After watching the debate last night I got the sense that John McCain was trying to tap into a nerve with 15 million potential voters who make over $250,000 per year. I fall into this category, and after hearing McCain at the debate last night I was, as Joe the plumber was, "infuriated". But the anger that I felt, along with many others set for a tax hike, was directed solely at John McCain. So I decided to write him an open letter.
Dear Senator McCain:
Last night, I watched as you scoffed and bristled at the notion that I would have to pay more taxes under Obama's tax plan. I have news for you John, I'm doing OK. Sure, my stocks are in the toilet, I can't sell my house, but I'm not really hurting that bad. Yet you want to give cut me some slack? Why?
The middle class in the country is in the worst shape it has been since the 1930's when the income divide in this country was greatly narrowed. Bush's tax plan drove a wedge through this dynamic, and your plan will take a hatchet to it. A lot of people are struggling to pay their bills, feed their families, stay in their homes, and pay for health care. And yet you display a disturbing and shameful indifference to these Americans while handing me a nice fat tax cut.
Is this your plan to "fix" our economy? Throw thousands of dollars at me while giving working families nothing? Are you still one of the few remaining "trickle down" believers? Or are you really so selfish that you want to reward yourself and other well-off Americans with more giveaways? I haven't been pulling my weight for years. Bush gave me a big break and I didn't need it. Just look at the consequences! An economy in shambles, a new America of the "haves and to have-nots", a squandered surplus and a soaring national debt. Proposing to keep the Bush tax plan is a disgrace, yet you seem to think it doesn't go far enough.
You love to point out that Obama's plan would "spread the wealth around". John, all tax policy, by nature, spreads the wealth around. Your plan spreads it even further to people like me. I don't need your help John, but that this moment millions of other Americans do. They need someone to stand up and fight for them. Last nights debate proved that the man who will do that is Senator Barack Obama.
So you can keep that tax cut John. Thanks, but no thanks.