Wartime Tax Cuts Are Contrary to Sacrifice

Re “GOP Bypasses the Bipartisan Truce,” Oct. 14: A war calls for sacrifice, but by backing the so-called economic stimulus package from the House Republicans, President Bush wants America to believe that there is no need to sacrifice.

For those with jobs, who can best afford it, there is no sacrifice; indeed, there is a reward. If Bush were serious about the war on terrorism, rather than only serious about rewarding his supporters, he would be calling for a wartime tax surcharge, with the additional money being devoted to fighting terrorism and all its effects.

Rather than tax cuts, we should have new programs to enhance security of transportation and health systems without destroying our freedoms. Rather than tax cuts, we should have new programs to promote the American ideals of liberty and civil rights throughout the world.

Rather than tax cuts, we should have new programs to employ the thousands of skilled workers thrown out of jobs. Rather than tax cuts, we should have programs to provide food to those suffering from oppression and thus support American farmers.

Rather than a new approach to a new, serious threat, we have been given the same old approach of “cut taxes and everything will be better” that left us with a massive debt and a society clearly vulnerable to terrorism.

Keith Price

Los Angeles

*

Re “Both Parties Obliged to Reassess Washington’s Role,” Oct. 15: I beg to differ with Ronald Brownstein’s assessment of the two parties’ roles in Washington. He fails to acknowledge that Bush has had to rescind almost all that he initially stood for; i.e., unilateralism, making government smaller, privatizing Social Security, refusing to join the Kyoto treaty and refusal to abide by the 30-year-old ABM treaty--and dissing the United Nations itself. Even Republicans are bemoaning the fact that Bush now looks like a Democrat.

I believe Brownstein is missing the significance of all of these backtracking steps. We Democrats are not unhappy at all with the increase of government to protect our health from terrorist attacks or to protect those affected by the Sept. 11 tragedy. We believe in helping all people; increasing unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs due to the Sept. 11 tragedy is right up our alley. Democrats don’t mind when Republicans usurp their goals.

Virginia Ruffolo

Marina del Rey