Next President
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Next President,

Congrats. You got the job, but now it’s time to get to work immediately because this country needs it. We need to be smart and willing to use what’s holding us back as our biggest motivations. Being smart is what’s holding us back. It’s easier said than done, but how can we get smart you may ask? Well, how about school? The best way we can get better is by education. Medicine, Engineering, Technology, Sciences, this is how we’ll get to where we need to be. But how can we educate when we can’t pay to get educated? How was the average college tuition $1,832 in 1971, now it’s $31,231. Don’t say it’s inflation either, because the value of $31,000 will always be a tremendous amount of money. We need to think of ways to make education more affordable.

Education could be more affordable if paying taxes was easier. The funniest thing about the way taxes work is the people with the most money pay smaller taxes, while the people who don’t have as much money for taxes pays more. In fact, 1% of the American population owns 35% of the nation’s wealth, while 80% of the American population owns 11% of the nation’s wealth. CEOs of big corporations make 300 times more than the average worker, so why does the average worker pay a higher tax? Let’s think logically. Raising the tax on the rich would cause more balance within the way the economic system works, which would be moving one step in the right direction towards balancing the budget.

You know who has the hardest time when it comes to paying taxes? Black people. African Americans make up 24% of the poverty rate, the highest of any race/ethnicity group in America. Now anyone would be wrong to blame the poverty rate of African Americans solely on the United States, but let’s be real. That definitely is a factor. Many people are aware of the recent cases of black bad encounters with white police, in which police killed at least 102 unarmed black men in 2015. How do you as the leader of our country plan on lowering that number and making people, especially those of African American descent, believe that they’re safe?

Who am I to be telling you what you must do well, as if you’re already not pressured enough? As if I myself have a brilliant plan on resolving the same problems I’m expressing to you. However, I can’t not speak up on these problems, as if I’m not ever going to college, as if I won’t be paying taxes when I grow up, as if I’m not a young black male seeing how people just like me are being treated.

There are so many other problems with this country that to be dealt with, but how do you plan dealing with education, taxes, and race? People are starting to lose hope in America, how will you make those people feel confident in the ability of this country? We as the people need proof that you’re the real deal, so show us. Show your gentle, caring side when dealing with young blacks, but that firm, serious attitude to balancing the budget. I’m not expecting an immediate end to America’s difficulties, but by November of 2018, America should be a better place than it is now. But the question I have for you Mr(s). President: how?

Sincerely,

Tyrone Hart.