Is taxing rich people the solution to inequality?

You are correct in that there were more deductions, but that does not negate the fact that the median rate of taxes paid was higher or the numbers concerning what different income brackets pay in 2015. I did not mention that corporate taxes made up a greater share of revenue, even factoring in employer matching Social Security payments.

We may disagree on whether we need more revenue, but I think we both agree that business as usual cannot continue.

A balanced budget amendment could help or hurt. Without a long-term, bipartisan plan on what to cut, across-the-board cuts would be necessary. Cutting into existing services or defense spending without knowing the effect on the economy, our national defense, and our most needy citizens could be more disastrous than the current deficit.

Even President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich were able to pull both their parties to the table and win concessions. President Clinton campaigned on being pro-business and cutting welfare. Speaker Gingrich helped hold him to his promise on welfare, and welfare spending would have been much larger today without the bi-partisan legislation they got both their parties to accept. Republicans gave up some defense spending and allowed a small tax increase averaging about 3-6%, and Democrats accepted cuts in social spending and welfare reform. By the end of both their terms the deficit was virtually eliminated. Even though there is some debate about whether the budget was truly balanced, the deficit was a hell of a lot smaller than it was when Preident Bush left office and than it is today.

We need to decide if the government is going to provide the basic services to its citizens that all the other major industrialized countries provide, and to what level. We need to address rising healthcare costs that have been rising uncontrollably for three decades, and neither the ACA nor the alternative Republican plans do that effectively. I am for a strong foreign policy involving realistic, deterrent military capability coupled with strategic military and trade agreements that make the global market more stable and the world a safer place. Nevertheless, we need to prioritize military spending and look at the number, purpose, and location of our military bases abroad and at home. We need to maximize the benefit citizens and taxpayers receive from spending on social programs. I am sure you and I could name plenty of areas to look at spending, even if we don't agree. But Congress has to start somewhere and the unwillingness of both sides to come to the table and negotiate in good faith is preventing real solutions in favor of partisan slogans, both sides telling their voter base what they want to hear.

I never thought I would long for the Clinton/Gingrich years, but right now they are looking pretty good. Speaker Gingrich may have shut down the government, but then both sides compromised and they got something done.