Tax cuts only widened the gap

In response to the Sunday letter, “Lincoln saw this day coming“: Another important fact to note during this historic time period is that only 15 percent of Southerners owned slaves. Somehow that 15 percent was able to convince the other 85 percent to engage in activity that was contrary to their own self interests.

I feel strongly that the same can be said today.

The Bush tax cuts were possible due to the large surplus left us by President Clinton. We were told that the idea was to spur economic growth and job development. This has been a sorrowful failure. What the tax cuts have produced is a huge financial gain for the nation’s wealthiest citizens, an enormous burden on the national debt and a widening gap between the rich and poor.

Here is a list of top bracket tax rates from previous presidencies:

Wilson — 77 percent

FDR — 79 percent

Truman — 92 percent

Eisenhower — 92 percent

Nixon — 71 percent

Reagan — 69 percent

Clinton — 39 percent

Bush — 35 percent

This current group of lobbyist-controlled Republicans is trying to convince us that this tax rate is necessary for the health of the economy when in reality they offer huge financial gains to the top 2 percent, while leaving 98 percent of American citizens fearful for their Social Security and Medicare (Republicans and Democrats alike).

With lower tax revenues we can be sure to leave our children and grandchildren with a large debt, a diminished military, a crumbling infrastructure and lesser educational opportunities.

Like the 85 percent of Civil War-time Southerners, I feel we are being duped into behaving in ways that would be contrary to our own interests and the best interests of our magnificent United States of America.

Donald K. Anderson
Everett