What Congress Should Learn From Britain and Indiana

Cal Thomas | Syndicated Columnist | Updated: Dec 03, 2012

What Congress Should Learn From Britain and Indiana

While the politicians play their games in Washington over taxes and spending, here's a real life lesson they should consider. Many rich people have left Britain to avoid the 50 percent income tax. In the 2009-10 tax year, more than 16,000 people declared an annual income of more than 1 million pounds. That number fell to 6,000 after then-prime minister Gordon Brown introduced the new top rate.

The UK Telegraph reports some millionaires have moved and others have deliberately limited their income to avoid the higher tax rate.

Here's another lesson. In the state of Indiana, each taxpayer will be receiving a $111 refund check. That's because the economic policies of outgoing Gov. Mitch Daniels have created a surplus. And that's because Daniels and the Republican legislature cut spending.

Now what do you think our dysfunctional Congress should learn from Britain and Indiana? It isn't that we don't know what works. It's that our elected representatives care more about their careers than us.

I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.

Publication date: November 30, 2012

What Congress Should Learn From Britain and Indiana