The Flip Side of the Coin

You know Republicans control the agenda and the press when there is only mention of how much we need to cut back on investment:

To meet the goal of halving the federal budget deficit by 2009, White House documents say that significant cuts would be needed throughout the decade in even some of President Bush's favored domestic programs.

While several of these programs, such as veterans health care and National Institutes of Health funding, are slated for increases in the budget Bush submitted to Congress this week, they actually would be cut through the end of the decade, a 673-page computer printout that details spending levels for each of the next five years for every federal program shows. The president's publicly released budget blueprint shows only his 2007 requests for federal programs that Congress funds annually.

Although I realize that this piece is about Bush's budget cuts, why is it that no one bothers to point out the other way to balance the budget - raise taxes. The analysis that I would like to see done is a study on by how much we would need to raise taxes to cut the deficit in half - or even balance the budget. I have a feeling it's not an oppressive amount. And while people shudder at the thought of tax hikes, the benefit of the programs that the government would be able to offer most Americans should outweigh the tax increase.

All of Bush's tax plans and budgets have hurt the lower and middle classes while benefitting the upper class. Let's see a tax plan and a budget that will help all Americans and make this country whole again.