As an American and combat veteran, I am bitterly opposed to only 1 percent of our citizens defending our country.

If most Americans feel that the wars we are engaged in are necessary for the protection of our country then the draft should be re-implemented and taxes should be raised considerably.

George W. Bush was the first American war-time president to not raise taxes in time of war.

It is this fiscally inane paradigm of war and tax cuts (guns and butter) that is the major cause of our massive deficits over the past decade. During World War II, there was a 94 percent marginal income tax rate.

Imagine if we had cut taxes then.

Today, we have a Republican party that refuses to raise taxes under any circumstances. This type of fixed thinking is absurd, and our past history shows that it is necessary to raise taxes on those making more than $300,000 (equal to $25,000 in 1941) so that our budget deficits aren’t inordinately raised and also that the burden of our debt won’t be shifted to the next generation.

Again, it is simply not fair to allow the very few to protect the many who offer nothing more than a yellow magnet on their vehicles and perhaps a “welcome home” on occasion.

I believe our Founding Fathers would agree. Don’t you?

Carl Davis

Belgrade