Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Politics (A Really Serious Post From Someone Who Hates Politics).
Posted by
Jason
at
12:34 PM
Ok... I am not political at all. I have never voted and didn't really care who won the last election because after reading both McCain and Obama's economic plan I came to the conclusion that no matter which person won I was pretty much screwed as far as taxes go. I understand completely why everyone is so excited about Obama and 'change'. I really do; the country is in bad shape and people are scared. I am even pretty sure I am a Democrat (I am pro-choice, against war, think gays should marry, believe in equal rights... thats all democratic right??). However, there is something that Democrats believe in and that Obama believes in that I am completely and totally against.
If McCain won, I would be paying out the ass in taxes to pay for military, science, healthcare, etc. While it sucks that I would pay more just b/c I am single, in a higher 'salary' bracket, don't own a home and don't have kids... my tax money would be going for things that are good. My higher taxes with Obama will go towards allowing lazy assholes who can't hold down a job, can't keep there dicks under wraps and can't keep needles out of there arms to live lives equivalent to me. I know the democratic way is 'everyone should get an equal chance' but honestly... fuck that. I work DAMN hard for my money and where I work I see EXACTLY where my tax money goes. It goes to some white piece of trash who can't even take care of herself let alone her 5 kids. That lazy piece of shit gets to eat lobster for dinner three times a week, steak the other night, AND owns a 50 inch plasma tv. Her five kids only own two outfits and shower maybe twice a week but they own EVERY video game system known to man. And the drugs they do... George Jung would be proud!! They are able to do all of this while never holding down a job because hard working people pay for them. All the bullshit about 'the economy holds them down... its not there fault'... all bullshit. If you work hard enough in this country you can make it. Racism, sexism... while they exist they are no longer barriers that hold people back. Lazyness holds people back. And government programs allow lazy people to get by.
Once again, I am not saying Obama is a bad person or that I am pissed he is elected. I am not going to pretend to know enough about politics to make that call. All I am saying is that I am not ok with my money going to people who don't deserve it. Everyone says "tax the rich more, the poor less"... why?? Everyone should pay the same percentage... the rich will always pay more because they make more, but they should pay the same percentage of what they make. People become wealthy because they EARNED they way up through hard work. By saying that people who make 200,000 a year should pay 20% but if you make 30,000 a year you should pay 10% you are punishing someone for being successful. That isn't right. I don't believe that just b/c you happen to have money you should be forced to support everyone else in the county. Some of the things I hear from Obama I agree with... for instance, big corporations shouldn't get tax breaks. I am just fearful that my hard earned money will go to Mr. and Mrs. trailerpark so they can have filet while I have to eat Ramen on Thursday's b/c I don't get paid until Friday.
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3 comments:
Before I give in my two cents, I'm gonna be honest and say I cannot debate tax plans, economics, etc. with as much confidence as I can more social issues simply because I'm still/always learning about it. I'm a hard liberal socially, but I'm freely admitting when it comes to highly executive or financial (or whatever)-type discussions, I usually prefer to sit back and listen, to try and get a solid understanding of things and consider all sides. That being said---
J, I don't particularly think that's 100% true. First off, you say if McCain won, you'd be paying out the ass for "science, military, healthcare, etc." I wouldn't include science in there, per say. He frequently criticized Obama's support for a new star projector for a planetarium that desperately needed it. He called it an "overhead projector." (But more anti-science remarks come from Palin, of course, who has criticized the climate change science, fruit fly research, etc. But that's off topic, really.)
I fundamentally agree with you that people take advantage of the system. Of COURSE there are plennty of lazy people who take government handouts with an ungrateful frown and don't do anything to better their life. Those types piss me off and get my ridicule as well.
But dealing with poverty by saying, "fuck you, just work harder," only makes the poverty problem worse. So what do we do? Well, we need a better education system, for one.
I think you're viewing this in very black & white terms. It's like listening to some of these neo-conservatives who swear illegal immigration is bringing this entire country down and is the root of all our problems. (I once got an email from a guy like that... it was incredible.) All they see are illegal, lazy, mexicans who steal our money and jobs and are a drain on the country. Sure, there are lots of people that take advantage of the system. But I've also seen a news piece of this one young woman who was one of the smartest in her class in High School, and wanted to go to college to study to be a doctor, it was a dream of hers. But she couldn't, because she was born to illegal immigrants and didn't have proper documentation to get into our schools.
I bring that story up as a metaphorical counter-argument. There ARE motivated people who just happened to be born into poverty. But the only way for them to get OUT is to get some help. And these raises in taxes... we're talking, like, literally 3% here, J. It's not that big a division.
I don't mind paying taxes. Sure, it sucks looking at your paycheck and seeing how your gross and net pay differ. But I don't believe govermnent is a bad thing. If I had to pay more taxes in order to have universal healthcare for everyone, for instance, I wouldn't have a problem with it.
