Breakdown of the debt-ceiling talks; getting the economy going; and Amazon’s sales tax stance

Leadership, please

Re “Deal’s demise: What happened?” July 23, “Deficit talks strain Obama’s goal of bipartisan politics,” July 24, and “Dueling debt plans, neither a silver bullet,” July 26

I’m a small-business owner and a former Republican who listened to President Obama and House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio). I respect both but was disappointed. They had been near a responsible compromise, but extremists on the far right evidently made that impossible. The speaker had seemed so reasonable a few days ago, but what he had to say Monday night was deliberately deceptive. I was embarrassed. All I ask is responsible compromise, a certain degree of honesty and some common sense. The president gets a C- and the speaker an F.

Delton Johnson

Santa Paula

Obama and Boehner remind me of teenage boys engaged in a locker-room ploy to see who can call whose bluff by posturing and walking out of meetings if they can’t get their way. Each refuses to compromise. Each is ignoring the good of the nation in this power play. Each seems to have forgotten that he holds an elected position and is letting down his constituents.

Come on guys, grow up; think of your country and lead.

Janet Fisher-Hoult

Culver City

It should be very clear to anyone at this point that Boehner is right. The Republican Party does indeed have “a different vision for our country” than the president. It’s called feudalism.

Marie Gilliam

Loma Linda

Is this the way our democracy is working in D.C.?

We vote for our leaders. In the run-up to elections, we endure months of campaign threats and promises. We listen to and support those who speak to our concerns. We contribute time and money. We celebrate or mourn on election night.

Our leaders are in place. And then we are told that more than 200 elected members of the House and dozens of elected members of the Senate have signed a no-tax pledge written by a never-elected lobbyist.

Where are we who listened, contributed, cared and voted? We’re history.

Ann Lievers

Escondido

Analyze the debt negotiations as much as you want, but the reality is that the Republican leadership was governed from the start by their repeatedly stated intention to see that Obama is a one-term president. No way could they see a mutually agreed-upon plan presented to the public. When that appeared to be on the doorstep, Boehner’s only way out was to walk out.

Edith Grady

Pasadena

Getting a shellacking in 2010 was a blessing in disguise for the Democrats. It has proved that the newly elected Republicans don’t know what they are doing. They have been a complete joke, signing pledges not to raise taxes no matter what.

They show a lack of compromise and a lack of passion and empathy toward their fellow Americans.

The Republicans don’t want their rich friends to pay their fair share of taxes, and they are being prodded by big business to keep the status quo.

One of these days they are going to have to add “yes” to their agenda.

Lois Eisenberg

Valencia

If the “tea party” types hate government so much, they should move to Somalia. From what I read, there is little effective government there, so they should be happy.

Al Sattler

Rancho Palos Verdes

Another way to create jobs

Re “Debt, jobs and politics,” Editorial, July 23

I agree with your editorial that the solution to our economic woes must include raising the debt ceiling, along with a plan to create jobs and to achieve a fair balance of budget cuts and revenue increases.

For those who refuse to raise taxes on the wealthy because they are the so-called innovators and job creators, I have a simple remedy. Make any tax incentives for corporations and the rich depend on using the “savings” for actually creating jobs. Create jobs and you get the breaks; squirrel the money away and you get taxed. Simple as that.

Tim Geddes

Huntington Beach

There is no debt crisis. It’s just a red (Democrat) herring. There’s plenty of income to pay the debt, entitlements and obligations like our military; then just cut back all the wasteful spending.

It’s time we live within our means. The so-called debt crisis is much more than just that. Our country is facing a major decision point — a choice between socialistic redistribution or the old free-enterprise system.

Obama has played his hand very smartly. He and the Democrats are counting on most Americans who want “fairness and compromise” to increase taxes — or blame Republicans for a debt crisis.

Dick Ettington

Palos Verdes

Taking on Amazon.com

Re “Capitol Journal: Amazon loses regardless,” Column, July 25

It is probable that Amazon.com will be smeared as being a “tax cheat” for the attempt to be relieved of the duty of collecting sales taxes. Although cheating is involved, the charge would be incorrect.

Amazon isn’t cheating on taxes; Amazon does not owe taxes. What Amazon wants is to be able to continue to aid California consumers in avoiding the taxes they owe upon purchases. We consumers are cheating by failing to pay the taxes due.

Of course, I can’t see either side campaigning on the real issue: “At Amazon, we are dedicated to protecting your right to cheat on your taxes.”

Maybe, given the realities of out-of-state merchandising, it is time to rethink whether sales taxes are a viable means of collecting revenue. Perhaps we should think of replacing sales taxes with some other assessment that forces everybody to pay their fair share.

John Hamilton Scott

Sherman Oaks

As the column says: “There was a generational divide: The younger the voters, the more opposed they were to online tax collections.”

I submit that if California received more revenue, the skyrocketing tuition of the state’s public higher education system over the last few years would modify the younger voters’

response. After all, with age comes the appreciation of consequences of action and thought that young people don’t grasp.

The older generation understands that there is a price to pay for everything. Until our leaders deal with the tax loopholes that mega-corporations enjoy, the other 98% of Americans will end up with the short end of the stick.

Life is like a chess match — always concentrate at least one or two moves ahead.

Paul Milberg

Woodland Hills

Re “Don’t buy Amazon’s argument,” Editorial, July 22

It’s not Amazon’s responsibility to worry about sales taxes that Californians should be paying.

I think that it is much easier for people to blame Amazon instead of California and our government. California’s high sales tax is the problem; I don’t think that Amazon should be put on the spot for this one.

Sonia Esquer

Acton

Your reasoning is narrow. Our progressive income tax structure has been progressively perverted at the top end for decades, while the shortfall is made up through increased sales taxes and fees that unfairly penalize low-income people. Buying from Amazon is an understandable tax revolt, a way of saying “tax high incomes properly and our sales tax could properly be 4% again.” Amazon’s referendum, however self-serving, addresses this issue directly, and it should and probably will win. I know I’ll vote for it.

Lane Darnton

El Segundo