Tax cuts adversely impact programs for the poor
gazetteonline.com
The following Letter to the Editor was published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette
by Ellen Fisher
The Gazette's Nov. 11 editorial,
“Tightening government's belt”, applauded congressional efforts to cut
spending but ignored the impact of tax cuts. House Republicans led by
Rep. Jim 'Nussle, R-Iowa, are trying to cut $54 billion over five years
primarily from programs that benefit the poor — food stamps, school
meals, Medicaid, student loans, foster care, child support enforcement,
etc.
The
budget deficit cited as rationale for the cuts has been greatly
enlarged by four successive years of tax cuts benefiting the very
wealthy, and Republicans hope to add $70 billion in additional tax cuts
this year. For the 2005 tax year the wealthiest 0.2 percent of
taxpayers will receive almost $35 billion from already enacted Bush tax
cuts, an amount that exceeds the annual cost of the food stamp program.
The
poverty rate last year rose for the fourth consecutive year, marking
the first time on record that household incomes failed to increase for
five straight years. During this time costs for housing, energy,
medical care and prescription drugs rose sharply, so it isn't
surprising that in October the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported
that hunger increased for the fifth straight year. Speaking of the
current economic recovery, Philip Swa-gel of the conservative American
Enterprise Institute said, “The gains have gone to owners of capital
and not to workers.”
With
hunger and poverty both increasing steadily, the entire Iowa
congressional delegation should be urged not to cut programs that
protect the poor. No new tax cuts should be passed, and those already
enacted should be allowed to expire.
Ellen Fisher lives in Cedar Rapids.
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