Arizona’s first congressional district, entirely within Maricopa County, is one of the swing districts the Democrats are counting on to flip the House. Biden beat Trump there by one and a half points. And 2 years later the Republican incumbent, David Schweikert barely survived a challenge by an under-financed Democrat who was basically ignored by the DCCC— less than a point separated them.
We think that Conor O’Callaghan is the Democrat who will finally defeat MAGA extremist David Schweikert in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.
Born in Ireland, his family moved to what is now AZ-01 when he was 4 years old. He attended K-12 in Scottsdale public schools and is a proud alumnus of Chaparral High School. He and his wife Tina, who was born in Iran and fled during that country’s revolution when she was just 2 years old, are raising their 3 young children in Scottsdale as well.
Conor told us that his family’s story, and his wife’s family’s story, is part of the classic American Dream. He credits the extraordinary mentorship he received from public school teachers, coaches, counselors and administrators in the district for preparing him to earn 3 degrees from an Ivy League university— a B.S. from Wharton, a B.A.S. from the School of Engineering & Applied Science, and an M.P.A. from the Fels Institute of Government, all at the University of Pennsylvania) and then land a job in one of the most cutthroat industries in the world. While working his way up on Wall Street, he met his wife, started a family, and earned a law degree at night.
A Fresh Economic Vision For A Fairer Future
-by Conor O’Callaghan
Policies from Trump sycophants like David Schweikert have hampered the ability of many Americans to achieve the American Dream. When our economy gives special treatment to those exploiting tax loopholes and gouging prices while beating down on the middle class, America loses. Instead of stepping on our fellow man, I propose a new system that will boost the economy, pull families out of poverty, and strengthen small businesses.
It begins with not just fixing our tax code, but revamping it. As a finance executive with nearly two decades of economic experience, I have a vision for our country that will benefit Americans today and for generations to come.
I’m calling for an expansion of tax brackets because I believe we’ve been looking at tax policy all wrong for decades. We get hung up in false choices because we pigeonhole ourselves with outdated policy ideas and as a result, we wind up with garbage legislation like the Trump Tax Cuts. The reality is there are too many socioeconomic groups that have been jammed together in one-size-fits-all brackets. People in the middle are being squeezed and the taxation rates are disproportionate. There were 26 tax brackets in 1960 (a time when income inequality was at one of its lowest points in history); decades prior there were roughly 50 brackets. But the great bracket decline would begin a few years later, reaching its zenith by the end of the 1980s, with just TWO brackets, which were then expanded back to seven. More than three decades later, it is time for a long overdue conversation about tax brackets.
Having more tax brackets provides a boost to the economy for several reasons. It guarantees that people and companies pay taxes according to their actual ability to contribute, which means a fairer system and a reduction of income inequality. This reallocation, unlike fool’s errand trickle-down economics, will help fuel our economic engine by ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately and that lower-income families have more money at their disposal.
Moreover, I am an avid proponent of closing tax loopholes— the carried interest loophole, corporate tax loopholes, overseas loopholes, offshore tax avoidance, and more— as these have been exploited for generations to the detriment of the middle class and our economy. Enough is enough. Time to plug the holes.
Importantly, I support the expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, as I know it will provide greater financial assistance and support to low-income and middle-class families while incentivizing companies to help their employees.
None of this will happen overnight. None of this is easy. But it’s what we must do.
We need to think bigger and we owe it to ourselves and our children to create a national tax policy that lasts beyond one Presidential term or one Congress. Otherwise, the American Dream will become something reserved for a select few who can afford it, a premium delicacy only accessible to people who have been able to take advantage of a rigged system.
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