The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 3 of 5)

Thank you Philip Klein for exposing the illusion about Obama's plan to give 95% of Americans a tax cut. This is exactly the message that all voters must hear because it is the truth. Obama will be sending handouts to those who pay no taxes -- welfare! It's redistribution of wealth and it is un-American. Please continue to shed light on this illusion.
-- Rachel Clark
Cedar Park, Texas

My question is which 95% will get a tax break?

Here is what I heard: 95% of working Americans, 95% of working families, and 95% of Americans.

My question is which is it? Americans? Working Americans? Or working families (would this include illegal aliens)?
-- Annette Royster
Walkersville, MD

Anything that cuts my taxes is called a tax cut! No matter if it is a credit, rebate, deduction, or whatever, if it cuts the amount I have to pay in, it is a tax cut. I guess semantics can be played with any claim, and especially, with many of McCain's. McCain's benefits of any sort, as usual for Republicans, will go to the very wealthy and the corporations, as Republican policies notoriously want to keep the lower income people "in their place!"
-- Mary L. Grabski

Mr. Klein is correct to point out that Senator Obama's tax proposal does not cut marginal tax rates; that is, the tax that Americans pay on the next dollar of income. The Wall Street Journal article, which Mr. Klein cites, defines a tax cut as "letting you keep more of what you earn," a definition which fails to distinguish -- much like Mr. Klein's article -- between marginal and effective tax rates. In practice the rate at which you are charged on your next dollar of income is directly related to the percentage of your income which goes to the government. And while Mr. Obama's tax plan would not lower Americans' marginal tax rate, it lets them keep more of what they earn after they have filed their taxes rather than before.

The Wall Street Journal's point is grounded in an appeal to fairness, not in tax policy. The point of contention is not that Obama does not cut taxes but that the government would be providing tax refunds to Americans who do not share in the tax burden. Like any tax policy, its fairness must be weighed against the economic good it would do; in this case, Obama's tax plan incentivizes attending college, saving more, and providing health care.
-- Roman Rozenfeld

Great article. I've been trying to figure out for a while now how you give a tax cut to people who pay no taxes. Furthermore Obama says nothing about how every American will end up paying more for consumer goods when corporate taxes are raised (and thus the government gets more revenue). Government has come up with ingenious ways to get more tax money without making it look like they do.
-- John Viehe

 

VETERANS' EXPERIENCE
Re: Judah Friedman's Eugene the Veteran:

This is excellent! I wish that all the celebrities would read this and really work to make a difference in ways that truly matter!
-- Adina
Bogota, New Jersey

Mr. Friedman has no idea of what he talks about. With the stroke of his pen he slanders the thousands who show up every day at Veterans Hospitals around this country to work with our veterans in their healthcare needs and problems.

I wonder if he has ever placed one of his self-righteous feet inside such a hospital, or does he just like putting them in his mouth?

You know he is ignorant when he states "let's turn the VA into the best mental and rehab facility it can be" thinking our Vets are "nut jobs" first!

His guilt is demonstrated by demanding all our hospitals accept vets with proper ID for any reasons.

Shame on him and all who accept his flawed wishes and slanted views on the VA healthcare system!

The VA has never let me down in my needs, never!
-- R. Philips
Corrales, New Mexico

The problem is that Eugene lives in California. I give you an open invitation to spend a day with me and the veterans I care for in the Midwest. You can't judge the care given by the VA on one individual's story. The care given in private hospitals to veterans with insurance is excellent. The care given in private hospitals to veterans without insurance is criminal. I am proud of the fact that the care I deliver is the same for both. I could give you statistics about care in the VA but they would be nothing but numbers. Contact me and I will show you how care should be delivered to our veterans.
-- Timothy Vaughn

I just read Judah Friedman's article about Eugene the Veteran. Mr. Friedman asked his friend Eugene some questions, but he doesn't let us know what Eugene's answers were. So what did he say? I was very interested to know his opinions on the subjects of the VA. Personally, I think it doesn't sound like a very good system, and I'd like to see Veterans getting care at fine, local hospitals instead of having to commute to VA hospitals that often seem inadequate. What does Eugene think about that?
-- Kathy Mayock

 

BRANDISHING HIS GOV'T-ISSUED SWORD
Re: W. James Antle, III's Barack the Government Slayer: