I live in Massachusetts, so naturally, I should be a good Liberal, with a capital "L".
However, I'm a Red Guy living in a Blue State.
I'm a Republican.
Most of my friends are either Democrats, or unenrolled (our equivalent of Independent in Massachusetts). I believe that government should be smaller than it is, and that people that work hard, no matter how much they earn, should not be penalized for the work they do by being taxed to death.
Just because a person can "afford" to pay more (whatever that means), nobody should be penalized for progress, since it merely stunts growth. Those big, bad companies that people like to criticize? Sure, they're not all perfect, but without them, most of us wouldn't have jobs. The long hours and sweat equity of the entrepreneur is something that should be envied, not ridiculed.
I also believe that I'm intelligent enough to make decisions on my own, without the help of Big Brother looking over my shoulder. I don't pay taxes--rather, taxes are confiscated from my paycheck before I ever get to see it. If people were forced to make out a check to the IRS every month, I think more people would see the idiocy of income tax.
I support the Fair Tax, which is a consumption tax, whereby you keep all of your check and are taxed at a higher rater based on consumption. But remember, you have all of your money to keep, so if you want to save, you can. If you want to make a purhcase, then you have a choice to pay a tax or not, based on whether or not you actually wind up buying something.
Finally, I believe that Sarah Palin gets a bad rap not for being a woman candidate, but for being a Republican candidate who is a woman. Barack Obama has no more experience for President than Palin, but the mainstream media has fallen in love with "the Messiah".
Barack Obama believes in redistribution of your tax dollars. Work hard, and he'll steal from the rich to give to the not so rich.
That kind of thought is dangerous to creativity and prosperity. He might as well come out and call it his vision of Socialism for the future, since that's the reality of his plan. He has been molded by the likes of Wright and Ayers, and his odd associations, were he a Republican, would be criticized, but, being a Liberal Democrat, he is embraced.
"Change" is more than a soundbite. It's something he's failed to ever explain.
So why are so many people seeing through rose colored glasses?
I'm voting, to quote Martin Luther King, based on the content of a persons character, not on the color of their skin.
That is why I'm voting for McCain/Palin. That is why I am not a bigot. I am a realist.
I think I agree with about 90% of your blog.
I am a (moderate) Republican in the not quite as blue state of Pennsylvania, and since it's going probably going to be a contested state this election, the candidates have spent a lot of time here. As a result, I got to attend one of McCain's rallies, and my favorite line from his speech is exactly what you praised about conservatives: while Obama places his faith in big government, McCain has faith in Americans. He thinks we Americans are smart enough to handle our own affairs, and I certainly agree with that sentiment.
I too support the Fair Tax, and am disgusted by the fact that the government steals (because that's all it is: legalized government theft) a significant portion of my earnings from my already pathetically low minimum wage paycheck.
I'm not so much a fan of Palin, and I liked McCain better when he was more moderate. I think the election really has changed him. Of course, I'm still voting for him this November.
Now for the part I disagree with- while Obama's health care plan may not be as desirable as McCain's, I don't think it can be compared to socialism- that would be a more accurate term for Hillary's universal health care plan.
I think those who accuse you of bigotry for not voting for Obama are jumping to conclusions, and may actually be prejudiced themselves (politically, not racially, prejudiced). People need to learn to think.
Overall, well written post- and I'm not just saying that because I agree with you. Your writing is clear, and a relief to read compared to some of the grammar-less, punctuation-less, and paragraph-less blogs on here.
Well, I'll take 90% anyday!
Thank you for your kind thoughts. I think when people come that close to being in agreement, that's terrific.,,you can't get much closer than that.
You make some insightful comments on the one point you do disagree with me on, and it's something for me to think about.
Again, my heartfelt thanks!
I'm gonna guess that "AnotherPointOf View" means "AnotherSelf-CenteredMiddleClassWhiteDude"
Fiscally conservative usually means "As long as I get to keep my money, forget all the rest of you suckers". The Fair Tax puts the biggest tax burden (by percentage of income taxed) on the people who have to spend most or all of their money to get by, and that's poor people. Unless you believe a Fair Tax plan should include tax refunds for the working poor, which would then let the tax burden fall to the middle class.
