Beware consequences of no-tax pledge

Open letter to Sen. Mark Kirk and Reps. Robert Dold and Joe Walsh. Be careful what you ask for, because you may get it.

As signors and supporters of the “no new tax pledge” you had committed to and been proponents of, making no changes to the federal tax code that would have the net effect of raising revenue.

OK. Not an approach I would have used, but I respect your stand on principle and understand you feel the 2010 election gave you a mandate for this. To some extent I even agree with your thought process that Congress is now so incapable of rational discussion and compromise that attempts at negotiation are pointless and should be set aside in favor of a simple mathematical formula.

But you must keep in mind that these are across-the-board cuts you are now responsible for getting implemented. No John McCain hedging that we don’t really need to do across-the-board cuts.

I know you already agree that no sacred cows of the Democrats will be spared. Clean air and water regulations, unemployment benefits, food screening and Medicare get cut.

But remember that no Republican sacred cows get spared either. Aids to Israel and border security get cut. No fiscal games. You don’t get to use money already saved and claim it as new.

I expect that someone is already planning on calling the previously scheduled withdraw from Iraq as “new” savings. Defense spending needs to be reduced from levels prior to the two wars, not “reduced” from artificially high numbers.

You gentlemen get paid very good money. Now you have the opportunity to earn it.

Paul Bruno

Gurnee