IMPORTANCE OF TAXES, DISSENT, AND SELFISHNESS LETTER (12/03/04)

To the Editor:I read the subject letter over and over and decided to respond to Mr. Avery's remarks. Firstly, his struggle with the outcome of our recent election is fine, as well as self imposed, but his rationale for struggling is misguided and naive. If he had done his homework he would know that political pollsters have been asking the "moral value" question at least since Jimmy Carter was elected and the numbers with regard to relevance and importance have in some instances been higher than reported in the 2004 election. Secondly, and most importantly, his views with regard to taxes and tax cuts are frightening. As a parent with a child in college, a mortgage, car payment, etc., I feel that I already pay too much in taxes and rarely benefit form the basic services he so dearly embraces. I work from January through August to pay the taxes I owe; yes, eight months for the Government and 4 months for my family! Again, Mr. Avery has done a wonderful job espousing every Democratic talking point we heard during this past election season; some even leaning towards a socialist society and government, i.e., his perception of health insurance. Read about some of the recent lawsuits in Canada and England (both socialist health systems) about people suing their Government because loved ones died waiting to see a doctor and/or be scheduled for surgery!Take a moment and think about the most recent government spending bill laden with approximately 12,000 earmarked items that will cost the taxpayers $15.8 Billion (yes, billion with a B)! Let's look at some of these (just for fun); $100,000 for a film festival in Rochester, NY, $921,000 for hardwood tree studies in Indiana, $3,000,000 for grape genetics in NY, $500,000 for jazz at the Lincoln Center in NY, $250,000 for "traffic calming" in Florida, $350,000 for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famed in OH, and on and on and on. You get the picture; every year we, the taxpayers are burdened with a growing number of special interest, earmarked provisions slipped into the bill by our elected officials. The list grows exponentially every year by thousands of no-priority spending line items that continually increase our federal budget leaving the taxpayers to foot the bill with little or no benefit from these useless expenditures.Even though you have little use for President Bush and his policies, at least recognize one of his most important priorities- budget reform, including a line item veto, but again, it seems unlikely that the Congress that we elect will allow this reform to happen. I agree with your right to raise your voice in dissent, but consider using your discussions, writings, art, and music to address budget reform and vote for those individuals who support the elimination of inserting pointless, expensive spending provisions on their own, without a mandate from the full House and Senate. Perhaps your voices will call for the responsibility in Washington we so desperately need.When we eliminate the irresponsible, useless pork barrel spending, perhaps you and your generation will benefit more from the tax dollars you will start paying into the system in a positive fashion. Yes Mr. Avery, your vision is important but please base your ideology on facts as opposed to fiction.Thank you.Robert L. Siegel105 Church Hill RoadLedyard, CT 06339860.245-3802 (W)860.464-1221