Taxing Questions for Bush

* As one who has been a tax professional for the past 40 years, I think that we should consider some real tax reform, rather than just tax reductions. The taxes on earned income (Social Security and Medicare) should be eliminated. These are the most regressive taxes and impact the working poor and middle class. These benefits should be based on need and not paid for solely by working people.

Why should someone earning money by his or her labor pay more taxes than, say, someone who receives just interest and dividends? Why should capital gains be taxed at an even lower rate? Why should inheritances and gifts not be taxed at all? Why should we provide a tax break for those entrepreneurs who lose money?

Since major tax changes are coming, we should consider some alternatives that will provide some fairness to working taxpayers and encourage the work ethic.

JOHN D. STOLLER

Encino

*

* I was drawn to your March 1 editorial, “Out-of-Kilter Budget,” which was constructed around a weak, over-simplistic premise: “But we Americans are the government.” This hopelessly naive assumption ignores the bloated, unresponsive, self-perpetuating juggernaut that, in fact, has become the federal government--an entity stuffed with self-serving bureaucrats who make policy decisions that affect us all and wasteful budgets which, when applied toward providing infrastructure for Americans, in the end actually produce little of con-sequence.

And yes, this middle-class voter really does want his money back. I will express my concern for millions of uninsured people and “unprotected” resources on my own terms, with my own money. I do not need--nor have I ever voted for--some bureaucrat to administer my concern and money for me.

PAUL M. SMITH

Dana Point

*

* Quid pro quo, political corruption. The same thing, time and time again--rich people using their mad money to create mischief in politics. And His Residency wants to give 50% of the tax return to the wealthiest 1%. My friend Ari refers to the Bush tax cut plan as the “second Rich pardon.” And so it goes. Vote Green.

JOHN P. LEPO

Alhambra

*

* Six months ago the Fed was raising interest rates to try to slow the economy. That means some of our top economists, Alan Greenspan and the rest of the Federal Reserve Board members, couldn’t see what the economy would be like six months down the road. Now our president is pushing for a $1.6-trillion tax cut based on a 10-year forecast of the economy. If this isn’t fiscal insanity, I don’t know what is.

BERNARD RAPKIN

Los Angeles

*

* If a 5% tax cut or refund cured a “downturn” or “recession,” we would never, ever have any serious economic problems in this country. Get real!

HERB WALLERSTEIN

Beverly Hills