A READER SENDS THIS TAX PROPOSAL:

My modest proposal: Members of Congress shall treat as taxable income 1/535 of the federal deficit for any full fiscal year for which they are a member of congress (or for which they participate in the budgeting process. Somebody smarter than me can work out the details). This would surely curtail deficit spending, while allowing Congress to run a deficit if they truly believe it’s necessary.

My back of the envelope math says near $3B taxable income this years would limit them pretty severely.

Of course, it’s not practical, as it would have to be a constitutional amendment or they’d just overturn it, and that’s not the sort of thing you want in the constitution, but I’d love for the meme to get out there.

I think we’re more likely to get my post-government income surtax enacted, unlikely as it is. But I like the thought, though.