Your Opinion: Flat Tax challenge

Dear Editor:

Comanche Chief Ten Bears once said: "It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double tongues."

Fair Tax supporters were surprised when they found out, after the November election, that U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer is not going to co-sign the Fair Tax Bill, HR25, as he had promised for two years. What happened? His comments may have been misinterpreted for two years, or perhaps, the dreaded double tongue that saddened Chief Ten Bears is still affecting government officials.

Our nation is in the biggest financial crisis since the great depression and losing our position in the world. Why do we have an income tax that is an unnecessary burden on our nation? Obviously, it impedes and does not promote our economy. Immediately ripping the current tax code out by the roots and replacing it with the Fair Tax should be the first step in getting back on the path of a strong and independent America.

In addition to not signing on to the Fair Tax, Rep. Luetkemeyer apparently does not understand the urgency of replacing the income tax. He now proposes repealing the 16th Amendment before passing a replacement. Repealing the 16th Amendment, which authorized the income tax, is not required for passing a replacement and would result in an unacceptable delay of many years, perhaps seven years. The congressman is kicking our tax problem down the road and telling taxpayers to preserve.

Rep. Luetkemeyer has had two years to review and talk about correcting the tax code problem; he amazingly still needs to answer the following questions:

Is the Fair Tax the best replacement for the income tax? (Recently, he mentioned two other options, the Flat Tax and Value Added Tax.)

Is there urgency in replacing the income tax?

Taxpayers of the 9th District should demand answers from Rep. Luetkemeyer that Chief Ten Bears would characterize as having "iron in your words."