Income inequality

Dear Editor: In response to Ms. Martha Call’s letter to the editor and her statement regarding the Affordable Care Act, I wish Ms. Call would have been more forthcoming on which section of the law she was referring.

As a senior citizen, she is fortunate to have healthcare, while other seniors might not have that opportunity without the Affordable Care Act.

To correct a fact regarding the 49 percent of the country that pays no taxes: the truth is that 49 percent of the country are senior citizens and poor families with children who do not earn enough income to pay federal income taxes but do pay state and local taxes. That total of 49 percent is staggering and further evidence of income inequality in this country.

In the 1990’s, the tax burden was at 39 percent. I believe that every American, no matter their income status, is important to the survival of this great country. It is the hard-working middle class and poor that enhanced the wealth of others. It is consumer spending by the middle class and poor that drives the economy.

Taxes have been around for centuries. A vast majority of this country’s citizens pay their taxes, while others continually cheat the system, hiding their wealth in offshore accounts.

President George W. Bush spent 1,020 days (almost three years) away from the White House on vacation in an 8-year period (490 days at his Crawford Ranch in Texas), costing taxpayers an estimated $20 million. All while this country faced the aftermath of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and two wars.

In contrast, during the course of 2009-11, President Obama spent 78 days on vacation, spending the winter months in his extravagant home state of Hawaii, visiting his family roots in Africa, as well as diplomatic trips abroad with this country’s allies. Isn’t diplomacy a part of any sitting president’s job?

In my opinion, the presidential section in libraries is far more informative than Fox News.

Joanne Gallo

Downey

**********

Published: April 17, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 01