Taxing the wealthy

Both parties thought it was a good idea to lower the tax rates on dividends and capital gains in the 1990s. Before then, capital gains, dividends and interest were taxed similar to ordinary income. The motives for lowering the rates were twofold: First, people could sell assets that had large capital gains instead of leaving them in their estates; and second, Wall Street would get more business from people buying and selling assets more frequently.

Instead of the new "Buffett rule," just tax all sources of income as ordinary income.

John Black

Murrieta

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A 21st century Postal Service

Re "Sorting out the Postal Service," Editorial, Sept. 18

Under a 2006 law, the U.S. Postal Service is required each year to prepay, until 2016, about $5.5 billion to cover the benefits of retired employees. In effect, the Postal Service is, over the 10 years from 2006 to 2016, paying for the benefits of retirees for the next 75 years. In other words, it is paying people who are not even born yet. This is insane.

The Postal Service should be allowed to return to a pay-as-you-go system. Then it wouldn't be facing bankruptcy. Congress should pass HR 1351, which would eliminate this rule.

The Postal Service provides an outstanding service at a reasonable cost, especially when you compare U.S. postal charges to those of other countries. Have you tried mailing a package to Malaysia lately? Or even a letter to Spain?

Scott W. Kirby

Chatsworth

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I agree that Congress must loosen restrictions on the Postal Service. For example, Singapore's postal service offers a range of financial services, online shopping opportunities and a host of delivery options.

Freed up to be creative, there is no reason the Postal Service should be a money pit. I doubt this will happen, though, because banks, online retailers and private delivery services would lobby to stop such action.

Ronald Lapp

Los Angeles

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So you think you're insured?

Re "Plastic won't cover this bill," Column, Sept. 20

If there ever was a reason for the government having a healthcare plan, the action by Anthem Blue Cross to drop Andrea Kreuzhage because it no longer accepts automatic credit card payments certainly makes the case.

That an insurance company can discontinue one's life support after such a long time without any justification is unbelievable. A backup government insurance plan that would be available to those who no longer have health insurance must be created.

Albert V. Weaver

Newbury Park

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I am circling the mat with Anthem right now. My husband fell on his face while playing basketball with our son in June. Because he was taking an anti-clotting prescription drug, the advice nurse told him to go to the emergency room.

We eventually got a bill from the hospital because Anthem wasn't paying. The hospital resubmitted the claim. This week Anthem said it still hasn't paid because my husband didn't return a questionnaire about the accident. All the information was in his medical records, but they needed my husband to answer some questions.

This gives Anthem more time to hold on to its money.

We've had good coverage from Anthem in the past, but I'm realizing that it's just like the others.

Susan St. Laurent

Bakersfield

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When an iPad is your server

Re "iPads taking over from waiters? Some diners eat it up," Sept. 16

As if having to use the "convenient" self-checkout feature at my local grocery store wasn't already a tedious, blood-pressure-through-the-roof experience, now I have to place my order at a restaurant through an iPad? In what world is this a good thing?

The article giddily claims that this new development makes people "feel more involved in the process." So, naturally, taking the human element out of the equation is going to make the customer feel more involved in the restaurant experience.

I'll take a waiter any day.

David B. Caspole

Pasadena

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In this hurting economy, you're not going to see me patronizing any of these job-killing restaurants.

Susan Papalia

La Crescenta

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Some 'help'

Re "Cheating by teachers voids scores," Sept. 18

Students know that the state tests do not affect their transcripts. Some kids have made a joke of the tests, making interesting patterns of A's, B's, C's and D's on their answer sheets.

However, with pressure from The Times -- which posted teachers' test-based "value-added" rankings -- and noisy politicians arguing to get rid of tenure and evaluate teachers largely on those test scores, it is amazing that only a tiny percentage of teachers skewed the process by helping students.

If my career and the welfare of my family were threatened, I imagine I would be tempted to "help" students on those tests.

Joel Pressman

Los Angeles

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Give love a try

Re "Leno can't budge Bachmann from stance on gays, vaccine," Sept. 17