Rein in cavalier attitudes on taxes

In response to David Starr’s letter on the Dover Bridge (Bee, July 28), I’ll grant him that there are probably many worthy projects that have benefitted from stimulus funds. The Dover Bridge was the poster child for our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. Perhaps it may stand as a poster child for a successful stimulus project as well. Starr’s call for fairness in disclosure is a wonderful idea. Why doesn’t the Bee print a list in total of all spending projects making up the trillion dollar-plus stimulus bill. I believe readers would be shocked at the overwhelming waste in the package.

During the course of a couple of professional careers, I was required to demonstrate proficiency in my areas of expertise. I’ve taken exams to secure licenses and complete ongoing continuing education to maintain those licenses. As laws change in my industry, a new exam is created.

Why don’t our nation’s lawmakers have to demonstrate proficiency regarding every spending bill they vote on?  It’s obvious that there was no time for the stimulus bill to be scrutinized, yet it was signed into law. Why not craft an exam of each bill under review which each lawmaker would have to pass before being allowed to vote (call it wishful thinking). If a lawmaker can’t demonstrate intimate knowledge of that bill’s content, than that state is passed over in the vote. It would probably only happen once.

Cavalier attitudes regarding spending taxpayers’ money needs to be reigned in. As the country sinks deeper into debt and with the overhaul of national health care looming, when are we going to see more thoughtful, careful deliberation of outcomes and process rather than partisan rush to pass questionable bills.

While doctors sign the Hippocratic Oath, many of our lawmakers have signed the Hypocritic Oath (“Spend unto others as I wouldn’t spend unto myself.”)  It’s time to stop. We demand greater responsibility from those who represent us.

PAUL KRAMES

Sagle