(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Letter to the Editor)

As you know, this is an election year. I think your readers should be aware of some of the more common “promises” candidates will make. One of the most common is to “cut income taxes.” If that was their true goal all that would be needed is to increase the standard deduction and leave the rest of the tax code alone. This would give a tax break to lower and middle-class citizens while still taxing the very wealthiest and most able to pay. This is not what most politicians are after. Their aim is to give the wealthiest among us a huge tax break while increasing taxes on the poor and middle class. Think about it. Politicians have been “cutting taxes” since the 1980s and Ronald Reagan. Are you paying less in taxes? Probably not. When politicians “cut income taxes” they then increase property taxes, sales taxes, license fees and any other charges that we all must pay. Please don’t fall for this scam.

Another promise is to run government “like a business.” This is a terrible idea. The primary goal of any business is to make a profit. Do we really want our police department to be profitable? How about the fire department or street department? The reason we have government is to do the things we can’t do for ourselves and businesses can’t or won’t do. Yes, we all want our government to be as efficient as possible but democracy can be messy and inefficient sometimes. It is still the best system we have.

These are just a couple of the fallacies that pop up during elections. There are many more. Think for yourselves and don’t be caught up in political babble. Use your common sense and vote accordingly.

J.P. Walker

Belpre