Q Ari, back on Tom's
question, for a second. In addition to other steps that this
group of bright minds at the White House is looking at undertaking to
make the tax system, tax code more understandable, more evenly
distributed, fairer, if you will, is the consumption tax part of the
discussion?
THE PRESIDENT: It's too early,
John. I think they're casting a very wide net right now,
taking a look at a host of ideas. And I don't know that they
are -- they are not focusing on any one specific aspect or one specific
approach. This is a multiyear type of endeavor.
Q Do you know if that's
a proposal that's been floated?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to
discuss anything that's been a private discussion that's not yet
reached any more serious policy level.
Q Ari, on that area,
though, the last time a flat tax was put forward in national debate was
when Steve Forbes ran on one as part of his presidential campaign, and
at the time it was criticized as being disproportionately unfair to the
poor, and disproportionately favorable to the wealthy. Is
the President ultimately against a progressive tax system?
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, the
President is, obviously, focused on, number one, creating an
environment so the economy can grow as a result of the tax
cut. Two, the President would like to create a tax system
that is simpler and fairer for people. Our current tax
system is terribly, terribly complicated; makes average, ordinary
Americans have to go out and hire accountants just to figure out how to
fill out a couple pages. There are even people who file a
1040 who have to hire accountants to fill out the simple 1040 EZ.
So we have a very complicated tax system,
where lawyers and accountants are able to help people who have wealth
get around paying taxes, and average people have to go out and hire
accountants and lawyers just to figure out how to pay their bills
because the system is too complicated for them to figure.
There's room for improvement in the tax
system. I don't think anybody would differ from
that. But it's too premature, way too premature to start
speculating about any one type of tax change, because it just hasn't
reached that level in the White House.
Q But when you have
flat tax, isn't that putting the argument of simplicity against the
argument of fairness?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think you should
address that to somebody who is advocating a flat tax.
Q -- you said that was
one of the options --
Q Did former President
Bush call Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia in behalf of the President, in
terms to say his heart is in the right place?
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, that's a
topic I'm not going to get into. Former Presidents, including the
President's father, including other former Presidents, often call
around the world --
Q It's a very
legitimate question.
MR. FLEISCHER: I understand, but I
think -- I don't speak for former President Bush.
Q You're refusing to
answer the question?
MR. FLEISCHER: I don't speak for
former President Bush.
Q That's not the
point. You're speaking on behalf of the President and you
know whether the phone call took place, or not.
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, I think there
are conversations that former Presidents may engage in that the White
House is not going to announce when former Presidents do.
Q It's right in the
newspapers.
Q Ari, is President
Bush going to meet with the embryo babies who are lobbying in town this
week?
MR. FLEISCHER: Tom, if we have any
meetings to talk about, we'll talk about them.
Q Going back to faith
initiative bill. Is President in touch with other minority
religious groups like Muslims, Hindus, and others in the
area? Because they have a large community here and temples
and --
MR. FLEISCHER: The Faith-based
Office has had a series of meetings with people from all walks of life,
all denominations. And the President has attended several of
those meetings. The President thinks it's terribly important
to reach out to groups, and as he said during the campaign, churches,
synagogues, mosques, all Americans from all types of different
backgrounds. It is a reflection of the fact that very often
these groups are very close to people in their communities and they
have a way of getting closer and solving people's problems better than
a government, that can sometimes can be a little distant.
Q What are their views,
if you have met with them?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry?
Q What are their views
on the bill, if you have met with them? How do they feel
about --
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think you
need to reach out to the individual organizations and ask them what
their views are.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END
2:28 P.M. EDT