Traveling kind of sucks, I must say. By the end of this particular trip, I had lost much of my charity and compassion for people. I felt like telling giddy college kids to "shut the hell up," and the couple across the aisle to save their post-Cancun stories for somewhere where I didn't have to hear it. I didn't say those things, of course, but thought them. And sometimes stared at the offenders.
Anyway, a couple of thoughts. I was in Minnesota for a few days and it is a vastly different state than Oklahoma. Not just talking the cold here, but the entire dialogue.
They have a Repub governor who is trying to cut taxes desperately. After all, Republicans have identified taxes as part of the axis of evil along with gays, Iran, fuel efficient cars, and anyone not willing to wear their faith on their sleeve. Yet, Minnesota is widely known for an excellent school system. Contrast that with Oklahoma, which has much lower taxes, and a much lower education system. How is it that my good conservative friends don't see that connection? Education is an investment (not to overly use economic terms here) in the future. It has intangible and, yes, even economic benefits down the road in lower crime, higher productivity, etc. Yet we are unwilling to pay for such services. I am really, really tired of it. Taxes aren't the problem. Energy lobbyists are the problem. Maybe lobbyists in general. Maybe every corporation who has a hand out and sleeps in the Lincoln Bedroom under any administration watch.
Speaking of taxes, Streak's other friend and I were talking about SUVs on the way to Starbucks. She had a conversation with someone who had one and admitted that they bought it because they got a sizable tax break to buy one. Get that? Tax break to buy something that is harmful to the roads, environment, other drivers, and our future and current wars. Tax break. Not for teaching at a public school. Not for contributing to our society. Tax break for buying a detrimental product. Think how stupid it would be if you got a tax break for investing in a meth lab. People would be outraged.
So the next time you hear the Fake News people on the tax mantra, consider that. People need to start thinking about their taxes in less selfish and whiney ways. Sorry, but that is the truth. You aren't over taxed, and if you make a good living, you definately aren't over taxed. You all benefit to a certain degree from our system of government, economic freedoms, government subsidized highway system, education system (shitty as it might be), artificially low price of oil, etc. Make a goddamn difference instead of bitching about your taxes! Plant a tree for the future. Try to help our education system instead of complaining about "administrative costs."
Oh, and while I am on SUV's, STOP PARKING IN THE FUCKING HANDICAPPED SPOT AT STARBUCKS WHILE YOUR STUPID-ASS WIFE AND KID GO GET YOUR MOCHA FRAPPE! Laziness and stupidity and vanity are not handicaps--they represent a lack of character.
Ok, I feel better now. Missed these rants, didn't you? :)
8 comments:
Amen! Good to have you back Streak!
Sigh. Yep. My wife and I are originally from Tennessee. TN is, I think, 49th out of the 50 states in education. But it seems that Tennesseans will fight to the death to avoid paying a state income tax.
Was talking to my neighbors this afternoon and they have two kids who will attend schools in OK. We all wondered why so many people complain about taxes, complain about education, and never see any connection. The logical conclusion of the Republican "ideal" is to gut government completely and leave everything up to private enterprise--private businesses who have no oversight and only the market to answer to.
Given the duplicity of so many (Enron, WorldCom, etc) that doesn't fill me with much comfort.
Repubs need to decide. Do they really value other people or not? Do they want a Balkanized society where the rich hide behind gates and the poor are left to their own devices? Those rarely prove to be great places to live.
But that is the Republican model, at least for now. Gated communities with Ten Commandment statues every 50 feet, no abortion or homosexuality, and no services for the poor. Churches would handle the homeless soup kitchens, but no services for the working poor, and we have already seen that the disabled poor are on their own under Compassionate Conservative Christian George Bush, as are the veterans who are simply another form of labor.
I learned about the SUV tax break living in Highland Park, Dallas, the richest area code there. Everyone seemed to be driving Yukons or Excursians and one day I asked why. Rich people love those tax loopholes. I know a CPA in that neighborhood that makes a pretty good living showing wealthy folks how to avoid paying any more than they have to. You wouldn't believe how many businesses loose just the right amount of money each year, and magically make just enough when they need. And you would never guess that the housewife in the Yukon making stops at the salon and Starbucks is a little business venture.
Of course the high school of the "independent school district" there looks like a college campus while the neighboring districts look like refuge camps. Rich people don't mind paying the taxes as long as they get the benefits; that it helps their kids on not anyone elses.
But heaven forbid they should have to pay a penny more to help pay for a book so that the hispanic maid's kids can get an education.
Working in the wealthiest part of town turned me bitter about rich people, who will blow money on the stupidist things while complaining about taxes that could help people get a good education!
Hey Streak
Here's a good article Law change halts huge SUV tax break -- Page 1 discussing the SUV tax break. One comment from it expresses a disappointing point about the recent "closing" of the loophole:
"I don't think it's going to affect people's buying habits. Most people buying SUVs are paying $40,000 or $50,000, so by the time you take the 50 percent bonus deduction and the $25,000 depreciation expense, most of them are still going to write off the full amount."
