Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan was asked last week whether he felt the public had given a mandate to raise taxes on the wealthy. He didn't believe that to be true because Republican members of Congress were re-elected.
Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman, was re-elected to his seat, but these politicians, including Ryan, did not carry their states for their presidential nominee. Wisconsin, for instance, went to President Barack Obama.
Republicans keep saying raising taxes on the wealthy will prevent jobs to be created. Jobs are created by corporate revenue, not personal income. Personal income is used for personal things, not creating jobs in businesses. The jobs being sent off-shore have provided the wealthy with more personal income, due to lower costs going toward personnel. Should they have more disposable income because they have tax breaks, allowing them to keep much more of their income than the middle class?
In history, great civilizations have fallen this way. The French and Russian revolutions happened after the wealthy got wealthier and the middle-class disappeared. America revolted the same way over a tax on tea, without any representation. Doesn't this all sound familiar?
KAREN DELDUCE
Latham