Unfortunately, I don't think most of the Republicans that we elect are yet ready to do what needs to be done. This can not go on. Drastic steps have to be taken now, while the time is right.

First, income taxes need to be either eliminated (with a national sales tax substituted) or set on a flat tax basis with a standard unchangeable rate and no deductions.

You can't do this, you say? The government wouldn't have enough money to operate? I'm glad you brought that up.

Next slash the federal budget by 80-90%. Eliminate, privatize, or give to the states the majority of the federal government. Examine each department and determine wheter or not the constitution even allows the federal government to handle that function (remember, the 10th amendment states that all powers not specifically allocated to the federal government are entrusted to the states, or to the people). So, we say goodbye to the EPA, the FCC, the FDA, FEMA, and a ton of other overall money-wasters and give that responsibility to the states.

For my money, you can also eliminate or otherwise dispose of the majority of cabinet-level departments (i.e. the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce. the Department of Agricuture, etc.) and make those state or local organizations.

Once you do this, impress upon the various states and local (i.e. city) governmental structures that the federal government will no longer bail them out if they get into financial trouble, and they are on their own where their budgets are concerned.

Finally, privatize Social Security. Get this slush fund (because that's what it is) out of the hands of the federal government and make it private. Better yet, gradually phase it out completely and put the responsibility to invest for the future back into the individual's hands. Also, reform welfare to make it MUCH harder to get benefits from it. The whole idea of welfare is that you should be on it for as short as possible, so raising the bar there should guarantee that

These steps would drastically help to get our debt under control, and I haven't even begun on term limits, spending caps, or any moral legislation.

Oh well, another time...

Excellent ideas from "David S."

It may of benefit to know that the original income tax was set at 3%. As well as the fact that, initially, Social Security was voluntary, not mandated.

If we institute a new flat tax in lieu of the current mess, across the board with NO exemptions, I would not mind paying 3% of my income at all. That might be one peaceful way to shrink the government to it's Founder's defined size, by choking off the money teat.

We also need to weed out government agencies that have accomplished their original mission - E.g., The Rural Electrification Administration. The nation appears to wired up to the grid, and that agency STILL gets bundles of OUR money every year. They use the money to make some slight increase by loaning it out to, in the main, electric companies at low, low bargain basement interest rates. The electric companies then improve their infrastructure with the money? Not hardly. They rent it out to other actors at an increased interest rate, pocket the difference, and pay off their "loan" from the REA. Pretty slick, eh?

The Ponzi scheme know as Social Security? Keep paying off those who have spent their lifetimes paying into the pyramid and set aside a special, inviolable, untouchable fund to do so. Then, cancel the entire Socialist abortion. Americans with any brains will provide for their own retirement quite nicely. The idiots who don't will be able to fall back on our traditional forms of charity - They won't be living in the lap of luxury, but they will be fed.

If, a very BIG "if," we can take over the House, and the new members of that august Institution for the Criminally Insane can discipline themselves, we may just be able to turn off the river of money flowing to ... God alone knows, anymore.

Never weaken!

It doesn't bother me a bit that there are rich people. I grew up in a "poor" family with lots of kids and walked to a one-room school house. I also went to college and earned a post-graduate degree. I never wanted to be rich. I just wanted to be happy. For the most part, I have succeeded. Poor people do not provide jobs, nor are all those who provide jobs "rich." They are just mostly good people trying to fulfill their own dream.

On the subject of education, when I got to college I found that I could compete with almost all of the people who had all the "advantages" I never had. Our little school had made sure that we could read, write, and that we knew our numbers. Our teachers also taught us to become lifetime learners. It looks to me like all these things are missing from present-day "education." I don't know how we can free ourselves from what we have now, but it seems to me that we must. As with all these things, money is the key. Redirect the money and you will reclaim the power.

It is past time to stop electing "leaders" and start electing REPRESENTATIVES who actually believe their sole responsibility is to REPRESENT THOSE WHO VOTED FOR THEM as our Constitution requires.

I agree with and support the preceding letters requiring a better, minimal, tax system and limiting the ability of the Congress to change it without direct support of the electorate. Reducing, eliminating, and restructuring existing government agencies and departments at ALL levels is absolutely necessary. This awakening is wonderful. Pass it on.

There is no use whatever trying to help

people who do not help themselves. You

cannot push anyone up a ladder unless

he is willing to climb himself.----

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)