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Ideas to improve our country, our lives

Here are a few suggestions for improving our country, and our lives.

  Have the IRS collect the taxes that are owed – that could be millions.

  Simplify the tax code.

  Lower the corporate tax rate to 18 percent.

  Eliminate subsidies and last-minute insertion of hidden tax benefits in bills.

  Change our policies that cause and permit local corporate headquarters to be located outside of our country. Some do not pay U.S. taxes or their fair share.

  Follow the money in Medicare and change procedures and corruption.

  Save Medicare and Social Security as we know it today by eliminating waste and instituting efficiency in all government agencies, including the military.

  That and more is where you can balance the budget without affecting the middle class and educational needs.

  Prevent all legislators from voting on a bill and being able to work as a lobbyist, consultant or employee for two years thereafter, for the industry or company that benefited from said vote. Make it a criminal as well as a civil action.

  Tie the minimum wage to the House of Representatives wage increases.

  Strengthen banking regulations, especially the Dodd–Frank Bill, so that it, finally, prevents too big to fail and risk taking. Bring back the Graham– Rudman law.

  Why didn’t those that caused the financial crisis get jail terms for fraud?

  Start a “Buy Made in America” campaign, with product labels and promotions.

  Have the expenditure of federal monies for projects in our country require the exclusive use of American products. The new San Francisco Bay Bridge is using Chinese steel, not American steel. The Chinese government insists, do not buy from outside countries that which can be produced in our country. We must do the same.

  Have the government subsidize American manufacturing so their prices can compete with the Chinese approach that gains control of whole industries, ie, solar panels.

  Study those countries’ policies that have been proven successful in keeping employment balanced and growing, and then copy them.

  The single most important legislation is a serious election finance reform that eliminates conflict of interest in both houses of Congress, that culminates not in civil or procedural discipline, but rather jail terms.

  Our government is corrupt and has conflicts of interest. We are sold out to the highest-bidding lobbyist. Clean up the mess!

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  David T. Artson is a resident of Sonoma.