Thursday, April 14, 2011

CLOSED MINDS

Is there not one, single, responsible Republican voice that will concede the possibility of ending the Bush era tax cuts for even the wealthiest Americans? Not one, single dissent from the already long-discredited party mantra? Impossible to believe that such lock-step, hard-headed unanimity results from any real thought about the issues involved, or any willingness to engage in serious discussion. I was impressed by President Obama's speech yesterday. I appreciated the commitment not to capitulate on Medicare, and the implied threat to veto any attempt to perpetuate deficit-creating tax cuts. I noted my approval on my new blog, VoteObama 2012. (Please note that the site is still under construction, and is not yet fully workable. I have not yet decided quite how it will look, and I'm still hoping for partners and contributors. Anyone with me on this?)

While I deplore the closed minds of Republicans on the subject of reasonable tax increases, I don't want Obama to allow this to become a negotiable issue. I'm with Nicholas D. Kristof in today's New York Times: raise America's taxes. It's absurd that this has been absent from all discussion of the deficit to date. I'm glad that the President finally challenged his opponents and laid it on the table. I for one am willing to pay a fair share, and I believe that many of the wealthy are, too.

2 comments:

Eva said...

I totally aggree and support Nicholas Kristof's article about the tax cuts. Coming from Europe, in a post Communist country, I can't understand how can even be a discussion about health insurance that would not cover EVERYBODY.
And why is this extremely strong opposition about the Tax-cut for the rich? I, myself would be glad to pay more taxes if I would belong in that category.
I think, that Republicans, who're opposing Medicare/cal and Social Security, should volunterily withdraw themselves from those benefits,-- this would certainly help with the deficit, which they want to eliminate any possible way.

david g miller said...

We have come to a point, however, where the wealthiest Americans are not necessarily those earning $250,000 or more; and many of those at or near the bracket are indeed paying their fair share; eg: I am retired, my wife works; we are now filing and paying for 2010 $60,000 Federal and State income taxes--that's enough--particularly when, as here, the money may go to fight unjust wars, and to a Congress bent only on their own reelection. For us plain wage earners Federal taxes are high enough; as for California where we live, Sacramento, like DC, cannot be trustd to use the money to erase deficits and lower debts. dgm