Letter: GOP showing its greedy side

Friday, Dec. 9, 2005 | 9:14 a.m.

Here is your less than happy holiday greeting from the conservative leadership in Congress: Give to the rich after we take from the poor.

Prior to their Thanksgiving recess, members of Congress slashed more than $50 billion of funding for vital human services in the name of deficit reduction. Neither Reps. Jon Porter nor Jim Gibbons of Nevada had the courage to stand up for low-income Nevadans and cast the decisive vote against this unfair bill. It passed by two votes.

Now, upon its return to Washington, the House has passed $56 billion in tax cuts. Analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that 40 percent of these tax breaks will benefit families with annual household incomes over $1 million. What a surprise.

How does taking $50 billion from the poor and giving $56 billion to the rich reduce the deficit? When did "giving to the rich after taking from the poor" become an American value?

The so-called party of strong moral values now adds greed to its list of corruption, money laundering, divisiveness and cronyism. It appears the House has found its new majority leader -- Rep. Ebenezer Scrooge.

Mark Nichols

Henderson

The writer is executive director of the Nevada chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. The views expressed are his own.