Collinsville, Oklahoma
August 7, 2011
Editorial Ramblings
Ted Wright's Opinions
On Multiple Topics
If I Ran Things ...

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1110 W. Main, Collinsville, OK 74021

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Ted Wright -- last update 8/7/2011 (EditorialAug2011.html) www.cvilleok.com

Copyright 2011 -- Collinsville, Oklahoma
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Ted Note: I have no control over Google ad content below:
U.S. Deficit My disgust level increases daily as Washington politicians continue to try and make the other party look like the one to blame for our out of control budget crisis instead of taking personal responsibility and attempting to seriously solve the problems. I don't think any of them (any party) should get re-elected (or paid) if they can't reach common ground and compromise to reach a lasting agreement. (Previous Coverage)
The longer we wait to spend less than we make (as a nation) the less likely our future success will be. Those of you old enough to remember the "Cold War" will recall that we didn't actually "beat" the Soviet Union, they went bankrupt which is looking more and more realistic for our future if the politicians (at U.S., state, & city levels) don't get this under control.
Entitlement

And it's not just the politicians ... it is each and every American that seems to expect the government to do more for them each year. There are a few that really need help and others that take advantage of the system when they could have gotten by without the government. I don't recommend my lifestyle to anyone else but if I don't have money for something I do without. That includes health care, air conditioning, car repairs, home repairs, and any more than minimal groceries (that I cook myself), travel, etc. It is not likely I will ever be able to "retire" but many seem to "retire" at younger ages and/or double dip tax payer paid pensions. Government "subsidized" retirement is a fairly new invention (1930s) and worked OK when the numbers putting revenue into the system were more favorable compared to the numbers taking revenues out. The ever growing cost of health care and likely government mis-use of social security funds (for other uses) have made that break-over date occur earlier than it would otherwise but it was sure to come eventually. The invention of the IRA for individuals to manage their own retirement funding was a positive step, but far too many have banked too much on the stock market and the asumption that taxes later will be less? The bottom line here is that even though we hope the government will cut someone else's "benefits" but not "mine" will solve nothing. We all will have to give up some and hope the pain is spread equally.

Waste & Fraud It has been my observation that the bigger any government (or private business) gets the less able it is to operate efficiently and defend itself from fraud. The quality of leadership can change that in either direction for large or small organizations.
Equal Taxes Instead of equality being the basis, the U.S. has created a massive set of exceptions and favored status laws for selected groups. We should all pay the exact same tax rate on income and there should be no exceptions, no deductions and no favored groups. The tax laws could be reduced to a single page and we would all have equal opportunity. I would like to see sales tax eliminated with governments currently relying on that revenue source switched to income tax revenues instead. We should not have to pay both to earn money and then again to spend money. If property taxes could also be replaced by income taxes that would make things even cleaner. My own concern to my own recommendation above is how to balance individuals bringing home a paycheck and paying tax on the gross amount -vs- a business that has to spend money to make money ... thus likely needing to pay tax on net income (not gross) and opening the door to what are valid business expenses. And just so you don't underestimate my intent here, it includes eliminating subsidies and tax exemptions to every industry (farm, oil, churches, and other non-profits for example) or individual (veterans, teachers, legislators, ... rich or poor). If we all had the same laws and taxes there would be little or no need for special interest lobbies.
Health Insurance

It is my belief that if everyone paid directly for health care (rather than health insurance) there would be a better chance of controlling the ever-growing cost of health care. Health insurance (as far as I remember) is a fairly recent addition to the health care scene and it has made the problem worse rather than better. Without a direct consumer/service provider supply and demand interaction I don't predict any improvement. Without that improvement, there is no end in sight for the cost of insurance (whether it is provided by private industry or the government).

There is no reason for health care (or lack of) to have any connection to a job or be an expense to an employer. If anyone can't pay for a treatment (or medicine) the solution should be the same for everyone in that situation. I don't claim to know what that solution should be, but again believe if the solution applied to everyone equally we would quickly get to that solution.

Wars Wars incur huge debt (human lives, physically & emotially wounded, financally, and creating future emenies). There may have been a few wars necessary to stop a specific act of agression. Don't start one if there is no realistic achievable mission. End one immediately when there is no incredible gain for each life lost or mangled.
Sports Paying millions of dollars each year for college football coach's salary (or any other sport) is unfair to tax payers and students who continue to see tution and other cost increase each year while they pile up massive student loans which may take a lifetime to repay even if they are lucky enough to get a job when they graduate. I don't care how much revenure a successful football program brings in, as long as their salaries are paid by tax payers they should be no more than the best academic professor. The reason for a university should be to equip students to get "career" jobs without unrealistic debt. Only a handful will have professional athletic "jobs" in their future. I am a big sports fan and recognize the "value" of a winning team, but I suspect a look back at historical coaches salaries and academic salaries would show they used to be more in line.
Government Grants Collinsville has benefitted greatly in the past few years by receiving millions in dollars of government grants. My guess is that there were many years when few or none were received. My point being that grants (from tax payer money) are likely awarded on somewhat unfair basis by a variety of government agencies driven to favor select groups, governments, or individuals with no direction from tax payers. And I assume these grants are part of the huge budgets of some government agency somewhere that will need to be cut to balance the US & State budgets. So my recommendation is eliminate all grants. If there is a need for a project, let the local tax payers decide if they want to pay for it.
Hopefully I've stepped on everyone's toes by now and can stop, having left the impression that we all must contribue to reach a solution to our debt crisis and oversized government. -- Ted Wright Aug. 7, 2011
Letters
I will accept a few letters to add to this page (email wrightted@aol.com) but I won't publish any submitted without a name to be published and I request that you address the main topic which is switching to a basis of laws that apply equally to everyone. I'm not interested in publishing why your favorite group or exception or exemption must remain. If you think that is true, you are missing my point. You don't have to agree with me but I would like to limit the followup to that level or alternatives at that level. I do realize that there are so many (well funded) special interests controlling our government that this solution is unlikely. -- Ted Wright 8/7
Example: Congressional Reform
I don't know the original source to cite for the recommendation below (which is a subset of the larger proposal I make above) but have seen it multiple time in emails the past year or so. I am definitely in favor. -- Ted
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!

