Welfare makes the rounds

For all the blather coming from state and local elected officials, we have yet to hear the truth. In Eastern Washington, most of the noise concerns smaller government. Those making the noise have never moved toward that end. The farmers and ranchers and timber industry would evaporate without all the programs which keep them alive.

The construction/timber industry has been supported at taxpayers’ expense for more than 70 years (tax deduction for mortgage interest). One cannot demand corporate welfare while damning the taxpayer for giving it to them. Without price supports, the dairy industry would shrink 50 percent.

As in the state of Wisconsin, elected officials gave $110 million in welfare to industry – and now search for someone to steal the $110 million from. Nationally, the GOP demanded $700 billion to pay back the folks who bought the election for them. And now they are looking to steal that money from elsewhere.

End corporate welfare! We can eliminate all our debt with flat tax rates: 15 percent under $90,000 and 26 percent for the rest. No deductions/excuses for any income bracket. Most actual entitlements the GOP wants to slash were legal binding contracts. Ask any vet or public retiree.

Charles Weber

Northport, Wash.