Letter: Democrats are the centrist party
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney Credit: AP
In his May 20 column, "Election results highlight the bind," [Opinion], Peter Goldmark jumps aboard a false train by asserting that, "There are parties that want to cut, and parties that want to raise revenue -- but no parties that want to do both." That's just not the case.
You don't have to spend a lot of time Google searching to find Democratic deficit-reduction plans that include more revenues and less spending. It's in black and white, and this is as true a statement as you can get in politics today: Democratic leadership will entertain deficit-reduction plans that cut spending programs. On the other hand, most Republicans, with very few exceptions, have signed ultraconservative Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge. This is the Democratic stance: Spending cuts are on the table, but the basic integrity of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security must be preserved. Meanwhile, House Republicans such as Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) insist on spending cuts only, and the end of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as we know it.
I hope Goldmark will revisit this issue. Here's a suggestion for his column: The Democratic Party is the centrist party.
Michael Anthony, Westhampton
