It's become an almost constant debate across the nation, and an election year only serves to elevate the question into the national spotlight. Taxes are on the mind of nearly every politically active American right now. The influence of a tax structure, however, goes far beyond that.
Taxes affect the economy, governmental structure, and political climate of that civilized society.
To compare these plans, we must first look at the current tax structure. The Gore plan is definitely the most politically favorable for a candidate. A higher top rate allows a greater number of people to be left off the tax rolls completely, thus making for a greater number of happy voters come election time. But a high top rate can also create problems. Favoring certain groups or certain behaviors for lower rates or even exemptions leaves an administration highly susceptible to influence by special interest groups looking for a break.