As the percentage of Americans who want Congress to raise taxes on the wealthy surges (66 percent in a recent Pew poll) and as the Republicans' handling of the debt-ceiling negotiations becomes increasingly unpopular (71 percent in a CBS poll disapprove), the GOP is obstinate in ignoring the will of the people.
John Boehner's rhetoric is as disingenuous as any we'll ever hear. The GOP can't support "job-killing tax increases," he claims. But increasing taxes by 3 percent on the wealthy would have a minuscule effect on jobs. What is guaranteed to kill jobs by the thousands, however, is the other half of the Republican plan: slashing government spending.
Not only would drastic budget cuts decimate government jobs, but these cuts would also wipe out jobs across the economy, from road construction crews who work on government-funded infrastructure projects to chemists who work for defense contractors.
Roger Terry
Orem