From cvilleok Viewers
(& Elected Officials)
Well said Ted...everybody (especially the govt) should learn to live within their means!
--
Tracey Jarrard (8/8/2011)
One final comment that applies to everyone: if you buy something that you have to pay interest on, you pay more that it is worth. Save your money and buy it when you have cash. -- Ted Wright 8/8/2011
Hey Ted,
Another thing that would help solve our massive debt problems is if Congress quit blaming each other and accepted personal responsibility. We have all put on our blinders for decades while our government has spent money that they simply don't have. I supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan from the onset until I realized they were ridiculously expensive (both money and lives) and accomplished nothing more than commit America's money to huge nation-building operations. We all need to come forward and admit to contributing to this problem. When an addict begins to recover, the first step is admitting that they have a problem so that they acknowledge that there is something to fix. Let's all admit our spending addiction. -- Steven James (8/9/2011)
Thanks for sending this to me. I really appreciate it. I can't wait to read all of the responses you get!
-- Rick Brinkley (8/9/2011)
Ted:
Thank you for sending me your editorial. I must tell you I agree with you on all your points. I share your position on entitlements 100%!!! Please continue to let me know your thoughts and by all means let me know if you see me going in a direction that you think we should talk and why I supported an issue. Until then we must continue to spread the word we have to stop spending the taxpayers money to grow government. I will continue to do my part at the State level.

Thank you for all you do for me and Collinsville.

Earl Sears (8/10/2011)

Dear Mr. Wright,

Thank you for contacting me with your thoughts and concerns. It was good to hear from you and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

I always welcome input from Oklahomans on issues that affect them and I greatly appreciate insight and true concern on such critical issues. Please know that as I continue to work toward positive legislation that benefits all Oklahomans, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

I appreciate you taking the time to contact my office and am honored to serve you and the First district of Oklahoma. If you would like information on issues, or would like to share your thoughts with me via e-mail, you may visit my website at http://sullivan.house.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me again should you have further concerns on federal legislation or programs.
Sincerely,

John Sullivan
Member of Congress (8/16/2011)

Dear Friend: Thank you for taking the time to write me. I have received your letter and I value your input, which is why I will personally read your letter. Please allow me time to review your correspondence to ensure you receive an accurate, detailed and thoughtful response to your inquiry. It may take at least 30 days or as many as 60 days to reply due to the heavy volume of mail that I receive. I appreciate your patience as you await my response. If this matter is time sensitive matters, please contact my office at (202)224-5754 and my staff is ready and happy to assist you. Sincerely, Tom Coburn, M.D. U.S. Senator
(8/22/2011)

Senator Colburn's Reply
January 26, 2012

Mr. Ted Wright
1110 W. Main
Collinsville, Oklahoma 74021

Dear Mr. Wright,

Thank your sharing your "Equal Laws and Equal Taxes, Debt Crisis Editorial" webpage in August. It is good to hear from you, and I apologize for my delayed response.

I share your concern over our nation's deficit and debt. You are correct in your assessment that it is necessary for all of us to make sacrifices if we are to get control of the $15 trillion national debt. Federal spending has doubled in size since Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, and now, in FY 2012, the government is expected to spend over $3.6 trillion, nearly $1 trillion of which will be deficit spending. This means currently, Congress borrows 27 cents out of every dollar it spends, constantly adding to our $15 trillion national debt at a rate of $35,000 every single second. If we continue on this course, the national debt will grow so large it will undermine our economy. The deficit must be sharply reduced as soon as possible if we are to avoid this situation.

I greatly appreciate the willingness you express to personally sacrifice for the benefit of future generations. This is the kind of attitude that will be essential if we are to preserve our nation as a land of freedom and opportunity for our children and grandchildren.

You may be interested to know that in July 2011, I released a comprehensive deficit-reduction plan, Back in Black, which scrutinizes every corner of the federal budget, outlining $9 trillion in detailed, specific savings over ten years. If fully implemented, within the next decade the federal budget would be balanced and the national debt would be on a sustainable, declining path. The full plan and a concise summary are available on my website at: http://1.usa.gov/qCwHD8.

Thank you again for writing. Best wishes, and may God bless you.

Sincerely,

Tom A. Coburn, M.D.

United States Senator