Just got off the phone with a business acquaintance, a foaming at the mouth tea bagger. He told me of his latest brain storm about what was wrong with America and the restorative needed.
New voting laws, oh yea, only people who own property and pay income tax can vote. Sorry Sarge, and Scratch, you hit only one of the two, that apartment ain't gonna cut it as owning property with this bunch. He kept talking about "those people" and the "them". ""Those people" go for politicians that give them health care, so we get governments that pay attention to the poor." I love to hear where he's going but I butted in and said "that's not true in Kansas, people who cater to the underdog have not won elections the GOP dominates in Topeka, and almost every county and city government in the state, we are giving tax breaks to corporations like mad and we cut school lunches for poor kids, home nursing for the handicapped and elderly, legal aid, medicade, police and fire departments, reduced the number of places to vote in "those people's" neighborhoods." He started laughing, "yea we are making progress in Kansas, but these voting ideas have to be considered". I encouraged him to work on it full time.
We want to move when we retire if things stay like this. I hate this fucking place.
I need to ask him some time if things got bad, if he had no money and his grandkids were starving would he steal to feed them? Would it be moral to let them die? Would it be acceptable to steal or rob to keep them alive?
I have harped about the GOP "us" vs "them" mindset for months. They have no kin-ship with the poor and could care less about their plight.
ReplyDeleteNow, I will admit that there are those out there who can get jobs that are riding unemployment and folks who abuse the welfare system - but, that is an exception to the rule.
When have you ever heard a Republican talk about doing something for people other than cut taxes?
Ron
Almost seems like Republicans are doing a full frontal assault with abortion and gays front and center, in order to distract any attention to corporations.
ReplyDeleteWhen the US first won it's independence, only property owners could vote. However, the phrase property owner wasn't defined entirely by land ownership. If one owned a horse or mule, one was a property owner. By that standard translated to life today, anyone owning a car would be a property owner. You might tell him that.
ReplyDeleteOh, and you also might tell him that not allowing everyone to vote means that only those who vote get to pay taxes. Otherwise we have created a "taxation without representation" situation. Which, according to history, is how the original Tea Party got created. LOL
Ron,
ReplyDeleteYour point is a powerful truth. The famous French political observer and author de Tocqueville wrote, "We are less likely to empathize with those not seen as equals". Clearly the GOP and it's sister company the Tea Baggers do not see many equals from their soap boxes and corporate offices.
Skinny
ReplyDeleteEditor's suggestion if I may. Drop the "Almost seems like" from your remark, I think you'll find it rings more true and shows a bit of economy in writing.
Sherry,
ReplyDeleteI do like the way you think. Yes, next time I speak with this guy I will suggest he close the loop as you have offered.