When President Obama took office on Jan. 20, 2009, the federal debt was $10.6 trillion. As of Feb. 14, the federal debt was $16.5 trillion, which is a $5.9 trillion increase to our federal debt.
In fiscal 2008, the federal deficit was $454.8 billion. In fiscal 2012, it was $1.296 trillion which increased the federal deficit by $ 841.9 billion.
The president says he reduced the deficit by $2.5 trillion. Really? Taxpayers realize we are being lied to. Tricks that Democrats use are gimmicks, such as counting projects already cut. The Pentagon cut $5 billion it said it did not need.
So it comes down to Democrats in Congress have no intention of cutting, but they want more tax increases. Anyone with a modicum of math skills has figured out taxing the rich yet more will not help solve our debt problem. So where will the money come from? The only honest Democrat response I've heard came from former Gov. Howard Dean who said "sooner or later someone has to tell the middle class their taxes are going up or programs will be cut." Compromises not being an option, I guess we better jump the cliff.
MICHAEL KILDALL, Kennewick
