Concerning the Sunday Viewpoints commentary by Rick Larsen, “What’s at risk if we go over the cliff?”: As with all Democrats, he adopts the position that if something is told loud enough, and often enough, it will become believable. The existing tax rate of the rich is not responsible for the fiscal cliff, nor is it the solution to the problems facing our nation.
The mantra of the present administration is that the rich must pay their “fair” share. “Fair” is an abstract term. Our children often use this term when speaking of parental rules and guidance; however, their stating that something is not “fair” does not make it so. As to the “fair” share of the rich, the top two percent pay 46 percent of the total tax income collected. Fifty percent of the nation pays no taxes, whatsoever. Is this “fair?” Real “fairness” would be to adopt a flat tax, where everyone pays 15 percent. This would not only be “fair,” but dramatically increase our annual tax revenue.
Rep. Larsen ties the “fair share” tax increase, to “tackling our deficit.” Here are the facts: the proposed tax increase would net around $86 billion annually, while our annual deficit is $1.2 trillion. Wow! We find more serious tackling in Pop Warner football.
Another suggestion made by Rep. Larsen is to secure the tax rate of the middle class. He proudly proclaims that his party has passed such legislation, but the opposition refuses to do so. Perhaps they would gain the support of the opposition if they trimmed their offensive agenda from the bill. Perhaps all the “fair share” rhetoric, of the present administration, is to distract the middle class from seeing the 500 billion dollars in taxes and fees that Obamacare will impose on them, beginning Jan. 1.
I am not one of the rich. I am simply a retired, lower-middle-class person, who has the good sense to know that I am only entitled to what I have earned. I am not entitled to what other people have earned. I also understand that the “fairness” rhetoric, of the present administration, has nothing to do with “fairness.” It is simply another way of accomplishing their socialist goal of redistributing the wealth.
Francis A. Beffert
Everett
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