Opinion: Remember, Republicans: Voters will have the final say on your unpopular tax bill

To the editor: Have you no sense of decency? Not since Joseph Welch asked that question in the dark days of the McCarthy era have we seen such outrageous duplicity and obfuscation by elected officials of the U.S. government. (“A middle-class tax cut? Hardly,” Opinion, Nov. 19)

It boggles my mind to see senators and representatives stand before cameras and tout a “tax cut for the middle class” that clearly benefits the rich and corporations at the expense of the poor, the sick and, yes, many people in the middle class.

The Republicans rationalize this outrage as a must-pass to validate the future credibility of their party. However, reasonable lawmakers must realize they will have to answer voters who will find themselves paying more taxes and getting fewer benefits.

Satisfying wealthy donors will not diminish the outcry of the people when they realize that they have been had.

Michael Telerant, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Columnist Doyle McManus is wrong.

About 70% of people who currently file federal income tax returns use the standard deduction. That means raising the standard deduction will help most of those folks if the new tax bill is passed. Almost 50% of tax filers already pay zero in federal income taxes.

The ones getting hurt are the upper middle class and wealthy who very likely will lose their state and local tax income tax deductions. That hurts them and not the middle class. Ninety percent of people making more than $500,000 itemize, and they will be hurt.

No tax measure can be equal for everyone; there are always going to be a few winners and some losers. Overall, most of us will win this time.

Doug McDermott, Santa Monica

..

To the editor: McManus quotes Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) as saying that the Republicans’ failure to pass a tax cut bill would mean that financial contributions to them will stop.

McManus goes on to point out that the majority of Americans aren’t all that important to the Republican leaders. To Graham and his colleagues, it’s the primary voters and “donors” who count.

Graham’s comments suggest that the appropriate term would be owner, not donor.

Al Nault, Irvine

..

To the editor: Concerning the proposed tax “reforms,” here is my solution:

All legislators and the president must calculate the amount of their current tax bill and what they would pay under the new and improved system. They must promise to pay the difference in addition to whatever they will owe in the future to the IRS, and to comply until death. Their estates should remit an estate tax as well.

Yes, their friends and allies will benefit, but they won’t.

Jim Benson, Altadena

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook