June 2003

June 10, 2003

Cincinnati Enquirer

Editorial

Why did I vote Republican?

Our representatives in Columbus are poised to increase our sales tax by 20%, hiking the rate from 5% to 6%. This will be in addition to the various county rates that we endure. Therefore, our sales tax burden will soon be 7% in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren Counties. They will be taking this additional money from us to boost spending by 11%. Extrapolating the data from the Beacon Hill Institute for Public Policy Research, this tax hike will cost Ohio over 100,000 jobs.

And if that’s not bad enough, our representatives in Washington want to enact a so-called child income tax credit for people who do not pay income taxes. Why don’t they be honest and simply call the bill “The Welfare Expansion Act of 2003”?

If I wanted higher taxes, bigger government, and transfers of wealth, I would have voted for Democrats. So I’ll ask the question again: Why did I vote Republican?

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John E. Becker

June 18, 2003

Cincinnati Enquirer

Editorial

The Enquirer editorial staff got it wrong in the June 17 edition: “Child tax credits; Just do it; But don’t call it a tax cut.” They stated that “…giving money back to most of America, but not giving any to the working poor … is a bad idea, both morally and politically.”

A bad idea morally?

Fortunately, the editorial staff understands that you can’t give tax credits to people who don’t pay taxes. They are therefore endorsing a welfare payment.

Does the editorial staff understand that tax rebates are a return of taxpayer’s money to the people who paid them? And welfare payments can only result from the forcible confiscation of other people’s money?

How is it moral to forcibly take money from those who earned it and give it to those who did not? The government should use tax credits to encourage us to contribute more to United Way, the Red Cross and other organizations that can give the poor the help that they need.

The government should not force us to be “moral” by taking our money.

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John E. Becker