D.C. sales tax rate is higher than that Re: “Maryland residents pay higher state, local taxes than Va., D.C.,” March 31
In which decade did Leah Fabel research her article about state and local taxes in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia?
The D.C. sales tax has been 6 percent, not 5.75 percent, for many years — and does not apply to groceries or drugs.
As usual, The Examiner is light on facts.
Richard Herrell
Washington
Obama’s foreign policy inexperience is showing
Re: “Here we go again, following a president into war,” March 30
Even before the last presidential election, I considered Barack Obama to be a community organizer. Nothing more, nothing less. Experience to run the country? Slim to none.
But after reading Gregory Kane’s column on the Libyan civil war, I stand corrected. President Obama’s former position of note was Illinois state senator and his most earth-shattering vote was probably “Present.”
Thank you, Mr. Kane, for that eye-opening column.
George J. Pitonyak
Kitty Hawk, N.C.
GOP’s ‘starve the beast’ strategy is working
Republicans have successfully accomplished their mission of “starving the beast.” You know the drill: cut revenue (mostly corporate taxes), and then spend so much on unfunded wars and tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires that there’s no money left for middle-class programs. For example, Social Security would have been fine left on its own, but both parties have taken money out of the Trust Fund to pay for things that federal taxes should have funded.
Republicans could not legislatively kill social programs, so they concocted the idea to spend, spend, spend so they could then tell the middle class the country is broke. But Democrats are just as guilty. They controlled all three branches of government last year, yet failed to pass the “Stop the Tax Haven Abuse Act” — which cost the District of Columbia up to $700 million per year.
Now Congress wants to cut $5.7 billion from the Pell Grant program, $1 billion from Head Start, and $700 million from Title I grants — while giving those who did so well during the Bush years billions in tax cuts.
Wake up, America! Don’t let them get away with it. Insist that all Americans pay their fair share.
Jack Donner
Alexandria