(By the way, what trailer-park people do you know that eat filet and lobster, and have 50 inch plasma TVs?)
Taxes are a part of life, I agree with that. And I am ok with it when I know its going to a good cause. I have no problems with Mexicans, they actually work damn hard to make a place for themselves in this country and I respect them for it. That is one of the reasons I think the minimum wage should be raised (it is tough to make a living on 7.15/hr). What I don't agree with is the attitude that if your born into poverty you can't get out of it unless you receive assistance. Its personal for me b/c I WAS BORN INTO POVERTY!! When I was a baby, we lived in the upstairs part of a row home in Philadelphia with my grandparents. I slept on a blown up bed in the living room. My mother worked two full time jobs and my grandfather worked two full time jobs just so we could get by. I was lucky enough that my mother married and was able to get out of that situation, but my aunt and cousin still live with my grandparents in a identical situation. They both work two jobs and my grandfather worked until he was 70, despite battling cancer since his late 50's.
The point is, they NEVER took government assistance. While they might not have glamourous lives, they get by on what they EARNED. The problem with social programs like welfare and other assistance programs is that it rewards lazy people and allows them to live beyond there means and beyond what they earn. You cannot convince me that its impossible to get by without living off other people's hard earned money. No one forces anyone to drop out of school (education is free!). Hell, I'll give half my paycheck towards education. I just HATE knowing that more of my money is going to go towards 'solving' the poverty problem by just giving people money. That doesn't fix anything, it just puts a bandaid over it. The people you are 'helping' aren't any smarter, won't work any harder and won't stop doing bad things just b/c you gave them free money. If anything it encourages them to continue to live how they live.
Personally, I think we should get to chose where our tax money goes. It should be kinda like how a 401k works. If 20% of our check is going to taxes, we should get to chose where that money gets spent. I should be able to say "I want 50% to go to education, another 10% to stem cell research and other biological studies, 5% towards defense, 5% towards upkeep of roads and civil structure, etc".
And as far as people who live in trailer parks and own 50 inch tv's and eat steak and lobsters... work one day at the Aramingo ShopRite... 80% of the customers use Access (food stamps and free cash)... if you saw what was in there carts you would go insane. They eat like kings. And of the 80% at least 30% are visibly on some kind of drugs. Yet I am paying for them to eat good food. Ridiculous.
I agree with Jason.
Economically, we're fucked for now. As far as the war goes, as with most decisions, the president is a talking head.
Congress runs everything. President-Elect Obama has already had to change his tax plan and stance on troop withdraw after his top-secret briefing. Because the president is a talking head, who speaks what congress says. Ocassionaly he comes up with an idea which he has executive power on, but it's rare.
In any case, my strongest beliefs aren't about the war, abortion, or religion. My big issues to which Obama does not agree with me are 1) Welfare/Socialism and 2) Big Government.
1) I agree some people are born into poverty and have a hard time making somethign of themselves. That's no excuse to take from the rich and give to the poor. That is what charity is for. I personaly think of the Italians who migrated to this country with pennies and a simple trade they were good at, and prospered. Or someone like Richard Branson who was not only not wealthy, but had learning disorders, and with a little bit of work ethic and drive, create the Virgin empire. Yes, he was poor and disadvantaged, but he had something the lazy people expecting to collect an unemployment check didn't have - work ethic. That is not a disability.
2) Big Government. If a business fails, it fails. Why does the government come in and bail out failing businesses? Regardless of the industry? Sounds to me like extortion. "Oh you're failing? Give me your failing business, and now I own it." So now the government has an interest in a) Banks b) Insurance companies c) Mail d) Health Insurance (projected) e) now, the auto industry and f) the housing markets g) law enforcement
So let's answer this...what DOESN'T the government have an involvment in? People don't like the "Big Brother" idea but by the government bailing out the failing banks, insurance companies, auto makers, and housing market, they are taking TOTAL control. That IS borderline Communism.
If the bank fails, they go out of business. Just like if Mom's Pizza shop fails, she goes out business. That way the strongest businesses survive. THAT IS CAPITALISM. Are we not a capitalist society? As someone who deals with business owners, you don't want to see them fail, but if they make poor decisions, like lending money they know they can't collect - they will fail, leaving the better business man there.
The government shouldn't bail out failing businesses with the Working man's tax money, and they shouldn't bail out the lazy people on welfare with the working man's tax money. Simple as that. It's called Capitalism.
Should we even get started on how Affirmitive Action needs to be abolished? And how no person of color can ever claim they can't get a job due to their skin color? I think not, because if a partially-black man can hold the highest office in the country, a black man can get a job, whether it be sweeiping floors or selling medical equipment.
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