Velma Berger – 10/7/05

This page was last updated on October 7, 2005.

‘I find nothing to support’; Velma Berger; Beaver County Times; October 7, 2005.

This letter is just one talking point after another, and it’s the fourth Bush-bashing letter she’s written since February. For someone who throws lying accusations around so easily, you’d think she would be more careful with her allegations.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“I recently read a letter from a writer asking us to support this president. She was tired of all the Bush bashing.

“I find it hard to find something to support. I hardly know where to begin.

“Should it be No Child Left Behind, which is a failure? Ask most school teachers.”

[RWC] I oppose federal involvement in education, but that’s not Ms. Berger’s problem. While President Bush pushed for this update, Ms. Berger failed to note Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) was one of the bill’s co-authors. Ignoring the fact I disagree with NCLB, I have no way to judge its effectiveness.

“Then there is the tax cut for the wealthiest Americans. I don’t even come close to benefiting from that.”

[RWC] Everyone got a tax cut, Ms. Berger. Even people with zero tax liabilities received increased tax “credits” (a.k.a. government handouts).

First, let’s look at actual income taxes paid. Using IRS data for tax year 2003 (the most recent data available), the IRS reports the top 1% of taxpayers paid 34% of the total collected by the IRS. The top 5% paid 54%. The bottom 50% paid only 3.5%. If you’re paying 54% of total income taxes, don’t you deserve a piece of a tax cut?

Second, let’s look at the estimated effect of the so-called “tax cuts for the wealthy.” A Treasury Dep’t. fact sheet projected the share of 2005 taxes to be paid with and without the tax cuts. With the tax cuts, the percent of income taxes paid by “the rich” remains the same or increases depending on the specific income range. For the bottom 50%, their projected share of taxes drops from 4.1% without the cuts to 3.6% with the cuts. Further, a Tax Foundation analysis found the tax cuts completely erased the income tax liability for 7.8 million low- and middle-income families.

“There are the cuts in the Medicaid program, which benefits the poor.”

[RWC] As I noted in a critique of a previous letter from Ms. Berger, the 2006 budget actually increased the Medicaid budget.

“I thought the absolute worst thing he is responsible for was sending our troops into a war based on lies. He has no plan of how or when to start bringing our servicemen home. As I write this letter, the total killed has now reached 1,935.”

[RWC] What were the “lies?” The plan is to win, Ms. Berger.

“Last of all was his five-week vacation down on his ranch. It was from there that he watched the devastation of Mississippi and Louisiana.”

[RWC] No president is ever really on vacation. For a president, the only difference between being on vacation and not is his location. From where did Ms. Berger want the President to observe? Was he supposed fly into the hurricane?

“After the hurricane, it took him three days before he flew over the area to view the flooding. While it was apparent that FEMA was failing the people, he made the statement, ‘Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job.” Michael Brown resigned the following day. His credentials for being appointed to head FEMA was judging horses.”

[RWC] I’d be willing to bet Ms. Berger was one of those who complained last year when President Bush showed up soon after the Florida hurricanes.

Ms. Berger can’t even get a simple timeline correct. President Bush made the above comment on Friday, September 2^nd. Michael Brown resigned on Monday, September 12^th, not September 3^rd, after President Bush had Mr. Brown removed from responsibility for Katrina’s aftermath.

I don’t know if Mr. Brown was the most qualified person or not, but Ms. Berger misrepresents Mr. Brown’s experience. Before becoming head of FEMA in 2003, Mr. Brown served as deputy director and general counsel. He also worked on several committees after 9/11 to handle the response. He also headed FEMA during last year’s run of hurricanes and apparently did so competently, ignoring the standard sniping that occurs after every emergency. I think we need to ask what changed from last year. It may turn out Mr. Brown was not up to the Katrina challenge, but we won’t know that until we have a thorough after-action review of the entire response, including local, state, and federal.

Of course, Ms. Berger ignores the fact that many of the problems in Louisiana were the result of state and local governments not doing their jobs.

“How can we feel safe with this kind of leadership? I find nothing to support.”

[RWC] What a shocking conclusion! <g>