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To the editor:
Before President Trump put a 90-day pause on his tariffs, investor and Trump supporter Bill Ackman tweeted that they could bring an economic "nuclear winter." He saw them as being "severely negative" for Trump supporters. Numerous other Republicans and rich Trump supporters fear the consequences of a trade war.
But this is the consequence of their greed. The richest people are so desperate for more money by paying as little in taxes and paying their workers as little as possible that they will support the candidate whose policies cater to their insatiable greed. But when that candidate is a moronic incompetent egomaniac, that can come back to bite them in the butt.
The 125-percent tariff on China has not been rescinded. The U.S. is currently $759 billion in debt to China. The Chinese are the largest holders of U.S. debt. If they decide to start dumping U.S. bonds, I don't think that will help our economy.
Another issue is that some citizens think that having businessmen in power is a good idea. But most of us are either workers or retired workers. The idea that those who work so hard to keep salaries low will actually use their power to benefit us is illogical enough to make Mr. Spock's head explode.
Add to that a president who's an incompetent businessman who's had six bankruptcies. But even a competent businessman like Michael Bloomberg proved to be a bad mayor. City employees got nothing but real money pay cuts and wage freezes from him. So if this country's workers want to get ahead, they have to stop voting for their enemies.
Richard Warren
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reenjoe
Most of those who vote for GOP candidates wrongly believe Republicans are better stewards of the economy. They never seem to catch on that it is the GOP that pushed for Right-to-work laws, froze the minimum wage at $7.25 for 15 years, fought tooth and nail to oppose universal healthcare, eliminated tax write offs for credit card debt, interest on car loans, IRA contributions, State and Local taxes, medical expenses and more. All while cutting top tax rates for the ultrawealthy. Reagan, Bush41, Bush43 and Trump45 all crashed the economy. Yet working class, unionized workers continue to vote GOP believing, against all evidence, that Republicans are on their side. As Bill Maher noted "working class GOP voters are corporate America's useful idiots".
Tuesday, April 15 Report this
JDonne
reenjoe
For the record, if you do not claim the standard deduction, you may deduct medical and dental expenses, taxes paid, interest paid, charitable gifts, casualties and losses, and other miscellaneous deductions on Schedule A, Form 1040. Ironically, both Biden and the Democrats who brought him down persuaded “useful idiots” within the Democratic Party to support Harris and exclude all other potential candidates from the Democratic process of selecting a president. The majority of voters who vote for Democrat candidates expecting freebies are, as Lenin said, "simpletons."
5 days ago Report this
JDonne
Critiquing wealthy Trump supporters for their perceived avarice, arguing that their support for Trump’s policies, such as tariffs, could potentially harm the economy, and questioning the effectiveness of business leaders, citing examples like Trump and Bloomberg, all stem from your subjective perspective. Consequently, your letter lacks substance and is pointless, unless you are writing a science fiction story, but even that lacks originality.
5 days ago Report this
Admin
Actually, it is JDonne's 2nd comment that is lacking in substance.
5 days ago Report this
JDonne
Political propaganda is the intentional spread of information, facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or outright lies to influence public opinion. Based on your letter, it seems like it’s based on biased facts and half-truths. Since you’re not happy with the outcome of the 2024 presidential election, you’re spreading misinformation that you’re passing off as fact. It’s easy to spot political propaganda. While you’re free to express your negative opinions about Donald Trump, please don’t spread political propaganda; it’s pretty obvious.
4 days ago Report this
reenjoe
@JDonne, Did you itemize or take the standard deduction for 2024? Since Trump's 2017 "tax cut" my wife and I have HAD to take the standard deduction thanks to the $10,000 limit placed upon SALT. We itemized for 30 years prior to Trump's disastrous "Tax cut and Jobs Act". I would think the same applies to nearly everyone who reads this paper as well as the overwhelming majority of retired and wage-earning Americans.
We also stopped IRA contributions and paid off our car loans after Reagan "reformed" the tax code in 1986 eliminating deductions for those.
Also remind me how right-to-work laws and a minimum wage that is lower today, in inflation-adjusted dollars, than at any time since 1956 help working Americans?
Finally, who, other than yourself, mentioned "freebies"? Or is it your contention that universal healthcare is a handout? If believing that healthcare is a basic human right makes Democrats like myself "simpletons", I plead guilty.
4 days ago Report this