Letter: Republican tax cut big factor in deficit

Wednesday August 1, 2018

GOP aims to cut programs in response to red ink for which it is responsible.

Editor:
The Reading Eagle editorial for July 25, "Continued federal deficit spending risks future disaster," states, "Federal red ink is expected to top $1 trillion per year," warning that "if nothing is done to sharply reduce or eliminate federal deficit spending, a serious crisis awaits."

What the editorial fails to make clear is the impact on this deficit of the Trump tax cut passed by the Republican Congress in December. Even the White House's Office of Management and Budget projects that the law will account for nearly $1 trillion of additional debt over the next decade.

The Republicans are hoping to convince working-class voters that because of that law they can anticipate a 2019 tax cut, but the major percentage of that tax cut goes not to workers, but to corporations and wealthy taxpayers.

And the Republican plan for the future is to pay for that tax cut in large measure by reducing programs that working people depend on, such as Medicaid and other health care programs that protect people with disabilities; food stamps that feed hungry children; some Social Security protections; and federal support for public education.

Since the Republicans currently control the presidency, the House of Representatives and the Senate, there is little promise of changing Republican plans. Our only hope is a massive turnout of voters in November to return our government to a two-party system.
I urge readers to register now and vote in November.

James D. Boyer
Mount Penn

Republican tax cut big factor in deficit