Taxes and career pols are the problem

Taxes and career pols are the problem

I believe that there are two issues which cause most of our country’s financial and political problems.

These are the method of taxation and politicians who make a career of their elected offices — something not at all intended by our Founding Fathers.

Think of all the controversy and attendant problems that could be resolved by completely revamping the way we finance our government. With the income tax gone, along with the IRS, our elected representatives would no longer have the means to punish/reward constituencies through the tweaking of portions of the thousands of pages of our tax code, and no more of the constant wrangling between the parties over impending “fiscal cliffs.”

If we could move to something on the order of a sales tax, preferably the currently proposed “Fairtax,” currently with 70 co-sponsors in the House — Peter Roskam not among them — and eight in the Senate. Everyone who purchases anything would contribute, even the dealers of illegal drugs and others who are involved in profitable illegal activities which now escape income taxes.

Then, we need to eliminate the need for elected officials to pursue re-election every two and four years. Hopefully, their decision making would then not be tainted by re-election jitters. Just think, no more Mike Madigan, who is arguably the de facto governor for life in Illinois, and politicians like Rangel, Reid, Pelosi, McCain, etc.

Say, a single six-year term for all offices, compensated attractively, maybe a million per year, and no pension or ongoing benefits.

I know, pipe dreams.

Don Buck

Wheaton