Readers write
Broaden sales tax base rather than raise taxes
The Georgia Legislature desires to replace the income tax with a more regressive sales tax. Whether that is good or bad is subject to debate; however, I do believe it is time to make the sales tax less regressive and recognize that the economy has changed dramatically since the sales tax laws were written — from a goods-based to a service/goods-based economy.
It is time to broaden the base and tax services, as this would allow for not increasing the rate (perhaps reducing it?) and make the tax less regressive.
BOB DALTON, LILBURN
Consumers paid the price for Trump’s tariff war
President Donald Trump’s tariff war against the rest of the world has backfired.
He caused massive turmoil in worldwide economic markets and financial pain for American businesses that sell imported goods and those that export to a world that is now furious at his administration and what our country has become.
Worst of all, recent analyses have proven what economists always expected — American consumers ultimately paid the tariffs in the form of higher prices.
Trump’s chaotic tariff policy was based on his bizarre theory that the mere fact of a trade deficit means that a foreign government is taking unfair advantage of us. For authority, he tried to rely on an emergency federal law that didn’t even mention the word “tariff.”
Trump was always going to lose the legal case, even with a friendly Supreme Court. And now, we, the people, will never receive a refund for the higher prices we paid because of his illegal tariffs or the $2,000 tariff payment that he promised us.
DON HACKNEY, ATLANTA
Bondi hearing diminished trust in DOJ
Until Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the Epstein files, some Americans might have been excused for thinking the hearings were political theater in a polarized Congress. What is undeniable is that victims in attendance had been degraded by Jeffrey Epstein in their youth. Their pain merits recognition, accountability and recourse.
What Bondi could not explain was why victims’ names and private information had been unredacted, and the names of alleged perpetrators had been redacted. Despite her fiery nonresponses to members of Congress, she appears to have her thumb on the scales of justice so as to dismiss the accountability and recourse elements that are part of her role.
She has embarrassed herself professionally. She has also diminished trust by the citizenry in the Department of Justice’s ability to do its job objectively.
In a case of life imitating art, she has assumed the role of accused Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men” in a military court, yelling at lawyer Tom Cruise, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” This is a bad look for AG Bondi.
RICH LAPIN, DUNWOODY
