As a big voice in farm policy, you favor cutting subsidies. Why?
It’s not fiscally responsible. It makes no sense that farm paychecks are going to addresses in Manhattan, San Francisco and Hollywood. These people aren’t working the land. It’s tough to justify in an era of huge budget deficits.
Your take on the influence Grover Norquist has had on tax reform?
I think it’s unfortunate. It’s unfortunate when members of Congress sign pledges and tie their hands. By doing that, you might as well just hand your voting card over to that particular interest group, go home and stop thinking.
So what we need, then, is – ?
Policymakers capable of keeping an open mind, bringing some flexibility to negotiations, and understanding it’s not their way or no way at all. Compromise is required for tax reform and for a long-term deficit reduction package.
Aside from the election, name the biggest roadblock to reforming the tax code.
Doing it in a way that doesn’t blow another hole in the deficit. And making sure the focus is on doing it comprehensively, not just on the C Corp, but also on the individual and pass-through side.
Repatriation holiday: good idea or not?
We’ve done it before; the track record on job growth wasn’t good. If we do it again, there must be a better tie-in to guarantees of domestic investment leading to job creation. Otherwise you create a moral hazard and get fooled again.