The news that Donald Trump has exploited the tax system to his advantage is no surprise, nor are the reports of how he has stiffed small business owners with whom he has done business ("Trump says he 'brilliantly used' tax laws to his advantage," Oct. 3). Mr Trump is not known for his integrity or reliability or business acumen. He has flown high on the money of other people.
What does concern me the most is the idea that what he has done may have been legal. I certainly hope that members of the Maryland Congressional delegation will convene hearings to determine how we can fix a seriously broken tax system. Mr. Trump should be subpoenaed to testify as to how he has managed to avoid paying federal taxes. This is not a matter that will simply go away. We need to know how the system can be repaired so that there is fairness and equity.
The Trump surrogates claim that Mr. Trump has not done anything illegal. It seems to be too early to tell. Of course, Mr. Trump is not the only person milking the system. We know that some large American corporations such as Apple are not paying taxes here. Clearly, the federal government's operations are being financed by the middle class. Our elected representatives have a great responsibility in this area and have apparently not done a good job of representing their constituents.
I really expect to pay less to the federal government once the tax system has been reformed. The only good thing about the Trump nomination is that is highlights the job a Republican Congress does to protect the rich at the expense of everyone else. I am truly disgusted.
Edward McCarey McDonnell, Baltimore