Fantastic idea from a Hartmann caller/ statement for tax payers

[shireen]

Earlier, a caller to Thom Hartmann's show suggested that the government should issue a statement to all taxpayers about how our tax money is being spent each year.

That is one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time. A scary fraction of the tax-paying public does not pay attention. Imagine reading a statement on how their money is spent. Would that be just fascinating? LOL!

I'm gonnna write Congress and encourage them to enact legislation for that. The GAO would treat it fairly without any partisan bias. If you like it, please do the same!

[LSK]

1. dont you know 99% of it goes to welfare moms?

:sarcasm:

[Gold Metal Flake]

2. It should include graphs of where the tax dollars come from.

It should also show the percentage of income or profit vs. percentage of tax paid. This would include corporations. It should also include all forms of debt.

[Straight Shooter]

3. I don't see why not. Counties do that for your property tax statement.

It would be nice for people to wake up and smell the coffee when they see the huge apportionment of tax dollars which feed the military machine. It's staggering.

[skipos]

4. Godd idea. State Farm, MBNA, etc break it down. Uncle Sam should too.

[dkofos]

5. Great idea

If this doesn't piss off the tax paying public, there is no hope.

[shireen]

6. My Letter -- please write to Congress as well!

I wrote this letter to Sen. Mikulski. It's brief and to-the-point, but I have a feeling she'll get the real message.

I've also Cc'd ranking minority members of certain critical committees -- for their emails or phone numbers, I've tried to use the committee contact info, but when it was not available, I used the contact info meant for their constituents. I made a point to include the Congressional Black Caucus because this is a group that knows how to get things done!

Please please please ... contact your members of Congress as well and the Cc list. We need to demand accountability for how our tax dollars are being spent! Feel free to use my letter as a template, just change it around slightly to personalize it so it does not look like a form letter.

Appended below the letter is contact info for the Cc list. I was unable to get emails for some, and plan to fax them from work on Monday.


-------------------------------


Dear Senator Mikulski,


I believe that all U.S. taxpayers should receive an annual national expense report detailing how the government has spent our tax dollars during each fiscal year. This report should also provide information about budget deficits or surpluses, and in the case of deficits, a list of our main debtors.

Ideally, this report should be a booklet included with the tax forms packages that we receive each year.

Tax-payers deserve to receive direct unfiltered reports from our government about how our money is being spent. The GAO, which has a reputation for being a fair and accurate research group, should issue this report directly to the American people without any "censorship" from the Congress and Executive Office.

Please consider introducing legislation to make this possible. I am sending this same request to my other two Congressional Representatives, Senator Sarbanes and Congressman Cardin.

Thank you for all the wonderful work you continue to do for our State of Maryland!



Best wishes,
Shireen Gonzaga
Baltimore, MD


Cc: Sen. Harry Reid, Senate Democratic Leader
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader
Rep. Mel Watts, Chair, Congressional Black Caucus
Rep. David Obey, Ranking Democratic Member, House Committee on Appropriations
Rep. John Spratt, Ranking Democratic Member, House Budget Committee
Rep. Henry Waxman, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Government Reform
Sen. Kent Conrad, Ranking Democratic Member, Senate Budget Committee
Sen. Robert Byrd, Ranking Democratic Member, Senate Committee on Appropriations



-------------------------
Cc contact info

Sen. Harry Reid, Senate Democratic Leader
Email: http://reid.senate.gov/email_form.cfm
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader
Email: [e-mail]
Email: http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact/contact.html (constituents only)
Phone: [phone]
Fax:

Rep. Mel Watt, Chair, Congressional Black Caucus
Email:
phone: [phone]
fax: [phone]

Rep. David Obey, Ranking Democratic Member, House Committee on Appropriations
Email:
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

Rep. John Spratt, Ranking Democratic Member, House Budget Committee
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Rep. Henry Waxman, Ranking Democratic Member, Committee on Government Reform
Email: http://www.democrats.reform.house.gov/contact.asp
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Sen. Kent Conrad, Ranking Democratic Member, Senate Budget Committee
Email: conrad.senate.gov/webform.html
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Sen. Robert Byrd, Ranking Democratic Member, Senate Committee on Appropriations
Email: http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[ThomWV]

7. A Pie-Chart Right On The Fuggin Tax Form

Right where you sign your name.