Sound Off: Our dopey tax code

The following is what our readers sounded off about this week:

Overhaul our tax code
I noticed that after Newt Gingrich released his 2010 tax return there was little banter on the left about him being a rich guy not paying his fair share. The reason is because the dollar amount he paid in income taxes is so shocking. Obama and left-wing politicians like him love to throw around tax rate percentages without putting a dollar figure to what their suggested higher rates mean for people paying the bill. Gingrich paid $995,000 on income of $3.1 million, or about a 32 percent tax rate. That doesn't include his Social Security and Medicare tax, nor a state income tax, which would amount to another $155,000 if he lived in the great state of Illinois. Of course, every ordinary person would dream about earning $3.1 million. But, how would you like to cut a check to the government for $1 million and then be vilified by the president because you still aren't doing enough to pay for his social welfare programs? We'll have a clear choice in November, between a president who wants to spend more and offers the false hope of prosperity because he'll confiscate another $100 billion from the rich or men like Gingrich and Romney who understand that growing our economy requires us to overhaul our dopey tax code.

It never happened
Remember when teachers, public employees, planned parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half our 401(k)s, took trillions in taxpayer-funded bailouts, spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes? Yeah, me neither ... pass it on.

The Hitmen experience
I read about the Chicago Hitmen hockey team in the Chronicle, and last Sunday I took my son and grandson to the 2:30 game at the ice rink on Kirk Road. I have to say, though, it's no wonder they're having trouble staying there. First of all, the 2:30 game didn't start until 3:30 because of another game going on. And then we had to wait for them to put up the tables that they sell their goods and tickets on. Then I was asked what seating I wanted, and I bought the $9 good seats, but I could have bought the $7 seats and sat anywhere we wanted because there was no one checking tickets when we went in. We did get our hand stamped and did go to the concessions, but nobody checked us as we went back in, so maybe some people didn't pay anything. The announcer, he talked so fast you couldn't understand him. And I know they didn't sell enough tickets that day to even pay the officials. Don't get me wrong, though, it was a great time, and those kids really know how to skate. I'll probably go back again, but most of their games are at 7:40 or 7:50 at night, if they start on time. But the 2:30 Sunday game is a nice time to go. By the way, they did win, 5-2.