According to the Aug. 12 story “Donations to deficit supercommittee’s members examined: Special interest groups have contributed millions,” members of the debt reduction supercommittee have received millions in campaign contributions. The committee members have been appointed by the leaders of both parties in the dysfunctional 212th Congress who, also, have received millions in campaign contributions. “Out of the frying pan and into the fire” comes to mind.
One possibility would be eliminating the present tax structure and initiating a flat tax of 12 percent to 14 percent with no deductions except for catastrophic illness. This would be fair to all taxpayers as they would pay the same percentage on earnings and income. Savings can be made by eliminating the IRS and its archaic laws, which would close loopholes, and then corporations would have to pay their fair share.
Will the committee members — who, along with the 212th Congress, will soon be on their second recess this month — take the kind of necessary steps? Probably not, as it’s election time.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., as co-chairperson, has asked that the people give the committee space. There are, undoubtedly, many people who feel that the members of the dysfunctional 212th Congress have been in space.
