The Republicans have made it clear what their priorities are, and they do not include the financial well-being and health of the American public, with 83 percent of the tax benefit going to 1 percent of the population, and with the repeal of the individual mandate under Obamacare.
I recently viewed a conference of business people representing various U.S. corporations. They were discussing what was then the proposed tax cut. When asked if they were planning to direct the savings they would realize into higher salaries for workers, and into adding jobs, their reply was in the negative. Rather, most were planning to shift the savings to investors through dividends and stock values. How is this going to add jobs and narrow the widening gap between the rich and the middle class? The tax cut is a travesty, and not one of our Utah delegation has stood up to it.
Even worse, the Republicans are forcing it on the backs of children and those who will lose their health care coverage as a result of repealing the individual mandate. The Children's Health Insurance Program, which supports health care for about 9 million children, is unfunded because conservatives say there is no money. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 13 million will ultimately be unable to afford health care premiums due to the loss of the individual mandate.
Finally, what about other major problems facing the country, including infra-structure improvement, education funding, military funding and out of control increases in health care costs? Regarding the latter, why won't Republicans allow Medicare to negotiate drug costs in like manner to the Veterans Administration? Putting the country further in debt will only make it much more difficult to address these needs.
It is time to empty the swamp of those who forced this tax cut upon a non-supportive public.
Gordon Bissegger
Sandy