About this project

Between now and April 15, we want to raise $20,000 to support An Inconvenient Tax, a new tax-reform documentary film that premieres on "tax day" 2010. These funds will help us undertake a comprehensive range of promotional endeavors for the film, including grassroots promotion with key regional and national groups, screenings at public and university venues, and outreach to the media, commentators, and legislators. You can help make this vital new film a success!

Why support this film?

Taxes affect the lives of every American. Since the founding of the United States, there has been an ongoing debate over the proper way to tax, and the role the tax code should play in people’s lives. These debates show no signs of resolution as Americans currently must deal with the country’s most complicated tax system ever -- the Federal Income Tax.

The product of almost a century's worth of additions, subtractions, deductions, and exclusions, the income tax has become such a headache that many are calling for it to be drastically simplified or even removed all together. Despite the obvious need for reform, the tax code remains one of the most controversial subjects of our time. From political handouts for corporate contributors to vote-buying gimmicks, the income tax is no longer simply a means to raise revenue but a proxy war over the country’s social and economic goals.

Also, most would agree that the tax system should at least raise enough money to pay for government spending, but even that is not being accomplished. With a looming fiscal crisis on the horizon, and a growing dread of tax consequences, April 15th seems more like a scene from a B-horror movie than a day to contribute to the common good of the nation. But how can Americans decide the best way to change the income tax when few people even understand the code or the many startling effects it has on the country?

What is the film about?

An Inconvenient Tax, a feature-length documentary film, explores the history of the income tax and brings to light the causes of its many complexities. The film follows the tax through wars, economic booms, and the most significant presidencies in U.S. history. This whirlwind tour includes everything from early IRS propaganda films to the tax reform campaigns of Ronald Reagan, whom historian Steven Weisman describes as “the poet laureate of capitalism.” The film uncovers redefinitions of income, the creation of corporate loopholes, and even a brief moment in 1986 when Congress actually tried to simplify everything. But with over 16,000 changes to the tax code in the last twenty years alone, Americans find themselves in a more dire situation than ever.

To help crack the code, the film employs the country’s top economic experts, commentators, and political voices. Noam Chomsky, Steve Forbes, Joseph Thorndike, Mike Huckabee, Charles Rossotti, Dave M. Walker, Neal Boortz, Michael Graetz, Daniel Shaviro, Leonard Burman, and others discuss the problems America faces in the tax code and give valuable insights on how to move forward. The film then gives a voice to the creators of several tax reform solutions who claim to have found a better way. In a time when many Americans are concerned about the future of the economy, rising deficits, and unfair tax treatment, An Inconvenient Tax provides a critical, honest look at the income tax. For the first time ever, Americans can finally engage in the tax debate with confidence and perhaps discover a new way to tax. As Joseph Thorndike, one of the film’s experts, says, “We face fiscal problems in this country right now that are so serious, we should all fear for the safety of our children. Americans are going to have to deal with the topic of tax reform because it’s just too important.”