The stats: they'll visit 25 states and 48 cities representing 319 electoral votes

Twenty-nine Republican Governors are in Austin, Texas, today to launch the Barnstorm for Reform. The Governors, travelling in 7 teams, will take their message on the road this week as they travel to 48 cities in 25 states which have a combined 319 electoral votes. President Clinton won 23 of the 25 states in 1996.

The tour will focus on bipartisan reforms Republican Governors around the country have spearheaded, in education and tax relief and they will point out that the Gore Administration has been an obstacle to reform, particularly in Medicare and Social Security.

Taxes -- that's a big issue for Barnstormers and Governor Bush.

Take a look at video of Governor Bush's views on taxes, from the Republican Convention.

He's drawing attention to Al Gore's "Iffy Tax Scheme".

Here's what Governor Bush says about all the "Ifs"...

On taxes, here is my plan: If you pay income taxes, you get a tax cut. If you are a low or moderate income worker, you get the biggest percentage tax cut.

We're going to cut the marriage penalty and get rid of the death tax. And I believe that no one in America should pay more than a third of his or her income to the federal government in taxes.

My opponent has a plan too. He calls it targeted tax relief. The first problem is that at least 50 million income taxpayers -- over half the total -- are nowhere near the target. They get nothing. All the rest may get a tax cut from Al Gore -- but only if they do things his way. You may get help with child care, but only if your child is in paid or government-approved childcare -- grandparents, family and friends not included.

You may get a break on the marriage penalty -- but not if you own a home and itemize your taxes.

You may get a break on transportation -- but only if you drive around in a hybrid electric/gasoline engine vehicle.

There was an interesting moment in our third debate Tuesday night. Responding to a question from a woman in the audience, Mr. Gore said he will reduce her taxes -- as long as she manages to fit into certain categories: If you do this, you may get a tax break. If you do that, you might get a tax break. He spoke to her for 94 seconds -- and eight times he said the words "if you."

You might call it an "iffy tax scheme." You can get a tax cut if you do everything Al Gore wants. That is the kind of meddling, overbearing government you're going to get "if you" vote for Al Gore.

Al Gore's "iffy tax scheme" gets even more complicated when it comes to the death tax. Under his plan, you may get death tax relief -- but the IRS has at least nine conditions. You get help only "if you" materially participate in the operations of the small business five out of the eight years before your death. And if your heirs pledge to materially participate for another ten years, and so on.

Mr. Gore talks about providing more relief to those who qualify for the family-owned business exemption under the estate tax -- but it would still be almost impossible to get relief. The Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee found that in 1998, just 902 estates tried to claim this exemption. Just nine-hundred and two people were allowed to pass on their life's work tax-free.

Al Gore's theory here is that only the "right" people should get tax relief. That's what he called them in his convention speech, the "right people." On death tax relief, the "right people" for Al Gore are only one percent of those who filed an estate tax return. The "right people" could fit into two jumbo jets. That's a basic difference between us. I don't believe a president should pick winners and losers, or decide who are the right Americans and who are the wrong Americans.

Al Gore's kind of targeted tax relief is wrong for America. I believe tax relief should be aimed at one big target, so you can't miss -- every person who pays income taxes.