--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to reform the tax code so that…" description: "\"I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 - the same rat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg" --- # I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair… ![“I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 - the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president; the same rate we had when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg) > “I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 - the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president; the same rate we had when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a lot of millionaires to boot.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates simplifying tax code, making it equitable, and raising rates for high earners to fund public needs. **In simple terms:** Simplify taxes and tax wealthy more. Key Takeaway Push for fairer tax policy. Themes tax reform fairness income inequality public finance policy advocacy Mood determined optimistic strategic Type policy political economic When to use this quote - budget planning - legislative proposals - public debates - campaign messaging Key Concepts progressive taxation economic equity fiscal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How would higher taxes on the wealthy affect economic growth? - What alternatives exist for simplifying the tax code? A Different Perspective Political opposition may argue it discourages investment and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Bills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bills/) [Boots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boots/) [Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinton/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Higher taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-taxes/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Household](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/household/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Incomes 250](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incomes-250-2059382/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Millionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millionaire/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-job/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Rate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rate/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Reform Tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform-tax-640340/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Surplus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surplus/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Taxes Incomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes-incomes-5916827/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-reform-286537/) ## Related quotes > [I have said that for incomes over $250,000 a year, that we should go back to the rates that we had when Bill Clinton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-said-that-for-incomes-over-250-000-a-year-that-we-should-go/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The Bush tax cuts should be extended permanently for families with annual incomes of less than $250,000 and should be phased out slowly for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zandi/the-bush-tax-cuts-should-be-extended-permanently-for-families-with/) [Mark Zandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zandi/) > [I'd like to help struggling homeowners who can't pay their mortgages, I'd like to invest in our crumbling infrastructure, I'd like to reform the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-d-like-to-help-struggling-homeowners-who-can-t-pay-their-mortgages/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [My finely honed political instincts tell me that almost nobody believes that they should be paying higher taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/my-finely-honed-political-instincts-tell-me-that-almost-nobody/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I worry that even those who want to reform are not quite sure how to go about it. There is so much to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/i-worry-that-even-those-who-want-to-reform-are-not-quite-sure-how-to/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [A nation will rise no higher than the strength of its homes. If you want to reform a nation you begin with families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/a-nation-will-rise-no-higher-than-the-strength-of-its-homes-if-you/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [What we want to do is reform the welfare system in the way that Tony Blair talked about 13 years ago but never achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-duncan-smith/what-we-want-to-do-is-reform-the-welfare-system-in-the-way-that-tony/) [Iain Duncan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-duncan-smith/) > [There are people with vested interest who do not want us to reform our energy sector so that we remain dependent on imports. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veerappa-moily/there-are-people-with-vested-interest-who-do-not-want-us-to-reform/) [Veerappa Moily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veerappa-moily/) > [“Shall I confess it, Mr. Hartright? I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. Nature's only idea seems to be to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/shall-i-confess-it-mr-hartright-i-sadly-want-a-reform-in-the/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [The Americans as a nation are killing themselves with their vices and high living. As much as a man ought to eat in half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/the-americans-as-a-nation-are-killing-themselves-with-their-vices-and/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [I sadly want a reform in the construction of children. Nature's only idea seems to be to make them machines for the production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/i-sadly-want-a-reform-in-the-construction-of-children-nature-s-only/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [So I'm not proposing anything radical. I just believe that anybody making over $250,000 a year should go back to the income tax rates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-i-m-not-proposing-anything-radical-i-just-believe-that-anybody/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [When George Bush came into office, we had surpluses. And now we have half-a-trillion-dollar deficit annually. When George Bush came into office, our national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-george-bush-came-into-office-we-had-surpluses-and-now-we-have/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Let me tell you another place to look for some savings. We are currently spending $10 billion a month in Iraq when they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/let-me-tell-you-another-place-to-look-for-some-savings-we-are/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In my view, until the U.S. tax policy is revised, not just tax extenders but the reform of tax policy, it makes it very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-r-chenevert/in-my-view-until-the-u-s-tax-policy-is-revised-not-just-tax-extenders/) [Louis R. Chenevert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-r-chenevert/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher taxes on incomes over $250,000 - the same rate we had when Bill Clinton was president; the same rate we had when our economy created nearly 23 million new jobs, the biggest surplus in history, and a lot of millionaires to boot.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it-s-simple-fair-and-asks-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it-s-simple-fair-and-asks-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e2/barack-obama-17_asks_i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it_2384421.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I want to reform the tax code so that it's simple, fair, and asks the wealthiest households to pay higher…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I want to reform the tax...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it-s-simple-fair-and-asks-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-reform-the-tax-code-so-that-it-s-simple-fair-and-asks-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```