fiscal cliff – Madison Catholic Herald

As our country faces the “fiscal cliff,” our government is considering proposals to keep us from falling off that cliff at the beginning of 2013.

Basically members of Congress and President Barack Obama have to come up with a combination of more revenue and spending cuts in order to avert the fiscal cliff.

One way to achieve more revenue is to put a cap or ceiling on tax deductions. Among those deductions that could be considered is the tax deduction for charitable donations.

Wrong approach

In my opinion, this would be a wrong approach to our economic problems. In fact, it might create new challenges if people are discouraged from charitable giving.

We already have a large number of people who rely on charities for assistance with the basics of life: food, clothing, and shelter. I can’t imagine what would happen to people already in need if charitable donations were reduced.

In Governor Mitt Romney’s concession speech given early on November 7, he implored Republicans and Democrats alike to “put the people before the politics.” In a time of “great challenges for America,” Governor Romney urged our leaders “to reach across the aisles” to help meet those challenges.

In an address at a victory rally in Chicago also in the early morning hours of November 7, President Barack Obama professed his own willingness to work with people of the opposing party. “I believe we can seize this future together — because we are not as divided as our politics suggest; we’re not as cynical as the pundits believe; we are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions; and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and forever will be, the United States of America,” said the president.

I hope Governor Romney and President Obama meant these words. I also hope that leaders of both parties in Congress heard their words and will work hard to put people above politics. The partisan gridlock has to be broken.

Warning to government: Keep your hands off charitable deductions

Wrong approach

Let’s work together: We must put people ahead of politics