Shoulder the burden

Since the GOP-controlled Congress is convinced we need the “biggest tax cut ever,” it’s time for a look back at how taxes have changed since my generation’s entrance into the work force.

In 1968, five years after joining the work force, my family’s total income was $11,400. Taking the married filing jointly with one child and standard deductions, the total tax and surcharge was $1,625, a 14.25 percent effective tax rate.

In 1998, the $11,400 is worth $54,025 using the inflation calculator. Using the same family size and deductions, including child tax deduction, the total tax would be $5,424, for an effective tax rate of 10.04 percent.

Fast forward to 2016. The original $11,400 income is now worth $79,204. Using the same family size and standard deductions, the total tax is $6,244, for an effective tax rate of 7.88 percent. A family in 2016 is paying only 55 percent of the taxes paid by an equivalent family in 1968.

The new GOP tax cut is forecast to create $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion in deficit spending over the next decade. This bill has not even been signed into law yet, but Paul Ryan is now talking to our “favorite” president about how to pay for the tax cuts. Of course the first thing he wants to cut are entitlements, especially Medicare. The GOP now wants the generation that paid a high tax burden to keep this country great to shoulder the burden of paying for the new tax cut by having our benefits cut to “make America great again.” What a country.

KENNETH R. WEBER

Bella Vista