The old Republican Party is dead, and the reasons are clear. The party’s continued efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, to support a president who is without ethics and to support accused sexual predator Roy Moore of Alabama all show the party to be without ethics or values (Christian or other).
Republicans have proposed $1.5 trillion tax bills in the House and Senate, which could eliminate deductions for personal and real estate taxes, state and local income taxes, medical expenses and personal casualty losses (too bad, disaster victims) and could penalize graduate students.
People who believe tax reform is for the low and middle classes are deluding themselves. These bills reduce corporate taxes by huge percentages without any requirement of small businesses or corporations to hire additional U.S. workers, raise pay rates or bring back manufacturing to the U.S.
These bills are written for the wealthy, including President Donald Trump and his cronies, by eliminating the alternative minimum tax, estate taxes, etc. The bottom line is that the Republican Party has been bought and sold.
Jennifer Randle
Overland Park
