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Use surplus for worthy causes

To the Editor,

Less than one week into the new semester, and I just have to reply to a piece I read in the Wildcat. I've held my tongue in response to members of the Greek system doing their perennial whine about how they're sooo misunderstood and unfairly maligned (puh-leeze!), the U declaring that they're gonna tell mom if you get caught getting buzzed on one drug or another (What's next, a note to my folks telling them that I skipped class?!), the Fed once again deciding they must raise interest rates because too many people have jobs, and on and on and on.... Finally, I came across the piece that just pushed my good nature and patience too far-John A. Ward's op/ed "Where Does the Money Belong?" Sorry, I have to say something, just can't help it.

First of all, at the age of 28, I'm not "planning on" earning a living, paying taxes, etc-my husband and I already do that on 1/2 the federal poverty level while trying to raise a 7-year-old daughter and getting my degree. Having some experience in the "real world", do I support the GOP's plan to "give back" to the taxpayers? Not "no", but "hell, no"!

The vast bulk of this little "tax relief" scheme is tied up in things like capital gains tax cuts, which already happened not a year or two ago.

Since I have no capital gains, this isn't going to do my family or most of the people I know much good. In fact, the ones who ARE going to benefit primarily from this "relief" make up the top 1% of all the wealthiest households in America. Surprised? You shouldn't be, since the government was bought and paid for long ago by those very same top 1% and their corporations.

As far as I'm concerned, if we have to have governments, the only things they should be worried about are making sure that all citizens, especially the most needy, have the necessities of life, like food, shelter, medical care and education. I know, that's "un-American". Do you think I care? It's not the role of government to find new and improved ways for the officials' backers to escape their responsibilities to the society, with the middle class and poor suffering the consequences. I guess I was born on the wrong continent, since my Swedish friends don't seem to have these hang-ups about paying their share of taxes so everyone, themselves included, can reap benefits. Pity me!

Kimberly Doss

Political science & journalism junior