TAXES: Washington isn't listening

We all have our attitudes on taxes. Each year we are being called upon to share more and more of our earning with tax collectors. Some people think the definition of our capital punishment is when government sets up business in competition with you and then takes all your profits with taxes in order to make up its loss.

The average citizen works 70 days a year to earn enough to pay his taxes and he does it because he loves his country, is patriotic, and can't figure out a way of getting out of them. A cynic says that a saver is a far sighted person who lays money aside for the government's rainy day. There is no justice. If you make out your income tax correctly you go to the poorhouse. If you don't you go to jail. You may not know when you are well off but the IRS does.

Our current debt is $1.3 trillion. Judging from the amount of this public debt it is no longer a compliment to tell a lady she looks like a million dollars.

Another thing that is hard for me to understand is the new proposed unfair tax code. Why should a couple who starts a business and work 70 hours a week be penalized for begin successful and making $250,000? Taxation should be fair to everyone regardless of income. Both Republicans and Democrats in Washington, D.C., do not seem to understand the groundswell of anger by the average citizen about how our government operates. The government not only has a bad habit of living beyond its means, but also ours.

Years ago I had the honor of testifying before the Senate Agriculture Committee in Washington, D.C. On the committee was Arizona Sen. Carl Hayden, who was 91 years old and one of the most powerful congressmen in Washington, D.C. He slept through my whole presentation and never heard a word I said. An aid woke him up at the end and helped him into a wheelchair to leave. Even if he disagreed with what I said it would have been nice if he heard what I had to say. I guess that is what they call leaving a lasting impression.

Term limits for congressmen is a long overdue issue which should be addressed. Our founding fathers never envisioned people making a lifelong job out of serving the people. Having people serve for 50 years well beyond their mental and physical capabilities and their only power coming from that longevity is ridiculous.

Unfortunately, our current system encourages politicians to make decisions based on what is best to get them reelected rather than what is good for our country. By law, we allow our president to serve two terms. The same law should apply to congressmen.

HAROLD BLAIN

Hayden