Dear Editor:
Bohdan Shandor’s column (September 27) includes quite a number of misrepresentations. If one were to search online for Sanders-Biden “manifesto” and nothing came up, that is because the title of the text is “Recommendations.” Mr. Shandor’s use of the word manifesto – an allusion to the mid-19th century Marx/Engels document – is purposefully provocative and misleading.
Mr. Shandor claims: “The unity manifesto envisions an all-encompassing welfare state with every need guaranteed by taxpayer funding. Thus, no one should pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing.” The actual text from the Sanders-Biden recommendations reads: “Housing in America should be stable, accessible, safe, healthy, energy efficient and, above all, affordable. No one should have to spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing.” For perspective, when one searches online for “what percentage of my income should go towards housing in order for me to qualify for a mortgage” – the answer is: “The 28% Rule,” which says “you should not spend more than 28 percent of your monthly gross income on your mortgage payment.” Well darn it. Those sneaky bankers really are socialists after all!
Nowhere in the recommendations is it stated, as Mr. Shandor implies, that the government will either pay the 30 percent or make up any difference up to 30 percent. However, the recommendations emphasize the importance of fair wages and reversing Trump-era changes to the tax code to decrease extreme income inequality. There is more, but I think my point is made.
Tania Vitvitsky
Sudbury, Mass.
The letter-writer is outreach coordinator of the Ukrainian Americans for Biden Steering Committee.