Posted: Saturday, May 9, 2009 12:00 am
Doyle's budget stinks
As far as Gov. Jim Doyle's budget goes, it is much like a bloated corpse: It stinks to high heaven.
The state budget reflects the national Democratic belligerence to business, capitalism, and the taxpaying public. Jim Doyle's "no new taxes" means all new taxes. It means creating another tax bracket for the State's richest and taxing them more, it means more corporate income taxes, and increased taxes on capital gains. It preys on the addictive nature of nicotine and taxes smokers yet again. It preys on every conceivable taxable entity except non-profits.
Doyle is begging for stimulus money. Even with the possibility of being granted it, he insists on inventing needs to justify raising taxes. For example, we do not need rail, neither high- nor low-speed. It should not even be discussed until roads are made to withstand Wisconsin winters. Nor does Wisconsin need regional transit authorities or domestic partner benefits.
Local property taxpayers would benefit if Doyle returned federal money to the localities it was meant for in the first place. The QEO needs to remain in place since Democrats prove daily they cannot control themselves when it comes to money. School vouchers would help those that really want out of poverty, either living within it or paying for the numerous social programs with their income taxes.
As everyone is feeling the pinch of foul government economic policies, so will Wisconsin government itself as it pushes businesses as far south as Mexico.
Jayne Siler
Racine
Keep it up, Horlick
Kudos to Horlick High School. Several weeks ago we attended the Grandparents/Senior Citizens/Alumni open house and want to share with the community what a wonderful day we spent at Horlick. We saw the play "Thoroughly Modern Millie" which was an excellent production, toured the school and had lunch with the students. The students were friendly and helpful and went out of their way to make our day special. There was no evidence of any generational gap during our visit. We're so proud to see all the great things our youth do for the community. Keep it up!
Pat and Warren Green
Racine
No logic in Ryan vote
Last week, when the House passed the Matthew Shepard Act in a bipartisan vote of 249 to 175, we moved one step closer to federal hate crimes protections.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act Matthew Shepard Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence by providing the department with jurisdiction over crimes of violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
Unfortunately, Congressman Paul Ryan voted against this legislation.
I've read and reread the wording of this legislation to find some justification for Paul Ryan's "No" vote. I can find no logic in it.
Does Paul Ryan condone violence against an individual because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability? I doubt it. Republican or Democrat, how can an elected representative of a diverse area like Racine vote against protection for any of his constituents?
I encourage you to contact Congressman Paul Ryan and ask him whose best interests he represented in this vote.
Tim Smith
Racine
Ryan part of problem
Paul Ryan's proposal to eliminate corporate income tax and replace it with a business consumption tax is just another slick example of how our Congressman supports his corporate cronies while disguising himself as a champion for his constituents here in Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District. This does not eliminate the tax burden. It simply shifts the tax burden to the end user - the consumer who will pay higher prices. Business will include the consumption tax in its cost of goods sold, increase its sales price, and pay no tax on the profit/net income derived.
Good for business. Bad for the average working American.
We have one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world, yet the effective rate (the rate at which business actually pays) is one of the lowest. How so? The generous loopholes and unfair tax breaks a corporation has access to that the Average Working American does not. Corporate America does not pay its "fair share" of taxes now. Ryan wants to eliminate the corporate tax before the Obama Administration eliminates the tax loopholes.
Ryan blames the Obama Administration as continuing the dangerous precedent set by the Bush Administration. Wait a minute. Didn't our congressman support the Bush Administration 94 percent of the time with his extreme conservative voting record for the past decade? Ryan is correct when he says, "Crony capitalism has never looked uglier and the consequences have never been more painful," except he fails to acknowledge he is part of that problem and not the solution.
Paulette Garin
2008 Democratic congressional candidate
Kenosha