I hope I am not the only reader who can see through the proposals to extend tax cuts for the rich. The logical problem is that if tax cuts stimulate small businesses and hardy entrepreneurship, wouldn't we have seen it by now? Like during the year 2010 when there was no estate tax whatsoever? How many dot-coms did the Steinbrenner heirs start?

If cutting taxes for the rich is the way to grow the economy, then there would be no recession.

For the record I don't think there should be a tax cut for anybody. I'm happy to see the Clinton-era tax rates go back into effect by default.

And I'm perfectly willing to accept the recommendations of the Simpson/Bowles bipartisan commission on the deficit to shrink the national debt by trillions. If everyone else has to feel the pain because deficits do matter, then the rich certainly should be the first.

Paul R. Schlitz Jr., Baltimore