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Letter: Reconstituted Congress must zoom in on taxes and entitlements

(Andrew Harnik | AP Photo) In this Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, file photo President Donald Trump pauses while speaking at a rally at Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro, Ill. If Democrats win control of the House in next week’s congressional elections, their legislative priorities wouldn’t likely much alter a $20 trillion U.S. economy. For one thing, Trump would remain able to block Democratic initiatives, just as they could stop his plans for more tax cuts and a 5 percent cut to Cabinet department budgets.

Post-midterm election, the new Congress has much work to do. It should focus on taxes and entitlements:

1) Rescind the monstrous tax cuts given to the very rich. Raise their rates and get rid of the sneaky loopholes. Pay up, billionaires!

2) Do not cut Social Security or Medicare. Mitch McConnell wants to kill us with big reductions. The word "entitlements" comes up. It is used to define unearned, undeserved welfare. Not true. We paid into SSI and Medicare all our working lives and by damn we are entitled to those benefits.

3) Eliminate state and federal income taxes on citizens 70 years and older. Again, we've paid all our taxes all our lives and we need a break. Congress and President Trump are trying to force us into the poor houses. Many will have to live in used Winnebagos parked over at the local Walmart.

Come on; fair is only fair.

Michael P. Greer, Cottonwood Heights

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