Return to Sender by Ralph Nader

Author:Ralph Nader
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: letters, correspondence, policy, public interest, public policy, politics, economics, presidency, obama, bush, safety, citizenship, campaign, critiques, legislation, corporatism, democrat, republican, democracy
Publisher: Seven Stories Press
Published: 2015-04-06T16:00:00+00:00

May 28, 2001

The Danger of Massive Tax Cuts

Dear President Bush,

Your decision to tie your economic policy to a massive tax cut places at risk the needs of local communities and millions of citizens across the nation. It is, Mr. President, as if your administration and a bipartisan majority in the Congress have declared that there are no unmet needs.

In reality, the nation has a huge backlog of needs which must be met to ensure the health and safety of citizens and the well-being of the entire economy. The tax cut will make it impossible for the necessary programs to be funded if the budget surpluses are to be absorbed by tax reductions heavily weighted for the wealthiest citizens.

Mr. President, the nation cannot continue to allow more than 15 percent of its children to grow up in poverty or to refuse to provide an adequate supply of affordable housing for inner-city neighborhoods and depressed rural areas. We are already five million units short of the need for affordable housing. There are millions of other dwellings in need of major repairs to bring them up to decent standards for human habitation. Your tax cuts will remove hopes of changing these deplorable conditions.

You have spoken often about education and the need to upgrade our schools. Where, Mr. President, will the money come from to convert your rhetoric into action? Health is of vital concern, particularly for the millions lacking health insurance and the elderly facing rising prescription costs. Will you tell them that you gave the money away in the form of tax cuts, mostly to upper-income recipients?

Safe drinking water is critically important, and problems grow as many water systems near the end of their useful life. In a detailed report of public works needs, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that there is a shortfall of $11 billion annually in expenditures to replace worn-out and outdated systems. There is another $12 billion shortfall in investment in wastewater systems. Some of these systems are more than 100 years old. What happens, Mr. President, when you find that these antiquated systems cannot be replaced because the money has gone out the door in the form of tax cuts?

Similarly, the civil engineers—whom I trust you do not regard as radical members of society—raise serious questions about the adequacy of our transportation system. One-third of our roads are in poor or mediocre condition, costing taxpaying drivers an estimated $5.8 billion and contributing to 13,800 fatalities annually. Twenty-nine percent of the nation’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Mass transit ridership is increasing rapidly and it is estimated that capital spending needs to increase by 41 percent just to maintain these systems in their present condition, not including what is needed to keep up with the increased number of riders. Again, Mr. President, your tax cut package raises the possibility that funding will not be available to expand and maintain these transportation systems which are so vital to a growing population and particularly to working families.

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