At the polls, protect our benefits

I will not tell you how to vote as that is your decision; however, please keep these few things in mind.

The majority of recent tax cuts went to the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. Tariffs and trade wars do not help consumers. Think of the cost of items you buy when the cost of raw materials go up.

Much of Iowa's economy is agricultural, which relies on exports. Trade wars hurt exports.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell recently said the only way to balance the federal budget is to trim Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. This same philosophy has been echoed by Republican lawmakers Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio. I have heard no Republicans speak out against this idea.

So we have benefits for large corporations, tax cuts for the wealthy, a run away debt fueled by the recent Republican-passed budget. And their method of solving the problem is to cut needed social programs for the poor, disabled and elderly. Isn't that just amazing?

Jerry Schroeder

Center Point

' Editor's Note:

Due to an abundance of election-related community letters and limited newspaper space, some are being published only online in an effort to include as many voices as possible.