Originally posted by Shitoryu Dude
Screw the poor. Let them work their ass off and get out poverty if they have the gumption. It's not hard, it only takes the will to do so and not blaming the world for your own retarded decisions. If they want to sit around in a trailer park and drink generic beer instead of attending classes at the local community college I have no sympathy for them.
It is immoral to tax someone at a higher rate merely because they have more money. Would you charge somebody more for a cheeseburger because they had a bigger bank account? It is also counterproductive - higher taxes discourage investment and spending which lead to fewer and lower paying employment opportunities, and in the long run lead lower tax revenues. Cutting taxes invigorates the economy, raises the general standard of living across the board, and increases tax revenue.
I kind of agree with you, Harvey. Remember the "Socialism" debate, about the time I got here?
I think that much needed social welfare, environmental and educational programs are beeing gutted, though, and that's counterproductive as well. I don't think I'm alone in believing that some programs for the poor are necessar-that there are children who would go hungry if not for food stamps-children of working poor, not malingerers in any sense of the word, just people that don't make enough money.
While my dad's family has always been pretty well off, my mom's is a great example of the sort of thing that still happens in this country, though for differing reasons. Both her parents had college degrees, but couldn't get jobs in their fields becvause nobody hired Iindian or black teachers in Wyoming then. My grandfather was a coal miner-and they were poor.I've often wondered why they didn't just move, but that's never my call, or anyone else's-and it WAS the depression;moving might not have changed a thing, and he was "lucky" to have the work that he did. My mom and all of her sibs went to college, though, and, like you, I have to wonder why some people don't make better for themselves. Fact is that they don't, and I don't think their kids should suffer unecessarily for it.
As far as taxes, well, you're kind of right, but you're also wrong. I don't agree with a higher rate-I think we should all be taxed at the same flat rate, and be allowed the same credits and allowances across the board. I'm also not so sure that cutting taxes is going to invigorate the economy this time around.
My real point is that I haven't exactly missed the money I'm getting back from the government, while I think we will miss the things that that money came from...like textbooks for our kids.
Aaron J. Cuffee
As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.
- H.L. Mencken