President Coolidge signs the 1926 tax bill. (Library of Congress)
Resolved: The United States Should Eliminate the Capital Gains Tax
That's the resolution thousands of high school debate students will wrestle with this month as they participate in debates across the country being sponsored by the Coolidge Foundation.
Taxes were of the utmost importance to President Coolidge. During his time in office, the capital gains tax was relatively new, having only been established in 1922 with the top rate set at 12.5%. Prior to this there was ambiguity over the tax treatment of capital gains. The capital gains tax rate has fluctuated somewhat dramatically since its implementation 96 years ago. Yet while the rate has moved up and down, the debate over the capital gains tax has raged on. Many argue the tax impedes economic growth and leads to misallocations of capital. Others contend it is a progressive tax that is especially necessary given today's high inequality and need for revenue in an era of growing national debt.
We are pleased to work with a number of partners to bring this Coolidgesque debate topic to students around the country. Our first tournament this month takes place this very weekend at Clinton High School in the Bronx in partnership with the New York City Urban Debate League. Later in the month, on February 17, we will partner with Thales Academy-Rolesville to host North Carolina-based students debating in the newly formed Coolidge Debate League. And all throughout the month, thanks to a partnership with the National Speech and Debate Association, public forum debaters will confront this tax topic. All told, more than 20,000 students will debate both sides of the resolution. Top winners from select tournaments will earn the right to compete for the Coolidge Cup on the Fourth of July in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.
We suspect President Coolidge would be pleased to see so many young people thinking carefully about America's tax system and economy.
We are pleased to partner with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation to host a Presidents' Day Open House on Monday, February 19 in Plymouth Notch.
The Museum will be open to the public free of charge from 12:00-4:00 PM.
At 1:00 PM, education director Diane Kemble will give an overview of the Calvin Writing Prize and assist interested students in accessing research materials.
At 2:00 PM, William Jenney, site administrator, will welcome guests and give a preview of the upcoming special exhibit for the 2018 season.
And at 2:15 PM, Tracy Messer will perform as President Coolidge, recreating a speech Mr. Coolidge delivered on President Washington's birthday in 1926.
We hope you will join us at the Notch!
Coolidge Debate League Inaugural Tournament
The Coolidge Foundation and Thales Academy are pleased to announce the launch of the Coolidge Debate League. We invite all students in grades 6-12 to participate in the inaugural tournament which takes place at Thales Academy-Rolesville (near Raleigh, NC) on February 17, 2018.
In the morning, students will attend a policy seminar on their debate topic: the capital gains tax. The late morning and afternoon will be dedicated to debate. The event is free and lunch will be provided to all students and judges.
To register, or for more information, please click here. Kindly register by February 14, 2018.
Calvin Writing Prize
Each year the Coolidge Foundation encourages Vermont students to discover lessons from the Coolidge presidency by competing for the Calvin Writing Prize.
This year's contest asks students to write a speech theywould deliver as president of the United States urging their fellow citizens to correct an injustice with respect to equal rights for all. Students must use examples from President Calvin Coolidge’s life and values when preparing their speech.
The first place winner will receive $1,500 and the runner-up will receive $500. More information is available here.
The deadline to submit is May 11, 2018.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
February 17, 2018 (9:00 AM to 3:00 PM EST): Coolidge Debate League Inaugural Tournament at Thales Academy
February 19, 2018 (Noon to 4:00 PM EST): Presidents Day Open House in Plymouth Notch
May 11, 2018: Submission deadline for the Calvin Writing Prize
About News from the Notch
News from the Notch is the Coolidge Foundation's weekly e-Blast, designed to keep you connected and up-to-date on all the activities of the Foundation. We encourage you to contribute to the e-blast! Share stories, photos, tips, or tidbits for inclusion. Please forward the e-blast to a friend! Click here to subscribe to News from the Notch, and head over to our website to access the News from the Notch Archive.
