Health, Taxes, and Payroll

     My ideas for a better Congress, for a functioning America, on 3 fronts - health care, taxes, and payroll.

     Let's talk about universal health care first. Certain members of Congress oppose the Affordable Health Care Act. I would like them to put their principles where there mouths are and refuse to accept the wonderful health care insurance that comes with their jobs. To digress just a little, I know a person who ran in the
Pennsytlvania primaries for U S Senate in 1992 because, and just because of the
health care benefits. Fortunately, not a winner. Nevertheless, the members of
Congress who oppose universal health care should, unless they are morally
bankrupt, refuse the health care that comes with their jobs. And all of their
staffers should too. 

     Taxes - Since it may or may not be true that Mitt Romney paid no income taxes - all legal - changes must be made in the tax laws. I'd start with eliminating taxes on all taxable income of less than $40,000.00. Income over that amount would be taxed at increasing rates. I don't have access to all the numbers and the number crunchers, but I'm sure the people who are analyzing the moneys in and the moneys out can figure out the right percentages and rates.

     And finally, payroll. Members of Congress, their supporting staffs, their expenses, their petty cash accounts are all paid from the taxes that we pay. Every member of Congress should take pay cuts, so that their salaries are no higher than the median salaries of the people who pay them. That's US.

     A little about me. I am almost 73 years old with a BA and MA from an ivy league university. I am a member of Phi Beta Kappa.