HOLDING A TEA PARTY

This letter to the editor in our local paper down here puts it in a much kinder, succinct manner that I would (slightly edited for space):

To the Editor:

I read with interest the account of the local “tea bag” event. I am puzzled by the actions being taken.

Where was the outrage when this horrible crisis was being created?

George W. Bush came into office with an advantage few presidents have enjoyed — a $230 billion surplus. But his $1.35 trillion tax cut in 2001, a $1.5 trillion tax cut in 2003 and a massive defense buildup through the Iraq and Afghanistan wars quickly blew through that surplus.

After the financial crisis emerged last fall and the ensuing bank bailouts, Bush’s budget deficit ballooned to more than $1.2 trillion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That is 8.3 percent of gross domestic product.

As Center for American Progress Vice President for Economic Policy Michael Ettlinger explained, budget deficits swelled under Bush because his supply-side tax policies slashed revenues while failing to deliver strong economic performance.

No tea bags then. None to any of the Republicans who passed all Bush’s budgets.

It seems this was simply an anti-Obama, anti-Democrat event.

People are entitled to gather for that purpose. They should, however, be honest about it.

Stephanie L. Koppenhafer

Touche.