute (HB25) required to create a new foundation upon which our country can create jobs and grow our economy in a comprehensive manner. In looking ahead, not in the rear view mirror, the political environment may have reached the point where a broad cross-section of the people have come to realize the critical need to replace the current income/payroll tax system. It is our sense that the nation is yearning for an issue around which unity can be expressed, not divisiveness or class warfare. For far too long the electorate has been "played" by those in the political establishment by emphasizing differences rather than the unifying principles embedded in our Founding Documents. We are convinced that the FairTax Plan is just such a unifying issue. To that end we are developing two plans- A and B. Plan A assumes a 180 day effort wherein the economic environment will be viewed as approaching the point of no return based on the enormous debt, both current and long term, which cannot be mitigated with our current tax system. If this reality is understood broadly enough across the full spectrum of the body politic, quick action will be required. Therefore, we are preparing our Plan A budget, staffing, vendor engagement and grassroots resources to satisfy the requirements of such an accelerated effort. In preparing, we understand there is a very low probability that the underlying factors will occur within this time frame. If they do, we will be prepared. Plan B is more likely to be required. The time line assumptions call for adoption of the FairTax Plan by Jan 2013. The attendant variables of budget, staffing, vendor engagement and grassroots resources will all be required but with a different timeline and mix. The work product for both A and B will be ready by the first week in January. In my opinion, our nation has not been in such economic jeopardy since 1939. The stakes are high; the FairTax Plan can play a major role in creating a new, solid foundation upon which solutions to the other problems our nation faces are confronted, including job creation and economic growth at a level, when combined with dramatic spending cuts, which can begin to deal with our deficit challenge. We look forward to working with our entire FairTax team including Volunteers, staff, and vendors. Happy New Year to one and all. Leo Linbeck, Jr. Co-Founder and CEO, AFFT | 
Posts
