The Need To Pay Attention To Our History

I understand that we individual Americans will always have a diversity of views be they about political parties and their supporters or any and all issues in general. But using talking point generalities to make one’s case more often than not ignores facts and history. Take, for instance, the constant argument from the conservative wing of our nation’s political world that higher tax brackets tend to set our nation back. If this claim were true, someone would have to explain to all of America how our nation did incredibly well during a three-decade period beginning in 1941 during which time our highest tax bracket went to 91%. And how did America fare at this critical time in our history? Thanks to the increased funding of our government by these higher tax rates, we were able to accomplish several wonderful goals. We raised an army that defeated the Nazis in World War 2. We were able under Republican President Eisenhower to begin to grow a wonderful Federal Highway System. And during this incredible period in our nation’s history, our wealthy citizens remained wealthy while our middle class thrived and those among the poor were doing better and could dream of a better future for themselves.
 
Since those fine days of our history, there’s been a change, in my view, and not for the better. As the higher tax brackets have been consistently reduced, we find ourselves facing a growing gap between the rich and the poor, the middle class is likewise shrinking and our infrastructure including our federal highway system is deteriorating and in need of significant repairs.
 
We in America on all sides of the political spectrum spend too much time casting aspersions at our political leaders. It’s time for us to recognize that our democracy requires a conversation among all and compromises among leaders if our nation is to continue to thrive as we have in the past and if we are to continue to move in the direction dreamed for us by our founding fathers and mothers.