Jeff,

I would like to see a push in Congress to cut or eliminate the Capital Gains Tax. This tax punishes small business owners and entrepreneurs who risk everything to create jobs and strengthen our economy. The elimination of the capital gains tax would promote entrepreneurship, boost incentives for business creation, and create more jobs for Americans.

Tags : capital gains tax

The Department of Education is one of the biggest wastes of all time. First off, the constitution doesn’t allow for the federal government to be involved in education. That should be enough, but unfortunately most people these days consider the constitution as just a piece of paper. So, we must show why it is a waste. Ever since the Department of Education was established, American children have been declining in every subject when compared to other nations. So even it is unconstitutional and makes things worse, it is still an important agency. Right? Ok, taken directly from the department website; the Department of Education has a budget of $68.6 billion dollars. That’s right $68.6 BILLION. But then below this section on their budget they state clearly “it is important to point out that education in America is primarily a State and local responsibility”. $68.6 billion for a SECONDARY agency to the state and local governments. Now, when I think about it, it is crazy to want to abolish this waste of our hard earned dollars. We should keep paying to dumb down our children, SARCASM! Please abolish this Department!

Tags : education

Jeff,

I would encourage you to support the Fair Tax act (HR 25) historically sponsored by Representative Linder of Georgia.

The FairTax Act is nonpartisan legislation that eliminates personal and corporate income taxes, gift, estate, social security, medicare, etc taxes and replaces them with a visible federal retail sales tax.

The FairTax allows workers to keep 100% of their paycheck. It further:
-Is pro-growth and creates jobs by making American products more competitive for export.
-Ensures everyone pays their share of taxes including criminals and illegal immigrants.
-Is progressive by exempting all legal, resident, American taxpayers from federal taxation up to the poverty level through a monthly rebate.
-Dramatically lowers taxes for low and middle income Americans.
-Eliminates the time and expense wasted on IRS record keeping.
-Leaves unchanged the amount of money raised by the federal government.

Ultimately this bill gives more control back to citizens, both of the government and in their own financial lives. Much of the critism of this legislation is unfounded and has been addressed in detail by Americans for Fair Taxation. For more information on this legislation, visit www.fairtax.org.

Thank you for your consideration and service.
Best of luck in November!

Either abolish the EPA or put it under the auspices of the Department of the Interior. This would limit the ability of the special interest groups from holding our economy hostage.

I just heard of the Merida initiative. Mexico is a very wealthy country. Why do we give them aid? To keep their friendship!? We're not the world's ATM machine. Mexico has great oil wealth and natural resources. Mexico is a good size and has fertile volcanic soils and good climate. It has Pacific and Caribbean fishing, shipping and world-class beach resorts; proximity to first rate markets for its goods; a willing and inexpensive workforce. It's a democracy with freedom of speech, religion, etc.

Taxes...Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing.

Www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html

Taxes under Clinton 1999 Taxes under Bush 2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single making 30K - tax $8,400 Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000 Single making 50K - tax $12,500

Single making 75K - tax $23,250 Single making 75K - tax $18,750

Married making 60K - tax $16,800 Married making 60K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000 Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750 Married making 125K - tax $31,250

Both Democratic candidates will return to the higher tax rates
It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama
or Hillary are elected, they both say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't wait
for it to happen. This is like the movie The Sting with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what happened

Stop the budget busting process of earmarks. Billions of lard just to reward key voting blocks in member's districts.

Tags : lamborn tax and spender 5th congressional district colorado

I'd like for Jeff to consider the idea of single issue bills at the federal level like we have in Colorado. This allows voters the ability to truly see what issue was voted for or against and allows for more accountability in government.

Earmarks allow members of Congress to do an end run around the budget process of evaluating projects on their merits. Earnmarks are used to award pet projects to the friends of members of Congress or to buy votes. Stop this unethicial process!

Tags : earmarks congress lamborn 5th cd colorado

It is apparent that there are duplicative federal and state programs that are competing for the same funding and also serving the same population segment. It is essential that a top to bottom review be accomplished of all state and federal support programs to ensure the intended citizens are served and reduce federal and state funding through the elimination of duplicate and overlapping support programs.

