Republican overspending  to blame for high tax burden

Re: “Two Americas on taxes,” editorial, April 14

I couldn’t disagree more!

The only reason that anyone, Dem or Rep, is talking about taxes is because the current administration has been spending hand over fist for eight years with no restraint or responsibility.

This behavior is what led to the Democrat-led Congress you complain about, even though the majority is too small to make much of a difference. 

Now, instead of a tax, we have higher prices on everything — with much more inflation yet to come.

Christopher Avery

Washington

... No, it’s tax consumers who drive entitlement expansion

Re: “Two Americas on taxes,” editorial, April 14

Thanks for the editorial.

Your analysis is right. And the situation is only going to get worse.

As you note, practically all the taxes are paid by only half of the people.

The fundamental problem is that half the people don’t pay any tax (or very little).

As long as the non-taxpayers demand more and more free goods and services from Congress, and Congress responds to this relatively well-organized set of interest groups, the expansion of government entitlements will only continue.

We are now seeing a further expansion of entitlements into low-cost housing and low mortgage costs.

Plus, of course, increasing government regulations are just as much a burden to the productive sector as taxes.

It is past time for the 50 percent of people who are paying all the taxes to rise up and vote the big spenders out of office.

John Sloan

Manassas

Anti-immigration group misses big picture

Re: “Pr. William’s crackdown on illegals? Priceless,” From Readers, April 8

Once again Brad Botwin tries to scapegoat illegal immigrants, who make up only about 5 percent of the population, for our many problems.

He blames immigrants for the declining position of our underfunded educational system with respect to China, India and other developed countries.

Let’s blame that same 5 percent for our overprotected pharmaceutical market and our millions of uninsured.

Of course, we also can solve the rising rates of crime by blaming immigrants for that, too.

Botwin’s new economic theory is get rid of illegal immigrants and the U.S. economy will flourish.

In that theory, immigrants are part of supply but not part of demand, and all the money employers save due to cheaper wages magically disappears into the economy.

I doubt this very much.

Alfredo M. Bravo de Rueda E.

Gaithersburg

Thanks, but we will keep our guns and our religion

Re: “Clinton blasts Obama over ‘bitter’ comments,” April 14

This is a beautiful thing in a political race that has been reduced to a caricature circus.

Self-implosion is the greatest defeat.

The Democrats will not win in November. They are a joke. Hillary Clinton was finished when she compared herself to Rocky.

Barack Obama cannot control his mouth, which reveals who he really is.

It’s hard to live as another persona for that long.

He is done.

The American people are not stupid.

They can tell sincerity from phony eloquent words spewed forth like confetti, with about the same weight.

Yes, Sen. Obama, we will cling to our guns and our religion. They are all we need. This is who we are, who we have always been, who we will be forever.

To think that you would ever be president of our country is a disgrace, not only to those in Pennsylvania, but all across this great country that you still don’t understand.

Mandy Stoltzfus

Springfield