Tackle real challenge

It seems obvious that all the competing income-tax overhaul plans currently being discussed will significantly lower the taxes owed by the biggest businesses and highest earners while, at best, only slightly lowering the taxes on all the rest of us. The justification for this disparity is that they are the “job creators” and giving them a break will encourage them to hire more workers.

However, just a cursory glance shows an almost historic low rate of joblessness at this time. Even though, unfortunately, too many of these jobs are entry level and/or minimum wage. However, there are currently thousands of higher-paying jobs going unfilled due to the inability of businesses to find qualified applicants.

Then there is the reality of a constantly rising stock market. The price of a stock rises when the investor buying that stock expects the company to make a higher profit and pay a bigger dividend. Investors are expecting just that to result from the advertised tax overhaul plans.

So, putting all this together, it seems clear that any lowering of taxes on big business can be expected to result in higher profits and dividends rather than more jobs. Just maybe we should be spending our energies on improving the quality of our workers so they can fill the better jobs already available. That would mean an education system overhaul. Now there is a real challenge. RICHARD PICARD

Little Rock