Like many people, I am fed up with the gridlock in Congress over the past four years.

But now they have a chance to make up for it by working together to lower our deficit without slowing our country’s economic recovery.

The fundamental choice is who should pay to reduce the deficit and to get our economy working again. And I strongly believe that we need a balanced approach to our country’s deficit that asks the wealthiest Americans and big corporations, many of which pay a lower tax rate than middle-income Americans, to pay their fair share.

As part of that process, I support letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire for the top 2 percent wealthiest Americans only.

This would bring their rates back to what they paid in the late 1990s, when our economy was booming.

The middle class and the poor are going to bear the brunt of most spending cuts, and it is only fair that the wealthy should also pull their weight.

Although times have been difficult for far too many of us in the last several years, our parents and grandparents remember all too well the real hardships we face if Congress fails. Enough is enough.

After years of siding with the wealthy, is Congress ready to stand up for the middle class?

I hope so.

Joe Reed

Pittsboro