Dear Senator (You may send this to your own Senator if you wish.)
re: S.1323, a bill to express the sense of the Senate on shared sacrifice in resolving the budget deficit.
I am compelled by events, in particular the pending budgetary measures facing you, the 112th Congress, to emphasize certain very basic points. Hence this missive.But first, I urge you --- via your staff who will first view this entreaty – not to quickly discard this into the “pile” of messages from “disgruntled constituents.” I may be a disgruntled constituent, but I am one who fully recognizes that it is within my power to remove you and your fellow legislators from office. I am cognizant of the fact that I am your employer, that I provide your salary and benefits, and that I can and will terminate your employment should that become necessary. And I am seething with discontent over the demonstrated inability of the 112th Congress to adequately address the needs of this Nation!
That said as a preface, I shall simply make the following clearly stated points:
* I oppose plans to reduce Social Security and Medicare benefits to current retirees.
(This is not a routine “NIMBY” response. You need to recognize that I – and others like me – have paid “taxes” – whether or not we opted to do so -- into these programs. In my case, I paid into both of these programs for more than 45 years, and I paid at the higher end of the then existing scales.)
* I oppose the lack of distinction between “retiree” benefits and “welfare” support.
* I vehemently oppose the use of Social Security funding for “disability” programs.
(What I oppose is not that funds are made available to the disabled, but rather the source of those funds.)
* I oppose Federal funding (my tax contributions) in support of the following items:
-- Planned Parenthood
-- Public Broadcasting (I use and enjoy public broadcasting, and I contribute to it. But, I do not believe the taxpayers of the United States, especially those who may not have an interest in it, should be taxed just because I like PBS.)
-- Farm subsidies *see note (below)
-- Embryonic stem cell research (stem cell, yes. embryonic, no.)
* I propose:
1. Trim 10% across-the-board from the federal budget.
2. Trim 90% from federal travel budgets.
3. Reduce ( both staffing and budget)by 80% these Executive Branch Departments:
4. If legislation for a new program requires funding, reduce existing programs to fund it.
5. Adopt a flat 5% income tax for all individuals, all business, no deductions.
6. Adopt a flat 5% federal retail sales tax. All items. No exceptions.
7. Honor commitments to military veterans, senior citizens.
8. Get the federal government out of the health-care business, the education business, and business (oversight, yes, operating, no).
9. Let state governments run the states. If you mandate state action, pay for it.
10. Use tax credits to help rebuild this nation’s transportation and energy infrastructure.
*Note regarding farm subsidies: Discontinue the program in its entirety. Then, reestablish the program only for those farm businesses which have a documented business record of having produced food crops for a period to include the five years prior to the receipt of subsidies. In brief: farm subsidies are to be payable only to those who actually produce farm products as their chief means of livelihood.
These steps, Sir, outlined above, are the basis upon which I will evaluate your performance. Should your performance fail to achieve these goals, I, and many others of like mind, will terminate your current employment.
Thank you, and Respectfully yours
Signed: Frank W. Tilton, Hills of Shenandoah, Virginia
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