Big scary words

For centuries there have been fables and common sense wisdom warning us to be weary of things that sound too good to be true or too awful to be true. Yet today it seems we just can't see the wolf in sheep's clothing. For the benefit of society I present buzzwords that notify you to stop paying attention.

Big government. When someone uses the term "Big Government," what they are really saying is "I like collecting a handy government paycheck, but really hate having to think or answer to my constituents." If any Senator, Congressman, or other elected official really was against big government their first and only accomplishment in office would be eliminating their own job and others. They're not doing it.

"It's too long & complicated": We've heard this a lot lately regarding health-care reform legislation. Also, people say the same about our tax code. "It's too complicated for people to understand." "I couldn't read the whole thing." First of all, if your representative says they couldn't read a piece of legislation because it was too long, fire him (or her). Seriously, that is what they are paid for. If you didn't do your job, you'd get fired. That's a representative's job.

The national debt is $100,000 per person: Guess what, you're not going to get a bill in the mail for $100,000, so why look at national debt that way. Anyone who says this is just trying to scare you into supporting an irresponsible government who is not accountable for anything.

Family values: I shouldn't even have to touch this. How many Senators, Congressmen, and government officials have been busted for their questionable ethics? When one of them cries family values, you know they are just trying to take your attention off of real issues.

Tax cuts: Almost all of you are paying less in taxes now than you would be during the Reagan administration. You will continue to pay less taxes in the foreseeable future. If you really think taxes are what is going to push you into poverty, it's time for you to move to another country or become a hobo. You are more likely to find needles in Halloween candy than you are being taxed to poverty. Yes, taxes seem like a burden, but it is something that helps finance society. Could they be lower? Most likely, but they won't reduce without proper management and responsible government.

Immigrants are stealing your jobs: They're also stealing your yard tools, impregnating your daughters, destroying the sanctity of marriage, and poisoning the water hole. Seriously, have you ever filled out employment paperwork? You had to provide identification, social security number, even a birth certificate. So how did an illegal immigrant take that job from you without proof of citizenship? Stop believing that the boogie-man is out to get you.

Tax & Spend Democrats: Do you honestly believe that there are representatives who really get off creating useless reasons to tax you? What does that accomplish for them personally?

Christian nation: Go back to your history books and refresh your memory. Settlers left England to get away from an oppressive monarchy and its over-bearing Christian religion. First amendment people: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." That means a neutral nation who does not support or condemn any belief. Period.

Unconstitutional: This is a tricky one, but I can tell you the last thousand-plus times someone has stated something was "unconstitutional" they couldn't even quote the part of the constitution that would involve the subject. When someone throws the constitution card, run the other way.

Socialism: The red-scare lives on. It's time to let it die, just like communism.

Wealth redistribution: Along with the previous word, this is just another way to frighten us from demanding the government do its job.

These are the buzzwords that special interests have found will stop people in their tracks. Everyone gets so frightened when these things are mentioned that they take their attention off what is really best for society and themselves, and they roll over allowing progress to be squashed. Rather than running scared when someone says "big government" how about taking the time to learn what is actually happening on the hill and how it will affect you. Turn off the cable and write your representative. Tell them you want improvements, not talking points.

There are real problems in our government, let's discuss the real problems rather than these make-believe distractions the less-responsible members want us to pay attention to.

Taxes, taxes, taxes... It's always all about taxes

Just wanted to emphasize something, since the noise machine simply will not be quiet about the T word.

Even if the Republicans cared at all about tax cuts for anyone who was not already a billionaire, would it matter? Let's assume they really are about tax cuts.

When you're unemployed, how does a tax cut help you?

When you can't pay an insurance premium, how does a tax cut help you?

When sales taxes are increased on groceries to cover your state's budget deficits, how does an income tax cut help you?

People in the middle class, please understand that your taxes could be cut to zero and that doesn't help you keep your house from being foreclosed on. If you're not making enough (or any) income to survive, what do tax cuts accomplish for you?

By the way, when the ultra-wealthy get bigger tax cuts do you really think they're just going to give that money away through new jobs? Why do they care? That would be a form of their wealth being redistributed.

Think about it.

Fireside conversation about economics, with a drunk conservative sympathizer

Sitting at the pub last night when a friend introduces a Twitter n00b to me. I honestly don't remember how an introduction turned political, but somehow it did. The young girl tells me that she likes what the Democrats do for us socially, but likes the Republican's economical policies much more. To which I had to reply that the only Republican economical policy is "Screw you all!"

She wanted to explain her argument to me, which I was happy to listen to, yet warned her that she can tell me why she feels that way only for me to prove everything she says is wrong. She had a look of surprise, but wanted to justify her position.

"Did you know that 1% of citizens pay 40% of all taxes? Do you really believe that is fair? As most of those people are small business owners who are struggling to survive right now."

She made this too easy on me. First, I asked her if she had any concept of what those top 1% make. She replied that her parents were in that number, clarifying that her parents were wealthy, she was not. So I asked her if her parents made more than $40,000 per day, why does she work, and further, why is she drinking Bud Light in a place like this. If her parents were in that top 1% they would make more than the average person's annual salary each day. Therefore, why would she work at all when her parents could hand her two days worth of pay and have her rolling in cash. 

Further, does she understand that the statement "pays 40% of the taxes" doesn't mean paying 40% taxes on their income. The real number is about 22% for these people. Let's do the math, and that means your parents make at least $10,000,000 annually, we're rounding down for simplicity. 22% would be 2,200,000 in taxes. Leaving them with only a measly $7,800,000 in their pocket, which is more than 150 times what the average American earns. (It's actually 177 based on these numbers, but I didn't break out the calculator right there).

So it takes 150 or more average Americans to pay the same amount of taxes that the top 1% do. Further, that is personal income tax you're talking about, which doesn't mean the total taxes collected in the country. So of course those who are extremely wealthy pay a greater share, the average person does not make anywhere near the amount of money so how could they contribute more? But the real point is this, you and your family do not benefit from Republican economics. Actually, you are worse off than you should be. You've been poisoned with lies to convince you to vote against your best interests by a power-hungry mob who despise the social good which you say you like. My only question to you now is, shouldn't it be time to talk to your parents about real economics and beg them to stop supporting and propagating this ridiculous mentality?

This is what is wrong with our nation today. Average people with modest lifestyles have been convinced to follow a system that hurts them. Sensationalism gets all the attention and people fall for it because very few of us are happy with our incomes and lifestyle. But the way to make things better is not by following the myths of tax breaks. Tax cuts can put maybe a thousand dollars in our pockets annually, when we are spending more than that each month in interest & insurance costs alone. So what would truly enhance your life? A measly tax cut, or health care reform that could save each of us $1000 per month?