Voodoo caused debt

Michael Ramirez’ Feb. 5 cartoon showed a huge debt crater in the United States. John Kasich displays a readout of our mounting deficit at campaign stops. This exploding debt is the product of voodoo economics that proposed that slashing taxes and increasing military spending would stimulate economic growth and balance the budget.

The last budget surpluses actually occurred during the Clinton administration. President George W. Bush overturned the apple cart by enacting tax cuts, starting the Iraq War and sinking the economy. Republicans are not seriously addressing the debt crisis because they have made taxes anathema.

It is time for the wealthy class to start paying their fair share of taxes. I am part of the vanishing middle class, and pay local, state and federal taxes even though I don’t approve of many things done with my hard-earned dollars. I can’t fathom why those who have benefited the most, do their utmost to avoid supporting Uncle Sam.

Economic growth has been consistently better with Democratic presidents since JFK. In politics, fantasy trumps reality, and beliefs trump facts. However, addition and subtraction trump voodoo math.

David Webb

Spokane