Tax breaks misdirected

Sun., Jan. 1, 2012

What a difference a year makes. Last December, when Congress made a compromise to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, there was no insistence that they be paid for. In fact, the compromise worked out just added other tax breaks that the Democrats wanted.

Now, with tax cuts for the rich secured, House Republicans are using ordinary working-class families to extort more concessions from the Democrats and to advance the political ideology of tea party extremists in exchange for extending the payroll tax cut.

When will they get the message that the rich are not the ones hurting! The tax breaks they receive, on the other hand, are hurting. Meanwhile, the working class continues to make the big sacrifices while we wait for the economic benefits that surely will come from the Bush-era tax cuts to so-called job creators.

Joel Gassaway

Kettle Falls, Wash.

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