http://www.markbureau.us/index.cfm?a...ype=blog&id=42

Tax Reform Panel's Idea of Tax Reform? Raise Taxes
President Bush's Panel on Tax Reform has leaked what appears to be a peak at what it will recommend in overhauling and reforming the Federal Income Tax Code. Their recommendation so far? It's to raise taxes under the guise of eliminating the Alternative Minimum Tax. Without a detailed history lesson, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) law was passed in the late 1960's because 155 Americans who earned 200,000 dollars or more used legal loopholes to almost eliminate their entire income tax liabilities. Congress closed the loopholes with the AMT yet never put in any provisions for standard inflation. Hence, now millions of middle class Americans are being hit with the AMT in addition to the standard income taxes. In proposing to eliminate the AMT, the Tax Reform Panel, for some reason, feels the need to increase taxes in other areas to make their plan revenue neutral.

And just where are these increases? First, eliminate the mortgage interest deduction on homes with loans more than 350,000.00, and second cap business health care cost deductions at 11,000 dollars per employee, per year.

If this is what tax reform is to the university professors, former politicians and one former Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, on this so-called 'Citizen Panel', then indeed, a second version of the Boston Tea Party is the People's only hope for reigning in an out of control Federal Government.

There is a burning question coming out of this, and no one seems to be asking it. I will if no one else will. And my hope is that I am not alone in asking the question. Why in God's name, does everyone think that tax reform has to be revenue neutral? To protect a bankrupt Social Security program? To continue funding a failed Federal Education Program? To continue a prescription drug program that not even the target audience wants in the first place? Does tax reform need to be revenue neutral so my tax dollars can fund an indoor rain forest in Iowa? Or to renovate Lawrence Welk's homestead?

The answer to that question is to keep people dependant on an intrusive Federal Government. Just looking at the video of New Orleans, Louisiana during the first week of September should have given everyone with half a brain a clue that the entitlement and government bail out programs that are funded by Americans who don't even have a clue how much money is taken from them every week are a miserable failure.

It is time folks to stand up and say enough is enough. This Tax Reform Panel is catering to K Street lobbyists and not the other 290 million people in this country. We need voices to tell this panel they better re-work their proposal. If it's too late for that, then we need 290 million people to concentrate on their one respective representative in Congress and let them know any recommendation that comes from this panel that doesn't ease the burden of the people will result in a changing of the guard.

In the next day or two, I will have letters ready to electronically sign for your congressman to read. I urge people to step up and tell these politicians not only no, but "Hell NO!"
This is not an endorsement for the Fair Tax. It is a call for people to say enough is enough. We can no longer afford to keep lifetime politicians in Washington, DC.