What makes me shake my head about Republicans and tea party members is that they are self-centered and only think about their wallets while hiding behind the flag and proclaim liberty and freedom.

But what these people don't realize is that liberty and freedom are not free. They have been paid for by the blood of our countrymen and by sacrifice. During World War II, people bought war bonds and did everything they could to support the troops and their families and to stay united. Nobody cried about paying higher taxes because the people understood what sacrifice is all about.

Republicans and tea party members claim they love freedom, but they let others do the sacrificing for them. Hall County is just a microcosm of what's going on around the country, from Wisconsin, Minnesota and Wall Street to Washington. The haves horde up all the money, don't pay their fair share of taxes and take from the middle class and poor. When they are asked to pay their fair share, to sacrifice for their community and country, they refuse to do so and claim that we're socialist to even suggest that they pay their fair share. (That is why I support the FairTax.)

To Republicans and tea party members, I'm not interested in your money to benefit me personally, even though you have taken from me. You have taken away my hours at work, my retirement, my benefits and my ability to get a loan and taken my family life away to work a second job to make ends meet. Then you tell me that's the sacrifice that I got to make. If that's the case, it is only fair that you at least pay your fair share of taxes and make some sacrifices yourself.

But keep hiding behind the flag, benefit from the freedom that you're not sacrificing for and accuse hard-working people of being socialists.

Juan Morfa
Flowery Branch