Tax Day, Money and New Old Ideas

Across the country yesterday there were thousands of people carrying signs and wearing T-shirts in support of the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) party movement. Allied activists from Maine to Hawaii in hundreds of lively protests, all joined in disdain for government spending.

Many of the signs called for yet another change in Washington, D.C., to rid the halls of Congress of many sitting members. Others called for change in the tax codes. Some even lambasted sitting members for their stance on certain issues.

Although still a relatively small force in the political arena compared to other groups, they are being noticed. Yet, I can't help but think (there's that word again) and wonder - Aren't many of the protesters the very same people who voted to elect those sitting in the House and Senate?

It has often said often: "What is old is new again." Perhaps, it's time to truly examine and begin work on making a few old ideas new again and solving two major problems while saving the government money at the same time.

The first would take a Constitutional Amendment and that is to institute term limits for members of Congress. This would solve a few things at the onset. No longer would members of the House of Representatives devote a great portion of their two year term to raising money for the next election. They could actually focus on issues of the day. And, second the members of Congress would not be as inclined to court the lobbies, or allow lobbyists to court them, for campaign contributions that can raise the question of influencing where they stand on an issue.

In all fairness, there are those who undertake that job with the belief they can help make America a better place. but just imagine how much more productive it might be if a Congressman served one term of four years and the Senate one term of the current six years. Oops! That would mean no more leaving the position with a large war chest of campaign money to take home with them. But that is another topic.

The second idea is the one about doing away with the current tax code. There are close to 60,000 pages of Federal Tax Laws and over 20,000 pages of regulations. The idea of a flat tax would eliminate this and be fair, providing it was done equitably. And, would allow the government to function more efficiently.

These are not novel concepts but they do involve major changes. The current administration and many past administrations triumphed using a variant on the theme of time for change. We are a nation of the people and by the people. Change does not come easily and for it to happen all the people must think and not simply follow blindly.