Taxing income doesn’t redistribute wealth

Re: “On raising taxes, Obama has a European accent,” Editorial, July

I won’t agree or disagree with your premise that proposing an increase in taxes makes Barack Obama “European.”  However, as a CPA, I would like to point out several fallacies in the arguments  presented in your editorial.

Income taxes are not a means of redistributing wealth. Only taxes computed based on the value of a person’s wealth can hope to redistribute wealth. In this country, property and estate taxes can be considered wealth taxes, since they are computed based on the value of the taxpayer’s property.  In the short run, which is the period over which income taxes are computed, income has little to do with wealth.

Furthermore, lower income tax rates do not guarantee an increase in investments, since high-income taxpayers have a choice of spending or investing their earnings. 

Maybe the income tax code should include a deduction for the net amount invested each year. Such a deduction would encourage people to earn more money and then invest their earnings, rather than engaging in wasteful spending practices.

Until the tax code is so revised, it is pretty safe to assume that many high-income taxpayers are spending money wastefully, in which case they can afford to pay more in taxes.

Mark Tune

Alexandria

Americans have become less, not more patriotic

I disagree that Americans are more patriotic now than they were a decade ago. Ten years ago, we were not involved in the war in Iraq.

Quoting one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln: “I  like to see a man proud of a place in which he lives, and I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him.”

We are not proud of the ill-conceived war in Iraq, therefore, this does not make us proud to live in the place that created and initiated the war.

We did not consent to go to war with Iraq before it was discussed with the United Nations. Therefore, we are not governed in accordance with our constitutional rights, and so the place where we live is not proud of us.

Cargill Kelly

Manassas

Officer killed on duty will not be forgotten

Re: “Prince George’s officer killed last week remembered as ‘God’s anointed warrior,’ ” July 4

The tragic loss of Prince George’s County Police Cpl. and volunteer firefighter Richard Findley reverberates in the region with the not-so-distant memories of a similar death involving his good friend and police colleague, Cpl. Steven Gaughan. In fact,  Gaughan’s badge number was visible on the rear of Findley’s police cruiser.

Cpl. Findley was an outstanding public servant who devoted 10 years to the Police Department and 20 years to the volunteer fire department, where he served at the Beltsville station.

Known for his infectious sense of humor, his warm spirit and friendly demeanor, Findley was a bright spot in the lives of his many friends and colleagues.

Findley’s death leaves a profound impact on all who work in the public safety sector. His commitment and dedication to serving others, and his heroic efforts to make the community a safer and better place, resulted in the sacrifice of his life in the line of duty.

Like Gaughan, Findley will never be forgotten.

Karen Bune

Adjunct professor,

Dept. of Criminal Justice

George Mason University

U.S. needs to declare energy independence

America must become energy- independent if we are to survive as a world superpower.

The price of oil is now sky-high and gasoline is pushing upward to $5 per gallon while some of our  elected representative in Congress are  standing in the way of our energy independence.

This obstruction of America’s pursuit of energy independence by the liberal Democrats shows a deep disrespect for and a serious loss of faith in the American spirit and American ingenuity and knowhow.

The United States can and  will develop safe and economical nuclear power. We can and will develop clean coal technology. American can and will discover and  extract  our own petroleum reserves in a geologically responsible way.

You liberals in Congress, just get out of the way and let us do it.

Al Eisner

Wheaton