Letter to the editor: Tariffs and our national debt

Greetings, Mr. Guy Reschenthaler,

How about being honest with yourself and your constituents? We do need a congressional representative who acts for us as well as for our beloved country.

The No. 1 problem we have in the USA is still the debt that has accumulated and the need to get it paid back. Since much of the borrowed money has come from our foreign trade partners, we cannot afford to turn our backs on our trade partners. Let’s go ahead with the tariffs (and have it a congressional function, not a presidential decree). Set that tariff at 10% on everything that we import. Consider this as a regressive federal sales tax — yes, it is regressive but at this time a necessity.

Also no tax reduction by not renewing the expiring Trump tax cut. Granted, this will hit the super rich 1% minority of taxpayers the most and also affect those who have some income from the stock market.

The bottom line is, we cannot afford an income tax reduction but could afford a stable 10% federal sales tax/tariff. Let’s maximize our ability to maintain Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, scientific research, the environment, federal employment, etc. These actions will keep things as simple as possible and help in keeping our democracy healthy.

Our status as a world leader is at stake. The on/off Trump tariffs do none of us any good. Keeping our place of leadership in the world. That will keep us and the world safer.

Louis F. Pochet

Greensburg