Paying Taxes and the IRS

Hip, hip, hooray for Kevin Phillips! (“Taxes Reformed, Taxes Resented,” Opinion, April 9.) I hope future presidential candidates took time out to read his insightful column on the unfair tax reform of 1986. Living in Orange County, I have seen how the top 1-5% have chosen to spend their unjustified “windfall,” crowding the streets with BMWs, Mercedes and limousines. At the same time the federal government is throwing money at the rich, it is quickly withdrawing funds from student loans and grants--making life miserable for students such as myself who don’t have wealthy parents to fund our education.

I certainly support re-establishment of the progressive income tax brackets, and hope that other frustrated and angry Americans will send a message to Washington that the time has come to let the middle income and poor get richer and have the rich take some punches for a change.

JEREMY BOWMAN

Irvine