Dear Mark: The time has come to reform the financial industry. Fat cat conservatives like you appear to be against Obama's plan to regulate Wall Street. What is your freakin' problem? — Fix Financial Fraud in Fayetteville

Dear Fraud: My problem is with who is trying to regulate Wall Street and why. More oversight is needed, but this bill does not even touch the government programs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two of the biggest contributors to our financial woes. Focusing the spotlight on companies like Goldman Sachs is merely a diversion to keep the heat off of politicians like Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and even Barack Obama, who all voted not to regulate Fannie and Freddie back in 2005.

My problem is the ballooning national debt is crushing our economic recovery faster than Wall Street. Instead of cleaning up its own mess, Washington is too busy pointing the finger at others.

My problem is this legislation comes down to politics as usual with Wall Street as the scapegoat. It has been demonized along with big oil, big insurance and doctors by Washington politicians simply trying to score cheap political points.

My problem is Wall Street is being portrayed as some dark and evil monolith, when it actually represents thousands of entities and millions of people. Just about anyone with a retirement plan or pension fund is involved with Wall Street — not just a bunch of sinister, suit-wearing banker stereotypes.

My problem is that once again major legislation is being fast-tracked through Congress. When 80 percent of the country does not trust government, then legislation affecting millions of people should be painstakingly and openly debated, not forced into law for political expediency.

Dear Mark: During the campaign, Obama basically promised no increase in taxes for anyone earning less than $250,000. This week on CNBC, he would not rule out a value-added tax. A VAT would be a tax increase on every single person in our country. Could we possibly be headed in that direction? — Tame Those Taxes in Tyler

Dear Tame: Of course we're headed in that direction. But don't listen to me — listen to the president himself and his leading economic advisor, Paul Volker.

Referring to the VAT, President Obama said: "That is something that has worked for some countries. It's something that would be novel for the United States." Obama added, "And before you know I start saying this makes sense, I want to get a better picture of what our options are." The man is president of the United States, and by now he should know what his principles are concerning taxation ... unless of course a European-style value-added tax is one of his principles.

Volker stated that taxes might have to be raised to slow the deficit's growth and that the VAT "was not as toxic an idea as it had been in the past." Not toxic? Let's see how successful Democrats will be running on that "nontoxic" theme in November.

Dear Mark: President Obama has proven himself as a world statesman by persuading 46 world leaders to "recognize nuclear terrorism as a major threat to global security." Bet your boy George Bush couldn't do that. — Nah Nah Nah in Nevada

Dear Nah Nah: Sorry, but getting world leaders to agree on the threat of nuclear terrorism is as easy as agreeing that the sky is blue and water is wet. Let's see some action.

Dear Mark is a public platform for your enrichment and entertainment. E-mail your questions to [email protected]. To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.