‘1 percenters’ aren’t being overtaxed
        Let’s start out with who caused this mess we are in. It wasn’t the average worker. It is the 1 percenters who bundled all of the bad loans and sold them with a AAA rating. It was the 1 percenters who shipped our jobs out of the country. It was the 1 percenters who lobbied Congress to change the laws so that it all could be called legal.
In the past, taxes were raised to cover the cost of war , infrastructure repair and maintenance and to support the common good. The 1 percenters now don’t want to pay for the wars , infrastructure, the common good or the mess that they created. They are now saying through people like the Tea Party that they will pay no more taxes – as if they are now severely overtaxed – and that all of the additional costs will have to be borne by the average worker.
Longterm capital gains taxes are at their lowest rate of 15 percent in 50 years. From 1966 to 1975, longterm capital gains tax rates rose from 25 percent to 40 percent, then decreased to 20 percent by 1982. In 1985, the tax rose and plateaued at approximately 29 percent until 1995. Fifteen percent is a far cry from 40 percent.
The top marginal tax rate – which is what the 1 percenters are supposed to pay – is now at 35 percent. In 1932, the rate was 63 percent. In 1940, it was 81 percent. In 1944, it was 94 percent. In 1952, it was 92 percent. From 1954 to 1963, it was 91 percent. From 1963 to present, the rate has slowly dropped to the current 35 percent. This is a far cry from 94 percent.
These tax rate histories clearly show that the 1 percenters are far from being overtaxed. They have never had it so good as they have it right now.
– Arthur Firth
Salisbury

Double standard
 Democrats loved the wealth JFK inherited and weren’t concerned with the questionable ways his father acquired it. They loved the wealth candidate John Kerry married, again without reference to its origin. Now they consider money earned by Mitt Romney to be evil. Isn’t a double standard being applied here?
– Bob Phillips
Landis

Stories vs. facts
 The one thing right about Elaine Hewitt’s letter (9/21) is there are a lot of stories out there. Hewitt told us she’s heard stories, but let’s look at the facts.
Fact: 4.5 million new jobs have been created since President Obama took office. Now, George Bush left us a hole 9 million jobs deep, so we’re not out of it yet. But to say as Hewitt does that the policies of this president are preventing job creation doesn’t square with the facts.
Fact: “Obamacare” doesn’t go into effect fully until 2014, but already businesses and individuals are benefiting from tax credits it provides to help pay for providing coverage, from kids being able to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26, from free preventative care, from an end to arbitrary lifetime benefit caps, and from rebates to consumers by insurance companies which will total $1.1 billion this year alone.
Fact: According to its trustees’ latest report, Medicare will remain solvent through 2024 thanks to measures in Obamacare that reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. On the other hand, Mitt Romney has promised to repeal those reforms while transforming Medicare from guaranteed health care into a voucher program.
Fact: GM is once again the largest automaker in the world and posted record profits this year. I don’t see the struggle Hewitt talks about.
Fact: Representative Warren voted to cut education by $190 million, cutting more than 3,100 jobs for teachers and teacher aides, increasing classroom size and reducing classroom resources – all while voting to give a new $300 million tax cut to the rich.
If you’re persuaded by facts and want to elect folks who value work more than greed, vote for Barack Obama, Walter Dalton for governor, Sam Ervin for N.C. Supreme Court and Bill Battermann for N.C. House.
– Corey Hill
Salisbury

Wagner for board

 I have recently had the pleasure to get to know school board candidate Josh Wagner.
I have found Mr. Wagner, a recent veteran of the military, to be very intelligent and energetic. He has some really good ideas for our public schools, by focusing on what is best for our students and classroom teachers. Far from the status quo leadership to which we have become accustomed, Josh Wagner is looking for success that is not measured by having school board members’ names engraved on a tarnished bronze plaque on the cornerstone of a central office or school building. His legacy will be better educated students.
I encourage anyone who wants positive change on the school board to consider Josh Wagner on Nov. 6.
– Jeff Morris
Spencer

Egyptian atrocities
 Let’s look at Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood is now in power. The president and his administration have been accused of heavily favoring the brotherhood.
For the past several weeks, certain kinds of people have been put to death there, including reports of crucifixions, beheadings and hot tar being poured on victims. Why? Because they decided to become Christian and leave the Islam religion.
In Egypt, there is no free speech or freedom of religion.
When free speech is restricted in any way, opposition will be silenced, and the truth cannot be told.
Your children and grandchildren will only hear how America used to be, or will they?
Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
– Jeff Karriker
Mooresville