Did you ever notice there are lots of “hardcore, conservative Republicans” in the mainstream media, but you never see a “hardcore, liberal Democrat.” Cokie and Steve Roberts’ column on Jan. 28 is cited for reference. You would think Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Waters and Charles Rangel are just middle-of-the- road, willing-to-compromise statespersons — not.
The Roberts are right that any meaningful reform to balance the budget has to include “entitlement” reform, but our great statesman president has been missing in action for four years. He is all show about passing a measly tax increase on “the rich” that won’t fund our government for a week, but doesn’t touch the real need to stop the spending increase that leave us mortgaging our kids’ and grandkids’ futures to the tune of $1.1 trillion per year. That is about $4,000 per year for every, man, woman and baby in America.
The problem isn’t hardcore conservatives, it’s spendthrifts in Washington — Republicans and Democrats alike — who are buying votes with my grandkids’ future.
If we went back to the tax rates and spending rates in place during the last year of office of Bill Clinton (and Newt Gingrich, who made most of that happen), we would have a $200 billion surplus. It’s not that we are taxing too little, but spending too much.
JOEL JOHNSON
Jonesborough
