While reading the Cal Thomas column (April 13), “Americans have to learn they can get by with less,” I was reminded of a horse wearing blinders.

Thomas sings the praises of those who made it through the Great Depression by making do and doing without. The majority of middle-class and poor Americans are already learning to get by with less, making do, or doing without. But shame on us for wanting good, preventive health care so that we can prevent serious illness. Shame on teachers and other government workers for wanting collective bargaining rights so that they can have living wages and decent working conditions.

His directive should apply to the wealthiest five percent of Americans, too. They don’t have to pay the same percentage of their wealth in taxes that we commoners do. They continue to get tax breaks so that they can keep more of their wealth, ostensibly to stimulate the economy by creating jobs.

I believe that too many of the jobs that are created by tax-break recipients are created overseas, because lower labor costs abroad lead to higher profits here. All the deficit-cutting talk (on the backs of the poor and elderly) neglects repealing tax cuts for the wealthiest. Common sense tells me that higher taxes means more revenue, ergo, less debt.

“What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” Americans have to learn they can get by with less, but that includes those who have much more than they need. We’re all Americans.

Dolores Hoeh, Bethel