Loretta Was Here

Our government is a mess. Agreed? We've become a country divided into teams and the object is to win. They don't care about their "fans" (We the People). They don't care if they're spending too much or not collecting enough or even if their own rules are being followed. All our political teams care about is WINNING. And that's not the way it was ever supposed to be. We cannot be the greatest nation in the world if we continue to act like senseless people. If we refuse to correct the problem with tools given to us by the law of this great land - namely our votes - then we really do deserve what we're getting. It's a sad fact that only 71% of potential voters in this country are even registered to vote*. Of potential voters, voter turnout in this country is typically a sad, sad 37.8% for Congressional elections**, with an increase to approximately 56.8% in the last Presidential election. This in itself is a sad reflection of the average citizen

So, here goes it - my 2c worth on fixing the government. Okay, okay. Anyone who knows me knows that I have enough 2c ideas to fix the federal deficit. I didn't say they were all feasible, I don't know. You decide. #1. Abolish the current IRS. Do away with the tax code. Studies have shown that the same financial information, given to 10 different professional tax preparers, yields 10 different tax amounts. The current code is too complicated even for the EXPERTS. The average American citizen doesn't stand a chance; and the better tax preparer you can hire (read that the most daring and willing to push the envelope), the less tax you will owe to the IRS, e.g. the government. It is high time we abolished the current tax code, scrapped the whole thing, and institute in its place a fair and equitable tax on all citizens equally. I like the idea of a flat tax. Total Income x Flat Tax Rate = Tax You Owe. Period. No deductions for anything. You earn it, you pay tax on it. The

Knowing it's coming up on the end of January and another big chunk of money must go out the window to pay for Real Property taxes, I signed onto my Bank's billpay tonight, 4 days before they're due. Normally my bank can send a transfer and pay a bill in one day. NOT with governmental agencies, it seems. The bank must cut a paper check and MAIL it to the taxing authority, which would mean my taxes... late. No problem. Each tax bill has a URL for online payments. So I pull up the nifty little website. It lets me search by last name and Voila! there's our tax bill.. Click the little box to pay in full. Total will be... WTF?!?!?! $29.34 CONVENIENCE FEE?!?!? The taxpayer goes to your designated website, accesses online account information, can CLICK to pay the current bill and it costs the taxpayer $29.34?!?!?! Here's one of those crystal clear examples of what's fiscally wrong in government today -- A LACK OF SIMPLE COMMON SENSE! There is a system set