My congratulations go to Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele ("When corporations get write-off's, you get stuck," April 6), who have reached the final step before becoming candidates for Washington politics.
They have successfully foisted the big lie upon us: If we can just get businesses to pay taxes, then people won't have to. Well, Don and Jim, we're not all idiots. Some of us realize that when businesses pay taxes, the people still have to pay those taxes in increased prices for goods and services. If we tax businesses excessively to the point that they can't compete with foreign companies, then we, the people, pay taxes to Japan and Germany by buying their products.The scenario that the politicians' big lie paints for us is that businesses will make excessive profits at the expense of the people if they're not taxed. Reason presents two roadblocks for this lie: Healthy capitalistic competition quickly dampens excessive profits; As American citizens, if we see profits being made in some area, we have the right and privilege to participate in those profits by purchasing stock in the established company or by starting our own business.
Isn't America great? Aren't politicians sometimes jerks?
Douglas C. Flegal
Salt Lake City