The important differences I see between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama isn't in experience, its in self-awareness, intelligence, amount of knowledge, compassion, empathy, I could go on and on. Sarah Palin's political history as mayor and governor is shocking. She's a classic politician in the worst way possible. Firing those who disagree with her ideologically (not just Monegan), accepting favors in return for contracts, hiring friends for key state positions without legit qualifications, hypocricy (pregnant teen daughter aside)...once again I could go on and on.
And McCain's got his own "odd associations". G. Gordon Liddy, Rev. Hagee, Charles Keating, the U.S. Council for World Freedom (pretty scary people), the Oregon Citizen's Alliance, etc, etc. I find McCain's associations much more unsettling. There's a few "domestic terrorists" in this group, coincidently.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
Wow- I was surprised to see a blatant prejudice in one of your comments, esuffern... did you check out my "intellectual shackle" blog yet? I think it's relevant- it's about people basing their opinions of members or candidates of an opposite party on unfair, preconceived notions.
Fiscally conservative actually usually means that we shouldn't have this ridiculous ten trillion dollar debt, which is only exacerbated by an expanded government and federal spending programs (more often than not advanced by Democrats)- we should watch what we spend.
I think your criticism of the Fair Tax is legitimate, and it would be true that this system is not "fair" for the fact that the poor would pay more taxes (though still significantly less than they currently do) as a percentage of their incomes when compared with the wealthy.
There are, however, various prebates (a rebate in reverse; it’s a check given to citizens at the beginning of the fiscal year, not after) in the Fair Tax system for citizens in lower income brackets that fully compensate for this problem. Firstly, the poor (as defined as living below the poverty level) receive full prebates- they don't pay taxes at all. Secondly, a family spending, for example, an amount twice that of the poverty level (these people would be middle class) only pay a net tax of 11.5%, after the amount of money they receive in a federal prebate is figured in. Still, in this system, the greatest tax burden will always fall on those tax payers who fall immediately after the eligibility cutoff for receiving prebates (who would probably be members of the lowest tier of the rich class).
Of course, I get this information from FairTax.org, so there is always the question of objectivity. That’s why I think it’s good for regular, non-economist people like us to debate a radical new system like the Fair Tax, so we can discover its benefits and potential flaws for ourselves.
I read your post, and I found no unfair criticisms of the presidential or vice presidential candidates in my comment. I'd really love for you to explain what my blatant prejudice was.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
At the end of that blog, I stated that I was using the criticisms of the presidential candidates to demonstrate that we form unfair, prejudicial opinions in everyday life- I was not calling you prejudiced because of anything you said about a candidate. It's what you said about the author of this blog.
I'm going to venture that you don't know this person at all, and yet you remarked, "I'm gonna guess that 'AnotherPointOf View' means 'AnotherSelf-CenteredMiddleClassWhiteDude.'" You made a personal, socioeconomic, and racial judgment without knowing the author of this blog, all because he was stating political views contrary to your own- and the common stereotype of Republicans states that they are "rich white guys." So, your judgment was based on a preconceived notion rather than any sort of objective, open-minded observation.
I will gladly admit that I do not know the author of this blog and that I made judgments about him based on nothing but the content of this blog, but I'd rather call them educated guesses. I can even explain my thought process. There are indications in the blog that he is male (he said so) and is white (his defensiveness at being called a bigot). I consider people who support regressive tax systems to be selfish (at least with their money). And the middle class thing was a guess based on political association, race, fiscal conservatism, and home state combined. But I could be wrong, he could be upper-middle class.
So I'd consider my educated guessing a bit more than a snap judgment, because I used some real indicators to support it. I just find it funny that he considers himself to represent a radically different point of view.
I do take issue with the idea that I made these ridiculous assumptions because I disagree with the author politically. I make these sorts of guesses about all members of this site. I use the content of their blog to try and sense where they're coming from, what their background is. But I do it based on relevant info and I usually don't include it in a comment unless I'm fairly sure that I'm right. If I am completely wrong and this author is a person of color and a member of the working poor who just happens to love big corporations, I will gladly apologize.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
Why is it that people that are tired of being labeled a bigot, regardless of color of their skin, are told that they must be white because of "his defensiveness at being called a bigot". You're right, you don't know me, and you're right on only two out of three guesses. Are you inferring that whites who are tired of being called a bigot for not supporting Obama are, in fact, bigots? if so, that's asinine.
