Unquestionably, Democrats and Republicans share responsibility for our economic woes. Past policies, unfunded programs, unfunded wars, unaffordable tax cuts, ineffective regulation, and unfettered greed set us up for our current mess. In a fair market, an investor is paid a fair share of profit from a successful venture. Our government invests in security, infrastructure, education, and much more to ensure freedom and opportunity for each American. As an investor, our government deserves its share of profits. Unfortunately, many politicians have squandered the government’s money to disproportionately enrich the wealthiest Americans, even though we can’t pay our debts.
Two presidents, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, actually raised taxes and saw economic growth. Although unpredictable mass emotions have bedeviled economists throughout history, Republicans claim to have a surefire fix for our economy but by promoting uncertainty with health care lawsuits, debt ceiling brinkmanship, charges of class warfare, delays, and other distractions, they have hindered our recovery. President Obama’s middle-of-the-road initiatives seem consistent with the positions of past Republican presidents, including Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. It’s past time to put extremist positions aside and do what’s right for our country.
Jon Clyde
Vancouver
