The American Mustache institute earlier today made this surprising announcement:After barnstorming the Nation's Capitol in support of the proposed Stache Act (details and white paper here), the office of of [sic] Maryland 6th district U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett informed the American Mustache Institute that the congressman has begun the process of ensuring the'Stache Act becomes law by passing the proposal to the House Ways and Means Committee for study -- an essential first step for tax legislation.
I wonder, the bigger the 'stache, the bigger the tax break?
The surprising thing is not that a congressman--Rep. Bartlett, a Republican--would support the creation of another tax loophole. "The Stache Act (Stimulus to Allow for Critical Hair Expenses) aims to earn a well-deserved $250 annual tax deduction for every Mustached American for expenditures on mustache grooming supplies," the website reads.
What about beards? We need relief, too!
Instead, it was odd that Bartlett would even participate in what clearly seems to be an elaborate parody of Washington, D.C., think tanks and advocacy groups--and Congress. (The group is, after all, holding a rally on Capitol Hill on April 1.)
So I called Bartlett's office to see if something so silly could possibly be real. Sure enough, it is--but there's a wrinkle: Congressman Bartlett was never aware that the bill had been referred to the committee in his name.
I know nothing!