Americans are jobless, homeless and fearful. Action is needed to stabilize our nation and to ensure peace and stability. Increasingly impoverished Americans are tired of Congress using tax money on pork projects.

I reviewed just how much Americans pay for senators like yourself and other political officials. In fact, when I added it up from figures compiled from the 2007 World Almanac, it came to approximately $848,180,543 per year for the following salaries alone (which does not include lower departments, agencies, healthcare, travel or lifetime retirement plan obligations): President: $400,000; VP: $208,100; Cabinet Heads: $180,000 each; Supreme Court: Chief Justice - $208,100; Associate Justices - $199,200 each; Congressmen and Senators ranged from $162,100 to $208,100 depending on position and seniority. Federal Government total: $250,864,600. Add this to the total salaries for top state government officials nationwide (governor, lt. governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and state legislators) of $597,315,943 and you get a grand total of $848,180,543.

Senator, being elected to public office was never meant to be a full time job. Public service was meant to be a civic duty. Those elected were not supposed to make money by way of tax dollars.

I am ashamed of every one of you. This nation is in a crisis and our people are going broke while you and other members of Congress are being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to continue mismanaging our affairs.

I believe every government official should take a pay cut. Americans pay taxes to better the nation, not to better your life so you can make our lives hell.

Our nation’s huge debt is Congress’ fault. Shame on you, sir. What disappoints me the most is that you have five homes while some live in boxes. Your greed is destroying this nation.

You and Congress have let America down.

If you and Congress want to make a difference, you and those above you should forfeit your pay until this nation is out of debt. Once you resolve the problem of our nation’s debt, then you and those above you should take a salary that is the same as the average American’s. Furthermore, our nation should never again be allowed to fall into debt and need to borrow from other countries.

If you want to solve our national debt, here is an idea: A penny tax. Place a penny tax on all products coming into the country and add a penny tax onto all products sold in the country. Once the national debt is paid, lift the penny tax.

If Congress did its job correctly and spent only money it had on what it was intended for, this nation would operate just fine. I sincerely hope you take this letter to heart, because Americans are watching you.

Note: We have been corresponding with Steve for about three years and have become friends. We also have tremendous respect for the growth of his thoughts, his increasingly valuable insights and the hope he has for our country. The sad part is that the state of Arizona has sentenced him to die for three allegedly "race related" murders he did not commit. You can write to Steve c/o The IO. (DWH)