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Middle class woes

Monte Reiner

Minot

Trickle Down has never and will never result in higher wages for the middle class. As we hear of the intent to cut business taxes before those of our working class, the smell of the swamp fills the air. Businesses consider employees as their largest expense and continue to place profit for themselves or stockholders far above paying a living wage. Stock buy backs and reducing competition through acquisitions lead the discussions in the board rooms.

Businesses benefit from being able to access the U.S. market as they charge us higher prices because of our higher standard of living. Taxpayers invest billions in national security to create a safe environment to do business. The U.S. offers the most financially secure and well regulated monetary system, which allows for the securest investment environment in the world. Therefore, the rants about us having the highest business taxes in the world shows a lack of appreciation for all of the opportunity we all pay for.

If businesses want lower taxes, please move to Afghanistan where you are less secure. Move to Myanmar where public infrastructure is a disaster. Move to Eritrea to stash your bankroll so it can vanish in a week. Yes cry baby businesses, America offers you a lot for your money, so pay your fair share of taxes and quit the wages of slavery.

We’ll see just how the new administration moves forward to boost wages for the middle class. As energy prices climb to pay off Trump’s industry friends please make sure this additional cost to the middle class is part of their wage increase plan. As you charge 35% on all imported products please make sure this is part of the middle class bonus. As you threaten individual businesses about their price structure I suggest you start with the outrageous cost of security for you and your family.

Just like the first two years of a child’s life being the most critical for positive development, putting money in the hands of those who will spend it has the greatest impact on the economy. Food, housing, and warm clothes count more than Gucci shoes, a yacht, and gold toilets. You see your business buddies have not reduced the price of meat and other food as ag markets crashed. You see your business buddies did not reduce prices from the substantial transportation and energy costs they saved with lower energy prices. Was this profit trickled to the employees or customers or was it trickled into greedy pockets? These are the same pockets that business tax reduction will go to.

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