We can't have fantasy tax reform

It wasn't until the early 1900s before we had federal income tax and years later when states followed "the same yellow brick road." The federal government had operated on largely tariffs until the two major political parties passed the Federal Tax "Cure All" Act. Years later the states followed the same "road."

Since then, what at the time seemed like a good idea, to fund the government and necessary basic programs for our citizens, things have changed as the program services and expenditures expanded. The idea of covering basic programs for our citizens has expanded along with the cost and so has the federal and state taxes. The increases in federal tax has not covered the increased costs, thus we have a $20 trillion federal debt. States that followed the same concept have the same in balance.

Maybe it's "good" that the two major parties along with their politicians can't agree on tax reform as they did when originally implemented. However, the concept was needed for our growing country and was quite simple. Now we need to carefully address the proposed changes as a true reform and not an extension of "the yellow brick road!"

We have the options to reduce expenditures or generate more revenue along with continuing to borrow from the future. Right now, it seems, both parties are involved in the "blame game" about whether reform generates immediate tax savings for middle income or lower income "voters."

It seems like the most reasonable option is to minimize borrowing with the clear objective on increasing revenue as a business would. This would include a defined plan to pay it back along with carefully evaluating programs and expenditures. Any individual tax savings would be supplemented as income increases as our economy grows, but realistically not "the yellow brick road."

Mike Krauss

Wayne