The op-ed or Republican propaganda by Ada Fisher (“Trump and tax talk,” Oct. 8) is deceitful and wrong.

She begins with a personal blurb, per the ruse of distract, lie, spin and deny. This leads to excusing Trump’s tax record on the grounds that such is not a basic qualification for president.

Of course not! But the public does not vote  politicians in or out on the basis of them. Other factors enter into their decision for whom to vote.

She also claims to be against taxes but accepts the necessity of having them. Where problems arise is in her advocacy of a flat tax, a clearly regressive measure certain to be much worse than the present system.

Online viewers can access the current bracketing system for 2015 and decide how fair it is. An individual at tax rate of 40 percent making $450,000 would pay $182,000 and have left over $268,000. A person with $50,000 would at 25 percent have $37,500. He pays less, but that tax represents a much more important amount of money than it does for the other.

As income rises, tax becomes less onerous for filers, and it is much more likely that they will have investments and accountants/lawyers to enable them to pay lower amounts. No one seems to consider this.

There is also the regressive nature of indirect taxation and user fees, which also affect more those with less income who also are less likely to be able to itemize their returns.

The changes in the tax code over time have been a factor in the growing and obscene concentration of wealth in the United States. At some point people will have to determine what sort of taxes they want and what sort of society.

More taxes on wealth do not equate to socialism, as the U.S. does not really even have a left-wing element beyond the dimensions of fringe parties. On the other hand, doing away with the limit on Social Security tax and graduating it upwards will help in putting off the moment of insolvency, particularly if a means test is applied as well. The same applies to Medicare.

As for local taxes, based on real estate, apart from fairer assessed values, a graduated tax on homes and residential land could also be applied.

Supposedly we are part of a united nation and should be concerned about its well-being. I certainly hear and see lots of flag-waving and patriotism, but I ask readers of this, what do you really want and what are you willing to do to achieve it?

The figures speak for themselves. The current tax system burdens the poor and the ever-weaker middle class. A flat tax will only benefit a few, concentrate more wealth and aggravate the current problems of this country, due, I feel, to the pressures placed on the middle sector.

Richard Nash Creel lives in Salisbury.

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