[Alberta's Child]

Fine. Instead of recommending a plan like that, I think Rep. Cox should try the following three-part plan that will be far more effective in solving the problem:

1. No more income tax witholding from paychecks. All income taxes are to be paid in their entirety when a tax return is filed.

2. The deadline for submitting tax returns is hereby changed from April 15th to the Monday in November immediately preceding Election Day.

3. Congress must submit a balanced budget to the President every year. If Congress ever submits a budget in which the government's spending exceeds the government's revenues, every member of Congress (including those who didn't vote for it) will spend that entire fiscal year in a Federal prison, without receiving any compensation for their work.

It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.

[comebacknewt]

1 and 2 are kind of nutty, but 3 makes a lot of sense. I hope we get a constitutional amendment on that one.

[thoughtomator]

I like #2... I think it's brilliant, actually.

[pogo101]

I like #2. And I think it actually is politically doable.

#1 used to be the status quo, prior, I believe, to WW2. Just a "temporary measure," 'twas ... I support it, of course, but I don't think it could pass. No reason not to try, of course.

#3, with all due respect, is lunacy, if you're being serious and not simply blowing off a little hyperbolic steam.