I'm no fan of politicians, but one of the few ways to easily be proactive is to vote and, in this case, let them know we are paying attention.
Sent my letters today (wished I'd seen this earlier!!)
<blockquote>Re:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r108:./temp/~r1084yoZYz
Senate Bill 1054: Repeal the 60/40 tax treatment of section 1256 contracts to be effective in 2004, specifically, strikes paragraph 3. SA 680 passed on May 15, 2003 without debate in the Senate as part of a package of revenue raisers for the President's Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. This provision was not part of the House version of the bill.
Dear Senator Murray,
As a member of your constituency and a professional independent futures trader, I would like to tell you I am firmly against the proposed repeal of Section 1256 of the tax code, referenced above.
My understanding is that this bill is intended to reduce income tax rates, to encourage investments and to improve our financial markets. Deletion of the 1256 code does just the opposite, reducing liquidity at a time when stimulus is most needed.
Furthermore, this measure would immediately increase my tax liability by over 10%. I am not a "Big Player", just an average American woman making an ordinary living in very trying times. This code has been on the books for over 20 years and affects not only individuals but large and small businesses alike.
I strongly urge you to vote against S.1054, the repeal of Section 1256 paragraph 3.
Best regards,
amg, etc etc</blockquote>