Letter of the Day: Buffett and I

Buffett and I

EDITOR: It is time for Republicans in Congress to abandon their pledges to Grover Norquist and do what is best for the country. They are trying to cut Social Security and Medicare and repeal Obamacare, and they are using the fiscal cliff as their leverage to keep tax cuts for the rich.

How can they, with full pension benefits and unlimited access to health care, want to deny coverage to average citizens who work many years in strenuous low-paying jobs? Give members of Congress the same coverage as the average taxpayer — both retirement and health care — and see what they do about cuts to these programs.

Social Security can remain viable for many years by simply abandoning the $110,000 cutoff for contributions.

I never imagined I had anything in common with Warren Buffet, but we agree that the Bush tax cuts for the rich should not be extended. As he said, "trickle down" hasn't worked in the past 10 years, why should it work now?"

CAROLE R. ROBISON

Santa Rosa