Refuting Smith's claims

One of my favorite movies is "My Cousin Vinny". In one scene, Vinny responds to the prosecuting attorney's opening statement: "Everything that guy just said is B.S." In his newsletter dated March 15, 8th District U.S. Rep. Smith critiqued President Biden's budget plan. To paraphrase Vinny, "Everything that guy wrote is B.S."

Biden is criticized for refusing to reauthorize Trump's 2017 tax cuts. These cuts increased the federal deficit and disproportionally benefited high-income earners. Biden is proposing higher taxes on the rich with tax cuts for those earning under $400,000. Hardly "crushing tax increases".

Next for criticism are "death taxes". Under Trump, estate taxes were imposed on taxable estates in excess of $13 million (or $26 million) per couple. Biden wants these to revert back to 2016 levels of $7 million/$14 million. Enough?

"More money for the IRS". Extra agents focusing solely on high-income tax returns yields more tax revenue than it costs. Plus anyone who has waited months to get a tax refund should appreciate the need for enhanced processing efficiency.

"Killing American-made Energy". In 2023, the U.S. set a record for producing more petroleum products than any other country ever! Plus annual record increases in renewable energy production has created thousands of new jobs. "Killing"?

Representative Smith laments that all Biden and Washington Democrats care about "delivering for the wealthy and most radical members of their party". There is an old saying about the pot calling the kettle black. That certainly applies to the misleading rhetoric presented by the Republican Party.

PETER J. GORDON, Cape Girardeau