Time for rich to pay more taxes

ACROSS AMERICA, more than 13 million people are out of work. There's even a name now for the chronically unemployed: the "99ers," who have maxed out their unemployment benefits.

All those jobs that Republicans promised would be created from tax cuts? They haven't materialized. At least not in this country.

Just ask any of the eager job-seekers who showed up -- résumés in hand -- for the recent Oakland Career Expo hosted by the Private Industry Council. The line to the job fair stretched across the Coliseum parking lot.

Tax cuts have, however, been a key contributor to our nation's soaring deficit.

That in turn has led to sharp reductions in federal aid to states and local governments already grappling with huge shortfalls.

That's trickle-down economics turned on its head.