“That alternative minimum tax to snag 155 individuals has grown into a tax that burdens 21 million Americans, most of whom do not make $200,000 a year in today's dollars, let alone in 1969 dollars. It is set to hit people who make as little as $50,000 a year. Those 21 million will be socked by $50.6 billion in taxes next year.”

The alternative minimum tax was imposed by a Democratic Congress 38 years ago to force 155 individuals to pay income taxes. Each made more than $200,000 -- 20 were millionaires -- but each paid zero federal income taxes, thanks to tax deductions and credits inserted into the tax code by Congress.

That alternative minimum tax to snag 155 individuals has grown into a tax that burdens 21 million Americans, most of whom do not make $200,000 a year in today's dollars, let alone in 1969 dollars.

It is set to hit people who make as little as $50,000 a year.

Those 21 million will be socked by $50.6 billion in taxes next year. The Democratic Congress proposes to relieve their burden by closing "loopholes" to collect $78.3 billion more from taxpayers.

But loopholes are how Congress modifies the economic behavior of Americans. For example, some hybrid cars earn tax credits for their owners.

House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., is planning for a trillion-dollar tax hike in 2009.

The non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation took a look at Rangel's soak-the-rich tax increase and discovered that as early as 2011, 94 million families earning as little as $20,000 a year will see a tax increase.

Only 800,000 will see a tax reduction.

The House passed the $78.3 billion tax hike to replace the $50.6 billion AMT on Friday, 219-193. Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito was among those who voted against the hike.

Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller should vote against the tax hike when it hits the Senate.

There are other ways to "pay" for the elimination of the AMT. Waste in government and pork-barrel projects would be a good place to start.