P Chidambaram, Former Union Finance Minister:

• New or higher taxes are justified only when the economy is booming. Tax burdens on the middle class and poor is actually taxing distress.
• Governments should GIVE money to the people in times of distress, not SQUEEZE and TAKE money from the people.
• We have been pleading for cash transfers from the government to the bottom half of the people/families.
• Instead governments are doing a REVERSE TRANSFER of money from the people to the government! Cruel.
• New or higher taxes will impoverish families further. Governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt.