In his recent letter to the editor, Jerry Nau used a statistic to prove his ideology without examining the full implication of it.
Yes, about 40 percent of workers don’t pay income tax; however, Mr. Nau uses an "and" to imply all are also getting an Earned Income Tax Credit.
The real number receiving EITC is about 15 percent of workers who, while employed, still earn under the poverty level. We are all subject to the same tax code and only income that exceeds deductions are taxable.
Does he believe those 40 percent hope their job never pays them enough to raise them to a taxable level? Is his implication they are lazy, stupid or have no desire for a better life? They pay Social Security tax at a rate greater than people making over $107,000 — money that is then siphoned off to reduce income taxes for those who do pay, and endangering their future retirement benefits.
Compared to their predecessor, every Republican president since WWII has increased the rate of growth of the national debt, while every Democratic president has stabilized or reduced that rate.
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President Bush and Congress nearly doubled the national debt, adding over $5 trillion. Republican economic policies have increased income inequality, growing the ranks of "no income tax" workers, while ballooning national debt.
It seems rather than liberals, the conservatives have purchased these votes for the Democrats.
Larry D. Stoddard
Pine Island
