Just a minute here. Politicians across the nation are saying that “we,” the people, are spending too much?

No, it is the politicians who have been spending too much. They take from the poor, middle class and children, and give to Wall Street fat cats and their rich friends. The politicians give subsidies to oil companies and corporations sitting on billions of cash. They give tax breaks to fund managers and the super-rich, who do none of the work that the soldiers, EMTs, teachers and the working stiffs do.

They start wars and refuse to ask the rich to help the nation that makes them rich. They favor corporations and the rich over 90 percent of Americans with policies that cause class warfare. Then they have the unmitigated gall to say that “we” spend too much?

We have to give up our bargaining rights, take unpaid furloughs, so they can avoid taxing their rich supporters?

I think not.

If “we” were spending too much, this economy would be hot with businesses booming and government revenues would be overflowing.

Instead, we are stretched thin from decades of stagnating wages not increasing while our productivity soars. Health care benefits have decreased, cost of living increased, and we are still getting paid the same.

Meanwhile, the politicians have a productivity rate that would get them fired at any real job.

America needs fixing and they just play politics. They suck up to the super-rich and blame the problems on us?

I think not.

Richard Fochtmann, Leeds