To the editor: There is some elementary information that Frank Clemente and William Rice leave out of their op-ed article, “The Trump tax cut has amounted to nothing but broken promises for the middle class.”

Those who pay the most in federal income taxes will see the greatest benefit from tax cuts. According to the Tax Foundation, in 2016 the top 50% of all taxpayers covered about 97% of individual income taxes. The top 10% of earners paid almost 70% of the overall federal income tax bill.

These basic facts are conveniently omitted by articles like this one and by the Democratic presidential candidates. Instead, they create division by stating that Trump and the GOP favor the wealthy over the middle class.

I’m not bothered by the fact that I did not realize the benefits touted by Trump. I did pay slightly less in income taxes after these “radical” cuts were enacted. Furthermore, I see nothing radical about lowering corporate tax rates to be more in line with other industrialized countries.


Robert Filacchione, Fullerton

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To the editor: The piece details the generous benefits reaped by the ultra-wealthy, the scant benefits to the middle class, and the explosive impact on the federal deficit, which is a mess to be cleaned up by future administrations and paid for (again) by the middle class.

I maintain that the tax law is working precisely as intended.


Douglas Hileman, Valley Glen