Letter to the editor: Government broken beyond repair

Our country is almost $30 trillion in debt. We have no provision for a balanced budget in our Constitution, and Congress does nothing. We need term limits for Congress.

The IRS is even worse — 14 million people are still waiting for a return for their 2019 taxes. I am one of those owed well over $1,000 since 2019, even though I have enlisted my congressman’s help. If I had owed over $1,000 in taxes since 2019, the government would have begun the collection process and levied my bank account.

Just weeks ago, the government proposed a bill to keep them informed of any deposits made over $600. Luckily, the outcry of the people against this made them change it to $10,000.

If our broken government owes you money, the message is clear: too bad.

I’ve been fighting for my money for a very long time now, but, even with congressional help, I am still in limbo. What’s sad is that I’m not the only one going through this. As a 76-year-old woman who served her country along with her submarine senior chief husband for 21 years, I’d rather be enjoying my retirement than enduring the stress of trying to correct errors of a broken, needlessly complicated income tax system.

The rich, Congress and our government are never going to use common sense and go to a flat tax. Why? There would be no loopholes for them. I am very sad about what has become of our country’s government. It is broken beyond repair.

Arlene L. Bell

Salem