Tags : duplicate federal and state programs

The Federal Reserve needs to be licked to the curb. The Founding Fathers found out early that a centralized bank doesn’t work well when the Constitutional Dollar collapsed. They inflate our money supply by printing more money when we come up with shortfalls, which causes our money to be worth less and less. This is hurting middle class America very bad since prices for everything are going up due to inflation and other factors in our money supply. I know this isn't a direct Government Agency, but it still needs to be addressed since Congress has the power to appeal the FED!

Tags : federal reserve

Is it possible to change the way the Congress is paid? How about if the State that the Congressman or Senator is from were responsible for the salary. Maybe there could be some accountability if the congress didn't pay themselves.

I have been hammered with the propaganda that it is the Iraq war and the war on terror that is bankrupting us. I now find that to be RIDICULOUS.

I have included the URL's for verification of all the following facts.

1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year by state governments.
Verify at: http://tinyurl.com/zob77

2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens.
Verify at:


3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://www.cis..org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of
English!
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.0.html

5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare &
social services by the American taxpayers.
Verify at:
http://premium.cnn.com/TRANSCIPTS/0610/29/ldt.01.html

9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ldt.01.html

10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In
particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US
Verify at:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/12/ldt.01.html

11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens
from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border.
Verify at: Homeland Security Report:
http://tinyurl.com/t9sht

12. The National Policy Institute, 'estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an
average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period.'
Verify at:
http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute.org/pdf/deportation.pdf

13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances
back to their countries of origin.
Verify at:
http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm

14. 'The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million
Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States.'
Verify at:
http://www.drdsk.com/articleshtml

The total cost is a whopping $338.3 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

In just one year. Remember the election in 2006?
Thought you might like to read the following:
A little over one year ago:

1) Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high;
2) Regular gasoline sold for $2.19 a gallon;
3) The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

Since voting in a Democratic Congress in 2006 we have seen:

1) Consumer confidence plummet;
2) The cost of regular gasoline soar to over $3.50 a gallon;
3) Unemployment is up to 5% (a 10% increase);
4) American households have seen $2.3 trillion in equity value evaporate (stock and mutual fund losses);
5) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $1.2 trillion dollars; <
6) 1% of American homes are in foreclosure.

America voted for change in 2006, and we got it!

Remember it's Congress that makes law not the President.
He has to work with what's handed to him.

I think Congress should push hard for moving America to alternative energy sources. We need to stop our dependency on foreign oil and the global market. How much better off would we be if we provided our OWN energy?! I think all avenues should be pursued, responsibly drilling on and off shore, switching to clean coal, use wind, solar, and water efficiently to produce energy. I don't think that a MASS solution to the gas problem will work, I think certain regions of the country will pursue energy options that work best for them. I also think if the government is going to subsidise anyone, it should be homeowners and small businesses, encouraging them to use smart energy rather than huge companys.
And while you're at it, abolish the stupid carbon tax and stormwater tax. Humans emit carbon dioxide when we breathe, trees and plants use this to make oxygen, this is NATURAL, not pollution. And I dont understand the idea of taxing people off of RAIN! I cant control the weather, dont tax me for it!

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA); this agency is not just a waste of your hard earned dollars it is really dangerous. Through its policies and labeling programs it is effectively keeping you from being able to make informed decisions about what you eat. You will never know if you are eating meat from a cloned cow or not. Forget about whether it is safe or not, you won’t have a choice because you will never know.
Have you noticed how many so called safe drugs are being recalled, because they actually weren’t safe? How about the recent news about Vytorin? It lowers your cholesterol but doesn’t have any effect on coronary heart disease, which is what it is for. Could it be that cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease are not related? Could it be that the best selling drug of all time at over $10 billion dollars a year (Lipitor) is actually a poison and has no effect on the condition of your cardiovascular system? It is and doesn’t, but you will never believe it. The FDA and partners, you say, are there to protect us. Really? Then why did eight of the nine members of the panel that determined the “proper” cholesterol levels receive payments from the pharmaceutical companies that manufactured these drugs? What seems crazy to you? Get rid of this useless and sometimes dangerous department!!!!

