After delivering a marathon speech on June 27 urging President Barack Obama to turn to the wealthy to decrease the deficit, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) proved that many Americans are of like mind in a letter delivered to the White House on Tuesday. 102,564 Americans from all 50 states had signed it.
In addition to asking that the wealthy and most profitable corporations foot the bill for at least 50 percent of any deficit reduction package, an idea which Republicans have criticized harshly, Sanders asked Obama to use his bully pulpit to put an end to Republican proposals to cut funding for federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Sanders also noted that decreasing military spending would leave the government with more money to allocate to programs for the sick, poor and elderly, at a time when they need it the most.
He also wrote that
Everyone understands that over the long-term we have got to reduce the deficit. Mr. President, please listen to the overwhelming majority of the American people who believe that deficit reduction must be about shared sacrifice. The wealthiest Americans and the most profitable corporations in this country must pay their fair share.
Taylor Long is a summer 2011 in These Times Web intern.
