Nikola Drobac – 2/7/08

This page was last updated on February 9, 2008.

Promises don’t pan out; Nikola (Nick) Drobac; Beaver County Times; February 7, 2008.

This is at least the 27^th anti-Bush and/or anti-Republican rant Mr. Drobac has written since July 1, 2004. In a letter entitled “GOP messing things up” (October 29, 2002), Mr. Drobac expressed a wish to be able to laugh as all Republicans face financial ruin in retirement, calling them fools because they may have more confidence in themselves than in government bureaucrats and politicians.

According to his website, Mr. Drobac attended CCBC, Pitt, and USC.

In a previous letter Mr. Drobac described himself as a current/former “high school accounting and business teacher.” Does anyone doubt the stuff he writes in letters like this also finds its way into Mr. Drobac’s classes?

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“In the 2000 presidential election, then candidate George W. Bush campaigned on a platform of ‘tax cuts for long-term economic growth and stability.’ Bush also pledged to bring the crime rate down by getting tough on crime.

“In the 2004 presidential election, Bush campaigned on a platform of making his/Republican tax cuts permanent. Bush argued that making his tax cuts permanent was good for ‘long-term economic growth and stability for all Americans.’ He never mentioned crime.

“In 2008, we now know that tax cuts for the rich do not create long-term economic growth and stability for all Americans. Under Bush’s watch, the national debt has risen by almost $4 trillion, the American dollar is falling like a rock on the world money market and the economy is on the verge of a recession. So much for long-term economic growth and stability.”

[RWC] The old “tax cuts for the rich” talking point. Mr. Drobac knows full well everyone got a rate cut and “the rich” now pay more taxes and a higher percentage of taxes than before the tax rate cuts. IRS data shows the top 5% income earners pay 60% of total federal income taxes while the bottom 50% pay only 3% of total federal income taxes. The average rate for the top 1% is about 23% while the average rate for the bottom 50% is only 3%. According to the Tax Foundation, a source used by the Times, “7.8 million low and middle-income families had their entire income tax liabilities erased by the cuts.” As a result of the tax rate cuts, in 2004 approximately 44 million filers had no income tax liability, and some actually received “refunds” (the earned income tax “credit” is an example) for taxes they didn’t pay.

Another point easy to miss is Mr. Drobac’s apparent envy of “the rich.” Why should Mr. Drobac be offended if someone gets a tax rate cut when he did as well?

Finally, are the current issues with our economy the result of tax rate cuts or people buying houses they knew they couldn’t afford? Of course, lenders and the government played their roles. Encouraged by politicians, lenders lent money to people when they knew the borrower couldn’t afford the mortgage, especially if the rate inevitably increased.

“Crime? It’s worse than it’s ever been.”

[RWC] Check the DOJ website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ and you’ll find this assertion is false and not even close to being true.

“Now, to combat the drug trade, state Rep. Jim Marshall, R-14, Big Beaver, says ‘we need more police officers’ and ‘a better business climate’ in the form of a ‘tax reduction plan.’

“Someone needs to inform Marshall that more police will not reduce the drug trade in Beaver County or America. There is very little crime in rich communities.

“Then again, those people have good-paying jobs and careers.

“If not the steel mills, maybe we need to balance our trade deficit by bringing some other type of basic industry back to the United States.

“Maybe we need give our people economic hope for the future.”

[RWC] If you can find Mr. Drobac’s plans to bring “some other type of basic industry back to the United States” and “give our people economic hope for the future” in this letter, please let me know.

“And maybe the residents of the 14th Legislative District will elect someone who knows more than just tax cuts for the rich and more police officers on the street.”

[RWC] A cursory search of Mr. Drobac’s letters since 2002 found no complaints about Mr. Marshall’s predecessor for 20+ years, Mike Veon (D). As a reminder, Mr. Veon headed up the BIG slush fund and was the only PA House member not to reject the 2005 payjacking when he had the chance.