Happy holidays from your welfare sponsor

To the editor:

In response to President Obama's proposed tax and spending increases, I have come up with a great idea to help save the government money. Why don't we take out the middle man?

We should create one list of those forced to pay some of their rightfully earned income and another list of those receiving the money. Just distribute the names of the "have nots" to the "haves" so the "haves" can mail a check directly to them. The more wealth a person has, the more people they send money to.

The exchange of family photos would be a nice touch. This would help bring America closer together. The wealthy people can put all the photos on their refrigerators to help them remember who they are working for. They can stay in touch with letters or exchange Christmas cards (sorry, holiday cards).

I'm pretty sure I will be one of the "have nots." I hope my benefactor lives close to a beach in case I want to visit.

Tom Sheely

HENDERSON

Buried in debt

To the editor:

Your Friday front-page article, "Turning page on Bush era: Obama's 2010 budget unveiled," buried the most important part of the story: the Office of Management and Budget chart on Page 5A, which vividly shows that our current national debt of $11 trillion will increase by an average of more than $1 trillion per year over the next 10 years and beyond.

Unless Congress curtails federal spending, at some point this country may no longer be able to pay the interest on the ever-increasing debt. You can't stimulate a corpse.

Andrew P. Fahey

LAS VEGAS

Over-taxed

To the editor:

Clark County Board of Equalization member Scott Dugan told a taxpayer frustrated with his property tax bill to "go home and enjoy your life" (Saturday Review-Journal).

I wonder what would happen if 30,000 or 40,000 property owners decided on their own that they didn't want to "go home and enjoy life" and decided to reduce their property taxes on their own.

Homeowners who've made their mortgage payments and pay their taxes are justified to feel like they are the suckers in today's economy. Right now, I doubt that many property owners are enjoying life in their depreciated, over-taxed homes.

C. David Harkness

LAS VEGAS