Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says the GOP ticket will wait until it can sit down with Congress before fleshing out more details of its tax plans.
In an interview with The Christian Broadcasting Network released late Sunday, the Republican vice presidential nominee said he and Mitt Romney wanted to work with lawmakers before they cement which tax code loopholes they would retain in their planned overhaul.
The Romney campaign proposes an across-the-board cut of 20 percent to individual tax rates, which would lower the top rate to 28 percent from 35 percent. The tax plan also keeps the current top rate for capital gains at 15 percent.
Romney argues that this would not increase the deficit and has said the plan would eliminate many loopholes in the tax code benefiting wealthy earners. But both Romney and Ryan have remained vague on what specific tax breaks they would change to meet their tax goals, despite pressure from the Obama campaign to clarify their plan.
Ryan said that conferring with lawmakers first was the best way to actually pass their plan.
"We want to say this is our vision: lower tax rates across the board for families and small businesses and work on the loopholes that are enjoyed by the higher income earners, take away their tax shelters so more of their income is subject to taxation. That lowers everybody’s tax rates," Ryan said.
Ryan added that waiting and then working with Congress would also avoid having to resort to a "backroom deal" to pass their plan.
"And we have to be able to work with Congress on those details, on how to fill it in and more to the point we don’t want to cut some backroom deal that they did with ‘ObamaCare’ where we hatched some plan behind the scenes and they spring it on the country," Ryan continued.
"We want to do this in front, in the public, through congressional hearings with Congress so that we can get to the best conclusion with a public participation. That’s the process that works the best to ultimate success gets this done. That’s why we’re doing it this way."
While critics of Romney have said that he has been too vague about his tax plan, some Republican lawmakers say that Romney has an advantage in staying hazy on details of his tax plan.
"Let’s suppose that he had a plan with every dot and tittle," said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), formerly the chairman of the tax-writing Finance Committee. "What’s the practical aspect of it? A president proposes. We dispose."
