LE MARS — Former Vice President Mike Pence told Iowa voters Wednesday that he “doesn't agree” with the argument that the wealthiest Americans aren't paying their fair share of taxes.
U.S. Congressman Randy Feenstra and the Wells Visitor Center and Ice Cream Parlor hosted Mr. Pence and about 50 attendees for a meet-and-greet with Le Mars. Pence later addressed a standing-room-only crowd in Sioux City at an event hosted by the Woodbury County Republican Party and Republican Women. Pence was on the second day of a three-day trip to Iowa on Tuesday after attending a Fourth of July parade in Urbandale.
Pence mentioned income taxes after an attendee asked about billionaires like Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos has the ability to avoid taxes, but ordinary people are “stuck paying them.”
“There's no question that today's tax code creates a variety of carve-outs for people who can hide money and keep dollars away,” Pence said. “I don't really agree with the idea that 'the wealthy need to pay their fair share.' When you look at the statistics on where we actually get our government money from, the top 10 earners in this country… % pays about 90% of the money that goes into the federal treasury.”
ProPublica reported in 2021 that the 25 richest people in the United States paid an effective federal income tax of 3.4% between 2014 and 2018, and some of the nation's richest billionaires In some years, he paid no federal income taxes. But Pence and others point to the net amount of taxes paid. Research from the Tax Foundation shows that the richest 1% of Americans paid more than 40% of their total federal income taxes in 2018.
Pence said the first thing a Republican president should do in 2025 is make permanent the Trump-Pence tax cuts, which are set to expire in 2025.
“I'm not one of those people who agrees with the Democratic message about fair share, because there's no guarantee that Americans at the top of the income scale bear the overwhelming burden of government spending in this country,” Pence said. Because he will.”
Pence talks about abolishing and relocating government agencies
Pence, who is running through Iowa in polls favoring former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, said the state owes Iowans gratitude for shaping the nation's leadership.
Pence told reporters in Sioux City that people remember him as vice president, but he also wants people to remember him for his other roles.
“I was the governor of a state that actually balanced the budget and cut taxes at the same time,” Pence said. “I was the governor of a state that had one of the largest school choice programs in the country, and we doubled it when I was governor. And during my years in Congress, as governor, vice president, I have continued to stand without apology for the sanctity of life.”
Mavis Luther of Merrill said she came to Wednesday's event in Le Mars not knowing whether she would support Pence in 2024, although she knows Pence well.
Luther said it was too early to decide on a candidate, but he was impressed after meeting Pence and hearing more about him.
Minutes after Pence finished addressing attendees at the Le Mars event, Mavis said, “I was even more moved to hear him speak, shake his hand, and see how he answered my questions.”
Pence mentioned two federal departments he would work on if elected president, one he would completely eliminate and another he would completely staff up.
Luther asked Pence about his thoughts on the Department of Education. Mr. Pence responded by saying he would abolish the federal Department of Education.
“If I were president of the United States, I would close down the federal Department of Education and return all of its funding to the states,” Pence said. “Education is the role of national and local governments.”
Pence disagrees with the federal Department of Education and believes this is federal overreach. He noted that he was one of 33 Republicans to vote against the Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
“I don't think that's the case. [the Department of Education] It is in the interests of our children and families, or in the interests of a limited government. ”
Pence also addressed audience concerns about a “two-tiered justice system.”
“If I were president of the United States, I would commit to cleaning up the Department of Justice from day one,” Pence said. “We're going to clean house, not just the people at the top, but the people at the bottom. We uphold the rule of law and reaffirm the trust of the American people in impeccable integrity.” I'm going to find men and women in this country who have that.”
President Trump's story
Orville Hames, 69, an independent from Le Mars, said he hopes Pence will win the Republican nomination and vote for him.
Hames, who has voted for both Democrats and Republicans over the years, says he has feelings for Pence that he hasn't felt toward a candidate in years.
“I don't know how you actually explain it, but it's just a feeling you have for someone. I think he can do it well.”
Hames said he hasn't felt this way about a candidate since former President Ronald Reagan.
Hames, who voted for Trump twice, said that while he appreciates Trump's policies and policies, he doesn't like the way he speaks.
Attendees asked President Trump's former partner questions about their relationship and their future.
“I was loyal to the president until my oath to the Constitution required me to step down,” Pence said, repeating a line often used in stump speeches.
In Sioux City, he expanded on his remarks about his role in certifying the 2020 election.
“This is an issue that continues to be misunderstood. I know that by the grace of God, I did exactly what the Constitution of the United States asked me to do that day,” Pence said. “Our elections are run by the states. You don't want Washington, D.C., to run the elections, and he in Washington, D.C., would never want one person to decide the president of the United States.
“I really think this election has to be about the future. If we spend the next election talking about the past, we're going to have a Democrat in the White House for another four years.”
Pence told the audience multiple times how he felt about the party moving forward.
“I think we need new leadership for these times, new leadership for the Republican Party, and certainly new leadership for the White House,” Pence said.
Politeness
In Sioux City, Pence appealed for civility. “Although you may always be on the other side of the divide, maintaining a certain level of civility in public can help you solve many problems.” Working together to solve real problems Please resolve it,” he said.
He offered himself as a path of hope for future generations.
“The growing threats we face around the world, the national debt that threatens to literally crush the vitality of our economies for our children and grandchildren, these are the range of issues where we are truly needed. . At the very least, it's unlikely to bring people together,” Pence said. “And I promise you that's the leadership I'll bring.”
Mike Kelley, a Lawton native who attended the Sioux City event, said he is looking for candidates with common sense and integrity.
Kelly said he grew up a Democrat but has become more connected to Republicans in recent years. When Mr. Kelly appeared at the event, he said he had no preferred candidate, but that he would leave with Mr. Pence as his favorite.
“We have a lot of crooked people…We need good people to make the right decisions,” he said.
