Editor:

With regard to the recent Tea Parties ("T.E.A.'d Off," July 23), I feel the group is well intentioned, but misdirected because Corporate America is not paying its fair share of taxes. While the U.S. has some of the highest "STATED or GROSS" taxes, virtually no one pays that rate due to deductions (including multi-gazillion dollar compensation packages for management).

Prior to World War II, Corporate America funded over 80 percent of federal taxes: for 2008, less than 15 percent.

My opinion is that we have had very little tax representation since Jimmy Carter.
The Obama Administration, to its credit, is going after Corporate tax evaders with Swiss and Cayman Island accounts.

Bob Schultz, Eureka

Editor:
Schools. Libraries. Police. Fire Department. Water. The Armed Forces. Roads. What do all these have in common? We decided that our society is better because we have these things. Also, they're socialist systems. The question is: Do we place health care in the same category as the above services? Seeing that many Americans can't afford health care and seeing what the health care system is doing to our economy, I believe the answer is, without a doubt, yes.

So I assume these truly idiotic right-wingers, who are terrified of anything socialist, send their kids to private schools, buy their own books, hire private security to patrol their houses and businesses, keep a big bucket of water handy just in case of fires, drill their own water wells, and fly over to the Middle East to shoot some terrorist Muslims! And I hope they don't drive cars because they would have to use the streets that our leftist, socialist government provides for us, thus supporting socialism!!!!

Rick Siegfried, Eureka