When Patty Murray, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and President Barack Obama tell you we need to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire in January because “Those wealthiest Americans can afford to pay a little more,” they forget to tell you a dirty little secret. The poorest Americans, those in the lowest tax bracket which is currently 10 percent, will get a 50 percent increase in their taxes as the lowest bracket jumps back up to 15 percent. So much for the campaign promise of no higher taxes for the poor or middle class. Can you afford a 50 percent jump in your federal income tax?

Don Wiens

Kingston