Tags : fda drugs dangerous

There needs to be full and open and easily accessible disclosure of who bribes which congressmembers for how much. There needs to be a website searchable both by lobbiest and congressperson where any of us can go see who is peddling influence to who and for how much, then link legislation voted up or down to those bribes. Proverbs says that bribes corrupt the judgment of rulers. That needs to end in this nation as much as we can. We the people need to see who gets what from who. Every lobbiest and every government official needs to openly disclose all such "transactions."

Tags : lobbying, corruption

I know of a man in Denver who in the 1980s took delivery of a brand new Ford truck. At first he thought the gas gauge wasn't working, but when he checked and a mechanic friend of mine carefully checked with him, they found that the truck was getting 80+ miles per gallon. When he took the truck in for it's 6000 mile check, he stood and watched and listened. When they pulled the truck into the bay, the shop foreman lifted the hood and looked, then shouted out, "We found it." When the owner of the truck drove it home it was getting the "normal" gas mileage we've grown acustomed to. I know of another man in Tulsa who had the exact same experience, only in his case Ford called him up and promised him a new truck if he would bring the one he had back in. He refused. He liked the one he had. He lived in an apartment where the truck had to be parked outside. He went out one morning and the truck was gone. Withholding advanced technology, or suppressing it, whether in mechanical or medical or whatever fields, ought to be a criminal offense. Any company caught doing it needs to be publically exposed and loose their patent, and probably fined too.

Tags : technology, economy, healthcare, inventions

Recently Congress sent the latest Farm Bill to the president. The bill features brand new federal programs, expansion of existing subsidies, more food stamps and more foreign food aid. This bill hits the taxpayer hard, while at the same time ensuring food prices will remain elevated. The president vetoed the bill, citing concerns over its costs and subsidies for the wealthy in a time of high food prices and record farm income. Nevertheless, this over-reaching, government-expanding Farm Bill will soon be law.

The truth is most farmers simply want honest pay for honest work. However, if the government is providing competing farms with advantages, and one wants to remain a farmer, one must seek a proportional advantage from government. It is a difficult position for the farmer. Some are better at qualifying for taxpayers’ largesse than others as evidenced by the fact that more than 60% of the subsidies go to just 10% of recipients, edging out the small family farm. This entire system is unfair and demoralizing. It disproportionately benefits big agribusiness at the expense of struggling family farms.

Tags : farm bill taxpayers

Congress selling carbon credits? When did congress acquire ownership of the atmosphere?

Unless the IRS and the Federal tax guidelines are done away with, suggest an update of the allowable mileage deduction for volunteer/charitable vehicle use. The rate for 2007 was $0.14/mile vs $0.20 for medical miles and ~$0.50 for business miles. The $0.14 for volunteer has been the same for many years, the business rate goes up practically avery year. Does it cost less for volunteers, and medical needs, than for businesse to operate their vehicles? Why the discrepancy and why not more equitable treatment of tax payers?

Tags : fed tax deductions

I am glad to see that you are now willing to listen to some voter input, since you completely tuned us out at the assembly. Why don't you have some courage to really it down and listen to what the voters have to say rather then retreat behind these types of phony message boards. More then half of the people at the assembly voiced their dissapproval with you, and yet you continue to claim that you recieved 100 percent of the votes. The majority was silenced, is that how you will conduct your business if in Congress?

When Social Security was instituted, a person didn't receive benefits until they turned 65. At that time, the average lifespan was 62 years. I believe we need to raise the age at which SS benefits are given. I'd like to see an incremental increase in the age occur every 3-5 years.

You repeatedly claim that you will eliminate earmarks. My question is, how does this help the situation here in Colorado. We are currently a donor state, by cutting earmarks we will no doubt continue to be a donor state. How does turning over all funding to the bureaucracy help any of the party's involved? This will only reduce transparency in the federal government, and will hurt the Colorado tax-payer in the long run. There are good earmarks afterall.

Currently credit unions enjoy a subsidized and special exemption in our financial markets. They pay no income tax, sales tax, personal property tax and pay property tax only if the CU is in ownership of real propeerty. Credit unions do not meet the same safety and soundness standards of commercial banks. Remove credit unions from their exempt status, be exposed to the examination of safety and soundness criteria as commercial banks and evenly compete with other financial institutions.