Editor:

I am writing in regards to Dorothy Atkins’ article “Locals agree Obama did a subpar job in first debate,” which appeared in your Oct. 5 edition. I would like to clarify one point in Ms. Atkins’ article. She notes that, in the debate, President Obama stated that Mr. Romney’s tax plan would result in $5 trillion in tax cuts, which would add $5 trillion to the deficit. In fact checking it, she notes that the figure does not take into account the offset that would result from the as yet unspecified reduction in deductions and elimination of loopholes. Therefore, Ms. Atkins concludes that President Obama’s statement is only “half true.” However, what the president said was that Mr. Romney’s policy would result in a $5 trillion  tax cut, plus Mr. Romney wanted to add another $2 trillion in military spending that the military does not even want, further adding to the deficit. President Obama then went on to say that even with eliminating all deductions and loopholes, Mr. Romney’s plan would not make up the deficit in revenues that he creates with his tax reduction and military spending plan. So, President Obama was completely correct in his statement during the debate.
 
As the president said, it is about the math.