Bert Dirschell
Centertown
Dear Editor:
Response to Mr. Lester’s Jan. 27 LTE. (All dollar figures are adjusted to 2018 dollars)
Letting workers keep more of the money they earned is a good thing. The problem is not that the federal government robs us of to little of our hard-earned income (two generations ago, 1968 they took an average of $5,200 per capita, one generation ago, 1993, they took $7,393 per capita, in FY2018 they took $10,172 per capita), the problem is that politicians can’t resist buying votes with excessive spending (in 1968 the federal government spent $6,100 per capita, in 1993 it spent $9,027 per capita, in FY2018 it spent $12,584 per capita).
No doubt there is waste in military spending, but there is waste in all areas of federal spending. In 1968 national defense cost us $1,980 per capita, in 1993 $1,864 per capita and in FY2018 $1,966 per capita. National defense is not the cause of massive spending increases.
Mr. Lester and I agree on DC crony capitalism. Wayne Winegarden, Pacific Research Institute, claims that “federal manufacturing grants and loans for the purchase of electric vehicles and the necessary infrastructure worth $40.7 billion over the lifetime of the programs.” He further states that in the 2014 tax year 78.7 percent of the federal consumer tax credits were received by households with AGI’s of at least $100,000. Handing out billions of subsidies for cars fueled 63 percent by fossil fuels and 17 percent by renewables is as insane as giving 20 farm corporations $22.8 million in subsidies in one year.
Missouri voters should have a choice on expanding and funding Medicaid. Missourians have recently seen the benefits of the referendum process. We voted to increase our minimum wage, we rejected the “right-to-work” law, etc. Why do people only want Medicaid expansion if it is funded by free/borrowed money. Those serious about wanting better health care for Missouri’s indigent should start the petition/referendum process to force state legislators to mandate, and fund, the better care. Supporters of funding the expansion with more federal debt say Missouri would receive over $2 billion per year. We could raise the $2 billion by simply doubling the state sales tax. It is unconscionable that we would fund it by piling more debt on our children and grandchildren.