Coal In Your Stockings, Blackhearts

At some point, you have to say there are many millions of people in this country who care only about themselves. How else can you explain the black hearts of the following:

1) Those who supported tax cuts for the rich. We were talking about a measly four percent higher tax rate, actually exactly the same as the Clinton years when the super rich got richer and richer without the tax cut. How could four percent be so horrible? That bunch doesn't know how to spend the money they have now. And don't tell me they're the "job creators" and they will hire now that they know how high their taxes will be. Not true during the past 10 years when they had their oh-so-important tax cuts. Does anyone remember the term "robber barons."

2) President Obama. There are many reasons for wanting coal in the stocking of our country's CEO, but I will stick with the wars that he continues to fight with the help of volunteer soldiers who can't get jobs anywhere else. (The wars would have ended long ago if there had been a draft.) Not only do we have wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but there are military actions (wars) also in Yemen, Africa, Pakistan, and Colombia. Where else we have only to guess.

3) Anyone who didn't want Don't Ask, Don't Tell repealed. What are they afraid of? If you were in the military, how would you like it if your loved one could not see you off to fight in a far-off war or visit you openly in the hospital if you were injured? This issue was much like back when blacks could fight but couldn't be included in white squadrons and the like. I'm straight and I'm married and I'm not afraid of gays threatening either in any way. To think otherwise would be part of a mental illness.

4) Anyone who doesn't think about how others might be living. If you have a nice home, eat well, wear good clothes, drive a good car, etc., why would you think everyone else does or could have the same? Only someone with a black heart would not think about the poor children, disabled (including those with mental illness), the homeless, the homeless animals.

5) Anyone who continues to fight the Civil War, hoping over and over that blacks will once again be pushed to the back of the bus.

6) Politicians taking credit for passing the 9/11 health bill, all $4.3 billion of it over 10 years, making 430 million per year available to help. How far do you think that will go when it's to cover health issues for thousands of first responders to the New York City attacks in 2001? Only ones to benefit will be early claimants. The rest are screwed.

My list could continue, including aforementioned politicians and the rest who I believe to be experienced liars and nothing more. But I'll stop here and instead give you a short list of those who should receive sweets from Santa because they don't follow the sheep, don't think only about themselves. In other words, they have kind hearts.

1) Anyone who donates to an individual or family in their community who won't have enough to eat this weekend or who can't ever participate in holiday gift-giving.

2) Anyone who adopts an animal that won't make it through the holidays otherwise.

3) Anyone who hopes 2011 will see an end to the wars, to the maiming and killing of American soldiers along with civilians who live in the countries in the middle of "nation building."

4) Anyone who doesn't harbor petty jealousies. We wouldn't have many of the money problems we have now but for those who spend what they don't have to try to look like the rich. Who wants to look like the rich or have what they have? They're blackhearts, not to be admired.

Happy, happy to everyone for the new year.

Straw Tax Men vs. the FairTax Plan

Your sarcastic hyperbole is duly noted, Cassandra.

Cutting taxes (like next year's delightful move to cut the Social Security payroll tax from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent) is only half the picture. The other half is, of course, cutting spending. A government that doesn't spend as much is a government that doesn't need to tax as much.

In any responsible and sane conception of government, taxes must be collected to pay for certain services. The question that divides the country is which services are legitimate purposes of government. Maintaining an armed force for national defense is a legitimate purpose, as is providing social safety nets for the downtrodden and the hapless. Subsidizing corporations and markets in the private sector (like farms, auto factories, and banks) is not a legitimate purpose of government. There are hundreds of other illegitimate, unjust, and harmful acts in which the government is continually engaged--but statists and Left-wingers practically never discuss those acts in any serious way.

Maybe one day, this country will do away with all taxes on income and earnings, and instead tax consumption in a well-managed, sensible way. I'm a new proponent of the FairTax (www.FairTax.org). Let's hope that HR 25 and S 296 are passed, and that a new era of prosperity, legitimacy, fairness, and responsible spending is ushered in.

Tax Cuts, The Final Solution

Ask any Republican, and now any Democrat, what should be done to boost our economy and create jobs, and the answer is always tax cuts, in particular extending the Bush tax cuts from 2001 and 2003. After all, they've done a heckuva job, haven't they? We should keep what's working, shouldn't we?

Let's say tax cuts really are the end all, be all. Then why not eliminate all taxes. Think how great the economy would be then. Everyone who wants to work would work again. Everyone who wants to buy a house will have the money to buy one. All workers could keep all of their money, not pay those pesky Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, income taxes. They wouldn't have to pay property taxes, gasoline taxes, on and on.

Lots of pluses to this no-tax solution: No politicians, no wars, no subsidies, no unemployment compensation, no schools, on and on. Why, I ask, is anyone fighting these tax cuts? So simple, so easy.