LETTERS

TO THE EDITOR

The middle class

To the editor:

The middle class is the backbone of our country.

It is the source of economic growth. It is the primary source of an educated workforce as well as the primary source of consumers. That stable consumer base drives investment.

The middle class is necessary for innovation. It is a bastion of civic engagement, improving our local communities and communities across the United States. It promotes education and other long-term investment.

But the middle class has been decreasing in size. It fell from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021. Simultaneously, the upper-income tier increased from 14% in 1971 to 21% in 2021.

While incomes of the middle class have risen by 50%, it is disproportionate to those of the upper-income households, which have risen by 69%.

Although we’re told the current Republican Party stands for ordinary citizens standing up to powerful elites, the Budget Reconciliation Bill (a/k/a the “One Big Beautiful Bill”) being considered in the Senate is the most regressive, least populist policy package in 40 years.

Besides tax cuts to benefit the rich, it targets spending cuts that hurt mostly middle- and low-income families.

It would reduce income among the poorest 20% of Americans by 3.8% while also increasing the income of the richest 20% by 3.7%, which is a range of 7.5 percentage points.

Cuts made in President Trump’s first term amounted to a difference of 2.5 points, with the poorest 20% having a 0.4% increase in income and the richest 20% having a 2.9% increase.

President Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 resulted in increased income for the poorest 20% by an average 0.5% and for the richest 20% by 3.2%, amounting to a difference of 2.7 points.

Weakening the middle class further will not make America great again.

Please contact Senator Moran at (202) 224-6521 and Senator Roger Marshall at (202) 224-4774 and ask them to oppose this bill if you haven’t already.

Kathy L. Fox
Council Grove