I find Obama to be a Manchurian candidate, however, I understand why some like him. I don't presume to know or care, whether you're white, black or otherwise. What does it matter?
My "radically different point of view" goes beyond some of the points I spoke about. I care about those that need help, and think that we should help--but not support for life--those that want to better themselves.
Care to guess my stance on abortion and gay marriage? I'll give you a hint: I'm a practicing Catholic. If you guess right, I'll tell you.
Without big corporations, many of us wouldn't have jobs, so, let me ask you this: if we outlaw big corporations (nonsense, I agree), how do we all survive? Who pays the taxes that help those you and I seek to help?
I live in Massachusetts, which I can assure you, is different than many other states politically.
Stating that if I'm a person of color or the working poor, then you would apologize to me, exposes a bigotry on your part.
It sounds like, and correct me if I'm wrong, that in your view, the only views that count are from a) those of color, b) the working poor, and c) those that don't want to work hard and be self sufficient.
By the way, how do you define middle-class and upper-class?
If that assessment is correct, I feel sorry for you. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize.
And cosmic wants to chastize me for making baseless assumptions based on contrary political views.
I don't even know where to start because I have no idea where you got half this stuff. The point of my response to cosmic was that I used what I considered legitimate clues to guess that you were male, white, and middle class (a group's view that I find well represented on this site, hence my prod at your name), but that if I was incorrect I would apologize to you for making false assumptions and misrepresenting you. As far as I can tell, you never quite cleared up whether I was wrong, and therefore whether I should apologize.
I never remember calling you a bigot or saying that I wanted to abolish corporations.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
Hi,
Well, this is an interesting post, so I'll try to respond and stay on the high road while doing so. I sense a lot of passion or anger, and I can't tell which one since I don't know you.
"Fiscally conservative usually means 'As long as I get to keep my money, forget all the rest of you suckers'."
Usually means according to whom? I'll tell you what it means to me. It means that both Republicans and Democrats don't spend OUR money like a bunch of drunken sailors. It means that President Bush has been as bad, or worse, at keeping costs under control, however, a war (I don't want to go down that road in this post) is costly, as well as defending the country. But this isn't the reason for all of the excessive expenses.
I also think that anyone, whether an entry level person at McDonald's or an Executive that works their butts off deserve to keep as much of their hard earned money as possible. The government should not be in the business of redistribution of wealth. That is Socialism, and it stunts creativity and growth.
So, based on what you said, "you suckers", something I would never say, by the way--deserve to keep as much of their money as possible. I'm not overlooking them, but assuming that I am is a little presumptious on your part, don't you think?
If you understood the Fair Tax, and read it in full (perhaps you have), you'll know that it doesn't shift the burden to the poor. There are prebates to compensate for that. No, I don't believe that people that don't pay taxes should get a refund. You can't refund that which you didn't pay. I sincerely doubt that the founding fathers thought "which class should we shift the tax burden to"?
"The important differences I see between Sarah Palin and Barack Obama isn't in experience, its in self-awareness, intelligence, amount of knowledge, compassion, empathy, I could go on and on. Sarah Palin's political history as mayor and governor is shocking."
What I find shocking is that a community organizer, who stands by Rev. Wright ("God damn America", "US of KKK America") and the first Timothy McVeigh, the lovely Mr. Ayers, who got elected to the Senate and then accomplished...nothing...is even being taken seriously.
Name on bill that he was responsible for passing? The comments on Sarah Palin are DNC talking points. Shocking? A community organizer is shocking. What does he do, other than support groups like ACORN.
Quid pro quo.
If you're going to be fair about it, please, don't make Obama appear to be without his negatives. He is untested and unproven in politics.
McCain and Palin may have their shortcomings...I'll say that.
Can you say the same about Obama and Biden?