Let’s move a congressional roadblock

Well, the election is over, and we still have the same players as before. It’s time for “We the People” to do something to help break the gridlock and grease the wheels of our Congress. So here’s the plan.

Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform had Republican members of both houses sign a pledge to the taxpayers of their state to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates, and to oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

The following North Carolina elected officials have signed that pledge: Sen. Richard Burr, Reps. Richard Hudson (NC-08), Renee Ellmers (NC-02), Robert Pittenger (NC-09), Walter Jones Jr. (NC-03), Patrick McHenry (NC-10), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Mark Meadows (NC-11), Howard Coble (NC-06) and George Holding (NC-13).

You need to send each an email saying, “I am a North Carolina taxpayer, and I hereby release you from the Americans for Tax Reform pledge you signed. Therefore, I expect you to back any reasonably balanced bill to reduce our deficit.”

Send a copy to Norquist at ideas@atr.com and BCC all local media. Then print two copies of each email and mail them.

— Ben Andrews
Greensboro, N.C.

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