Once again, what was supposed to be a break for small business owners, ranchers, etc... who NEED to use large vehicles for BUSINESS. My own brother purchased an SUV for his business just to take advantage of this loophole last year. I suggested a Prius would be just as good for running to and from work or hauling clients around. He pointed out that it didn't weigh the necessary 3 TONS to qualify for the tax break! In other words, the tax law encourages you to purchase a larger vehicle for your business when a smaller vehicle could have done the job. As the article points out, when the wording was originally drafted back in the '70s, there weren't any luxury vehicles weighing over 6000 pounds! The vehicle has to be used 50% of the time for business. That leaves you the other 50% for vacations, kids to school, etc... all at those SUV fuel efficiency rates!
Here's another article SUV TAX Loophole citing increase in sales following the original loophole. Given the fact that the new changes claim to "close" the loophole but in practice still allow for plenty of incentive to buy the monsters, don't expect to see them disappearing from the roads any time soon.
BTW, one article says that the new law requires the vehicles to weigh over 14,000 pounds to get the full deduction. Let's wait and see if a 7 ton SUV rolls out any time soon!
Bootlegger
Hey, Streak,
As a Minnesotan, born and bred, I would like to comment a bit on our state and its historical and present ethos. Minnesota has a reputation for having very good services across the board. We have historically had excellent schools, consistently lead the nation in indicators related to health, and have had generous supports for people who were less fortunate. We still lead the nation in the percentage of our population that has access to healthcare (about 95%). We generally rank highly in polls that attempt to measure the quality of life (in spite of our long, cold, dark winters). Of course, we are also known for our relatively high state taxes, which are necessary to finance these services. I believe that this tradition stems from the communitarian values that are the legacy of our Scandinavian immigrant forebears and which permeate much of our public policy.
Today, as you have noted, we are moving away from that ethos, which I feel is unfortunate and I have a feeling that this will come back to haunt us.
To close, I want to briefly reflect on how the Minnesota Republican Party has changed over the years. Recently, we lost a true political hero, our former Governor Elmer Anderson. Governor Anderson was a Republican and only served one two year term as governor in the early 1950's, but he made an impact as a voice of compassion and ethical treatment of his fellow citizens, especially those less forturnate. At his death at age 90+, his body was failing, but his mind and perspective were still as sharp as ever. When the present governor was running for office, he came to Gov Anderson for an endorsement. Governor Anderson politely invited him into his home, provided refreshments, heard the candidate out, but would not give his endorsement because the candidate had vowed not to raise taxes under any circumstances. In Governor Anderson's day, the type of state we wanted to live in was decided upon first, followed by determining how to pay for it. If the needs and priorities were greater than the public purse, then taxes were increased to meet the need. Today, we start from what money is available and decide what we will pay for. Poor people are often last on the list, I fear. How things have changed. Sadly so. We live in a different time.
GirlGrace
GirlGrace, thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, Lakoff is right here--repubs have won the war on the tax issue and have turned taxes into something completely and always evil.
Yet, as Bruce and Bootleg Blogger point out, the tax system is being used to encourage the worst type of behavior--well, not as bad as giving people a tax break for smoking crack.
The thing that bugs me the most is the growing sense that individual wealth is everything and most important.
Hey Streak,
I found an interesting article by MN's former Republican Senator Dave Durenberger that I thought you, as a student of American history, might find interesting. GG
"Former Minnesota Senator and lifelong Republican Dave Durenberger on the rise of the new Bush Republicans in Minnesota and elsewhere
“They talk about freedom and values, but they really don't believe in representative government.”
http://www.citypages.com/databank/26/1266/article13039.asp
Money quote: "CP: There's a slew of Republican candidates and officeholders in Minnesota who put their religious beliefs front and center in their public life.
Durenberger: Yep. It's television. Televised evangelism. Do they all come from their own churches and such? Yes. But look. I have very strong feelings about faith as a motivator. You can have your faith, and you can't just check it at the door when you go to work, but there's got to be enough respect to keep it out of what you do. When you start to rely on The Book to set policy, I begin to have a problem with that. I can't handle that one, the business of legislating your faith."
My commentary. Oh, how I agree with this. I mourn the lack of willingness to compromise for the public good. I bemoan the current climate of winner take all. I think we have poorer government as a result and it is affecting our quality of life. I thought that maybe my opinion was colored because my party is out of power. It is more deeply disturbing to find that politicos from a more civil and moderate time from the "opposite side" are feeling the same way. In my darkest moments, I imagine that we are on the road to perdition, heading down a road that will ultimately destroy all that we say we hold dear--democracy, freedom of expression, individual thought, true diversity. I hope that I am wrong about this. GG
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