Editor, OBSERVER:
I think the actions of the GSA, with its lavish spending in Las Vegas, are criminal. To spend more than $800,000 of taxpayers' money on a party in this economy is a grossly irresponsible. However, so is the filibuster of the Buffett Rule and oil subsidy loopholes by the Republican senators these past few weeks.
Oil subsidy loopholes cost the taxpayers $32 billion a year and the Buffett Rule is estimated to be around $47 billion a year. This is over 98,000 times more expensive than an $800,000 GSA party! Just think, we are giving oil companies $32 billion in tax breaks while they make money on increased gasoline prices at the pump. I want to go to their year-end party!
We are dismayed at government agencies wantonly spending American tax dollars for their own pleasure, but turn a blind eye to adding more to our national debt so the rich can get richer.
Why is that? Based on Congressional Budget Office figures back in January 2010, the Bush tax cuts to those making more than $250,000 per year costs us around $70 billion, or $245 billion over the past 3.5 years. How many jobs has that created? We should give the rich the tax breaks after they have created jobs - not before! The incentive to create jobs with tax breaks isn't working, so let's use the money to pay down on our national debt instead.
Scripture is full of God's wrath when it comes to injustice that is perpetrated on the poor. In fact, the basis of Christ's first sermon is to bring good news to the poor, and set the oppressed free. Christ goes on to say in Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
The Old Testament is also full of passages similar to this New Testament one. For example, "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed." Psalm 82:3
Republican senators have made a mockery of defending the rights of the poor, and should consider being judged by God on this issue, instead of pledging to follow Grover Norquist and his tax policies.
Why can't the wealthy defend the cause of the weak and poor? Where is our return on investment for contributing $245 billion to the wealthy for job creation?
EDWARD VOS,
Jamestown
