Revenue is only half the equation

Dear Editor,
I wanted to applaud your Review and Comment column, “The Word for America in 2013: Freedom” in the Jan. 4 issue. Your assessment of America's challenges in the next few years are spot on. The current administration has led the American public to the conclusion that deficiencies in the tax revenue is the heart of the problem. Now that the president has gotten his way in raising taxes on the top earners, his talk has been silent on the most important aspect of decreasing spending. 

As George Rauch wrote in his “Market Watch” column in the Dec. 21 issue of the Business Observer, even if the United States government taxes the top 5% of taxpayers at the rate of 100% there would only be another $350-$450 billion in revenue to offset the $1.3 trillion in deficit spending. This type of thinking will only increase the class warfare rhetoric supported by President Obama. You are correct that our freedom will be eroded if President Obama does not address the runaway spending he has embraced during his first four years. He truly thinks that he can tax his way out of this growing deficit instead of slowing the bloated entitlement costs. 

You have a valid point that every American deserves a chance to better his or her future, but no one guarantees that anyone will be successful. The meaning of talent and drive never gets into the equation the president gives to the public. Thank you for your examination of the problem in Washington today. 

James Wingert
Owner, Broadview Animal Clinic
Castle Rock, Colo.