Bush’s Unveils Budget Plan

While our political leaders are dealing with “Difficult Choices On What to Cut” (Tom Redburn’s article on the budget, Part I, Feb. 10), the American people might well initiate some grass-roots activity directed toward that frightening specter, the overall federal debt.

Historically resentful of taxation, we respond time and again, to worldwide disasters with overwhelming generosity. What more deserving appeal to our kindly impulses than the welfare of our future generations?

For starters, here is a suggestion:

Request Congress to authorize a line item on our income-tax forms similar to requests for political campaigns and other causes. It could read: “Please add $ . . . (you decide the amount) to my tax bill, 100% of which will go to Federal Debt Reduction.”

Since 1972, according to IRS officials, political campaigns have received more than $500 million from approximately 20% of all individual tax returns, corporations not included.

If 50 million taxpayers (50%) decided to spare $50 a piece each year for debt reduction, and if corporations, trusts and foundations etc. inspired by our generosity, matched the amount, what a Fourth of July celebration on the White House steps each year when the IRS handed the Treasury secretary a check for $5 billion! “Happy Birthday to Uncle Sam from the folks back home!”

Only a drop in a leaky bucket, you say? But it might start a few waves in the right direction and wouldn’t we all feel pretty good about ourselves?

RUTH McCREERY

Palm Springs