Let Bush-Obama Tax Cuts Expire

Copy of a letter sent to other member of the Hebron Democratic Town Committee. Also see my earlier posts on this subject.

Dear Fellow DTC members -

I am dismayed by President Obama's surrender to Republicans regarding the expiring tax cuts.

I was opposed to the cuts when they were proposed during the Bush administration. The intervening years have proven one thing: They didn't work.

I feel that the best course would have been to let them all expire because they are increasing our national debt (which our children and grandchildren and great...etc, will have to pay dearly for.) Even the teabaggers knew that bringing down the debt should be a national priority.

Our President and other elected officials should be howling this message from the rooftops: the cuts are fiscally irresponsible. The national debt is money we owe primarily to other nations, particularly China. This outside ability to cut off our access to funds threatens our national security...It may easily be money we need for national defense, and we've put ourselves in a position where our potential adversaries can control our economy.

Ideally, the tax cuts could apply only to the most important 98 (or 99%) of us - those of us netting less than $250,000 (or $1,000,000). This would keep money in the hands of those who spend it on things that create and sustain jobs. those who net more than these amounts can, and should, pay more tax on the amounts above these numbers.

Republicans would have us believe that this would hurt small businesses because they have to spend money on wages and supplies. In a word, bull. These Republicans either do not understand how business taxes work, or they're lying. Any business paying taxes on gross income (before deducting costs of labor and supplies) needs to find a competent tax advisor. Small businesses will not pay the pre-Bush taxes unless they have a net profit (i.e., the dollars the owners get to keep) unless those numbers are over the minimums.

If push come to shove, I would much prefer to see all the cuts (including mine) expire, rather than continue them for the super-rich. I don't really want to pay more taxes, but I understand that my civic duty sometimes requires that I do things I don't like.

Kathy & I have contacted Courtney, Dodd & Lieberman asking them to oppose the cuts. See a copy of the letter on my blog.

I also just learned that Rep. Peter Welch, Democrat from Vermont, wrote a letter last night saying NO to this deal and asking his fellow Representatives in the House to stand with him. Within minutes, many other Representatives added their name. Can you call Joe Courtney, and ask him to sign the Welch letter and fight against this deal to give tax cuts to the rich? 1-202-225-2076. I called, and got a "He's not here, and nobody here knows where he stands on the issue."  ( ! ! ! ! ! ! )

Please help. I think we need to push Pres. Obama to learn to negotiate before he gives away the most important parts of legislation, not after. And in this case, the"deal" does major harm to our economy and to our children.

Thanks for your attention.

Peace,
Gil Salk

Also see my earlier posts on this subject, today and in Nov. Thanks. Comments very welcome

Let tax cuts expire...ALL of them

Kathy & I just sent the following to our Congressman & both Senators:
(Please consider sending something similar to your politicians.)

Dear Sir -

Let ALL tax cuts expire, please.

This is immensely preferable to extending them for 1 or 2 years, which we think translates to "forever."        

Our national debt is an impediment to every social and economic improvement we want. It piles an every-increasing burden on my daughter's generation...and on her children and grandchildren.

The increasing proportion of our debt held by foreign countries (especially China) poses a serious, and seriously under-appreciated, threat to our national security. If China decided to stop underwriting our debt, it could undermine our ability to fund the needs of our military, among other things.

It would be preferable to let the cuts apply only to those with incomes below $250,000 or $1,000,000, but capitulation to Republican obstructionism is far worse than letting the ill-advised cuts simply expire - - and blame the Republicans for stonewalling a vote.
Please advocate and vote for responsible action.
Thank you for your attention.

Peace,

Gil & Kathy Salk

 

WTF: Today, the Republican leadership declined an invitation to meet with the President

Okay, this is an official WTF: Today, the Republican leadership declined an invitation to meet with the President to discuss coming issues. The invitation included dinner.

The Republican leadership is "too busy" to meet with the President of the United States?!! WTF?

They may not like the man, and they may disagree with him, but what about a little respect for the office? Mr. President, go on the offensive against those arrogant SOBs.

Mr. President, don't offer compromises (make them come to you). Call them out for every mischaracterization (lie) they make to us through the media (I know, this will take a whole new government department...I'll help pay for it.)

Mr. President, the Republican game plan is to pick a Big Lie of the week, and every Republican and/or conservative who is on a talk show during the week repeats the same lie with the same talking points. Find a way to fight it. Use your veto. Use your Senate majority. Use your "bully pulpit". (BTW, this phrase originated with Teddy Roosevelt; bully meant powerful, not bullying.)

Mr. President, call the Republicans on the tax cut for the rich. If necessary, let the entire stupid tax cut expire.

I don't want to pay more taxes, but we have a huge National Debt. Mention often that the Republican (disloyal opposition) created much of the bloated debt, and now they are doing their damned worst to block paying it down.

Mr. President, dedicate a major part of the revenue from the expiration of the foolish tax cut to paying off the debt. Explain why. Explain why. Explain why. (Get it?)

Economists, true grass-roots tea party members, true conservatives & libertarians, most Democrats & Republicans, all know that we need to pay our debt. We can't pass this off to our children without biting the bullet and at least TRYING to pay it down.

One more thing (for now). The Republicans are going to try to dismantle our new health plan. Again and again they say we've already got the best health care in the world. Lie, lie, lie. Google any world health statistics. We, the US of A, are at the BOTTOM of the industrialized world on health outcomes.  This includes things such as access to care, birth survival, and hospitalization not leading to worsening of condition and/or death… Let's talk about health care from this reality.

Yeah, I know, world leaders and very, very rich folks often come to the U.S. for treatment of very, very serious ailments. At the very, very top of the medical treatment pyramid, we can provide very, very good treatment. Look around you. How many people do you know who have even a very, very tiny chance of getting into this level of care?

Okay, this was an official WTF: The Republican leadership is "too busy" to meet with the President of the United States?!! WTF?