LoBiondo, Saxton Must Go in 2006

Few people realize that a tax cut signed by President Bush in 2001 is taking effect this year. It is estimated to reduce tax revenues by $27 billion in the first year and about $150 billion through 2010. Ninety percent of the benefits will go to families with incomes greater than $200,000.This follows an end-of-year flurry of activity in which Congress gave itself a $3,100 raise, killed a proposal to raise the minimum wage, reduced money for people programs by $35 billion and gave tax cuts to businesses that are earning record profits. As if that were not enough, Congress plans further tax cuts on unearned income — but not wages.Bush has been able to pay for all this and a war of choice, along with its costlier occupation, by incurring the largest deficit in our history. The good news is that 2006 is an election year. While Bush's term does not expire until 2008, some who support his agenda are up for election — like our own Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, and Rep. Jim Saxton, R-3rd, both of whom voted yes on the bill to cut people programs, which passed 217 to 215.We need representatives in Washington who believe that our most pressing problems are not taxes on dividends and interest income but rather feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, providing health care for the sick and full employment for the able. I don't think that a person like LoBiondo, who recently moved into a million-dollar house, understands our problems well enough to continue representing us.

NICK REINA

Milmay

Letter published in Press of Atlantic City, January 20, 2006

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/opinion/letters/story/5844206p-5859751c.html