I found the "Times Board of Economists" column written by Laura Tyson, "Ultimately, Ostrich Voting Gave Us the Budget Crisis" (Oct. 14), insulting and irritating.
I disagree adamantly with the "harsh economic realities" we have to face. Saying we are not overtaxed may be statistically true. So what? What I see is 30% of my gross income disappearing into programs I get no benefit from, regulatory commissions I don't need, and wars on crime, drugs, poverty, illiteracy, etc. (pick your favorite) that are not working. That's 10 grand a year doing a lot of nothing. What I see is over-taxation relative to the return on services. I'm not getting what I pay for.
Tyson attacks the wealthy for being undeserved recipients of the benefits of the '80s and proposes taxes to correct this error. Why is Congress and the media preoccupied with soaking the wealthy to fund our federal government? Since when has it been a crime to be wealthy?
The Founding Fathers of this nation were all wealthy landowners who resented the taxes of an unresponsive government. Nothing in the Constitution guarantees fiscal equality and it is not our mandate to create such equality. It is the opportunity to gain wealth that continues to attract people to this country. It drives the very foundations on which capitalism is based. And now we want the reward for success to be hideously huge taxes? A great way to continue to build a nation.
