Editor, Gazette-Journal:

As a fellow Democrat in Gloucester County, I was heartened to read Kathryne Thompson’s comprehensive letter to the editor (“I am a patriotic Democrat,” Aug. 30 Readers Write). Her letter was especially relevant after watching the Republican Convention where the contradictions within their party were so obvious and the outright lies stated about the Obama Administration were so blatant, most notably by Paul Ryan who apparently cannot even tell the truth about his own record.

Middle-of-the-road Democrats who support the government programs initiated by FDR and continued by the likes of Eisenhower, JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Clinton and Obama are insulted by the name-calling of the Republicans labeling us socialist and anti-American and their attempt to scare Americans into thinking that we believe in taking away their rights and squandering their tax dollars. This is epitomized by the Republican propaganda machine created in its present form by Karl Rove and it is a disgrace to American politics. From day one of President Obama’s administration, the Republicans have made it clear that their main objective is to unseat Obama and they have continued to lead our country into a downward spiral with their lack of cooperation in order to obtain this objective. Those who have signed the Grover Norquist pledge to not raise taxes are leading this effort.

For the past decade the wealthiest of Americans (top 1 percent) have enjoyed the lowest tax rates since the 1950s. As proposed by President Obama, a 3 percent marginal tax increase for those making more than $248K and a 4.6 percent marginal increase for those making more than $398K would help ease the deficit and is a necessary first step towards balancing the budget. (The proposed tax increases affect only the amounts earned exceeding $248K and $398K, leaving those amounts earned under the thresholds to be taxed at the current, Bush tax cut rates.) Congress working together after the election can make the needed budget cuts to augment further reductions in government programs. Democrats are willing to compromise, but so far the Republicans have refused to do so. Also, this is baffling because of the myriad tax loopholes available to the wealthy, which means many will still pay less percentage-wise after the proposed tax increases than many middle-class Americans. Mitt Romney is a prime example of this.

Reelecting President Obama and putting his tax increase plan into effect is the sensible and right thing to do.

Jody Perkins

Gloucester, Va.