Make Bush tax cuts permanent

To the editor:

Another tax day has thankfully come and gone. Most of us paid more than we wanted to, but it was a lot less than we would have paid without President Bush and his tax policies.

The economy has been through a lot in the last four years: sharp downturn in the stock market, the 9-11 terrorist attacks, corporate scandals and two wars. Through all that, the president's policies have prevented serious recession, and the economy is in a strong recovery.

Bush and John Kerry have very different views on what the American public should do with their earnings. Bush has said Americans deserve to make decisions about their money. Kerry has promised that he will raise taxes. That is the surest way to derail the economic recovery, tank the stock market and take away the incentive for people to work harder and earn more money.

Kerry says he does not see the benefits of tax cuts and has proposed policy after policy that will cost taxpayers money. At the same time, he promises that the middle class will keep its tax cuts. It just doesn't add up.

These are reasons why Congress must make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Failure to do so will have very real consequences. I can sum up the difference between Bush and Kerry in one sentence: Under Bush, we have only one tax day a year, but to Kerry every day is tax day.

PAUL SUMMERS

Cape Girardeau