Dear Politicians...

With talks on raising the debt ceiling falling apart, allow me to offer this:

Oliver Wendell Holmes said something along the line of 'taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.' Yet culturally in this country, neither party has the moral high ground when it comes to taxes. Citizens want things from the government yet at the same time, we don't want to have to pay for them, which presents a problem when you're trying to put your fiscal house in order. Greybeards and old fogies may show up at Tea Party Rallies railing against big government, but ask them to take a cut in their Social Security or Medicare, they'll string the politician foolish enough to do that from the nearest lamppost and send the folks in Hoverrounds the get the tar and feathers.

It's a maddening problem, a veritable Gordian knot- but how about we do what the President's own budget commission reccomended and broaden the tax base while at the same time lowering rates?

Yes, that's right. Close those loopholes for everyone and lower taxes at the same time? Could that possibly be acceptable? I also think that a 1 year income tax holidy and extending the payroll tax holiday aren't bad notions either- even if it might involve some fiscal pain in the short term, it'd be a shot of direct economic stimulus placed into the hands of consumers and citizens directly. Which is an idea I like.

Just a thought...

UPDATED: Well, hoo-dawgy! The President has thrown down and said that a deal must be done in TEN DAYS! No word from the Republicans yet on what they think, but one thing I'm now convinced of is that we need something truly game changing from both sides.

What does that mean? Well, for the Republican side of things, it means breaking free of the evil grip of Grover Norquist and swinging for the fences. Structurally shrink the government. Implement the FairTax! Raise the retirement age on social security! THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!

For the President and the Democrats, this means showing some sign that evolution beyond the box of 1960s progressive bullshit thinking is possible. The trends don't lie: people want government to do certain things for them- not everything, but certain things, things that are important to you, like Health Care and the like- yet curiously, they don't want to pay for them. Square that circle and it will be game changing.

But both sides need to produce specifics and fast! Make the case to the American people and be bold. This is our fiscal future we're talking about here- no time for biz-nass as usual.

Another good idea to throw out there: end the war on drugs. It's a waste of money!