Congress is again in session, the Republicans are pushing their agenda, from a position of strength, the Democrats are countering the Republican position on Moral grounds. Really? Clearly they have all reached this belief independently and it is coincidence it seems to be a party talking point.
Senator Bernie Sanders, VT, said today,
"In my view, it is a moral outrage that at a time when this country has a $13.8 trillion national debt, a collapsing middle class and a growing gap between the very rich and everybody else that the Republicans would deny extended unemployment benefits to 2 million workers who are desperately struggling to pay their bills and maintain their dignity. It is also beyond comprehension that the Republicans would hold hostage the entire middle class of this country so that millionaires and billionaires would receive huge tax breaks. In my view, that is not what this country is about and it is not what the American people want to see...” (Common Dreams.org)
Sen Mary Landrieu, LA, says "I'm going to argue forcefully for the nonsensicalness and the almost, you know, moral corruptness of that particular policy," (Huffington Post)
Both Senator’s appear to share the belief the principle role of government is to realign wealth. To give to those who have not prospered, the wealth of those who have. Both have contributed to the massive government debt we now have, yet somehow extending the tax cuts to 2% of the population will single handedly bankrupt the country. As Senator Sanders says, “Our job is to save the disappearing middle class, not lower taxes for people who are already extraordinarily wealthy and increase the national debt that our children and grandchildren would have to pay.” Where was that concern for debt last year?
Senator Landrieu said; "It's what I'm calling the Obama-McConnell plan. We're going to borrow $46 billion from the poor, from the middle class, from businesses of all sizes basically to give a tax cut to families in America today, that despite the recession, are making over a million dollars. I mean, this is unprecedented. Unprecedented. I want to repeat that," (Huffington Post). Does she listen to herself? By law the poor do not pay taxes, so I am not sure how we can borrow something they don’t give. With regards to precedent, when she voted for the original tax cuts wouldn’t that be a precedent? Wait this must be the newly found fiscal responsibility everyone is talking about!
On November 30th, The Alexandria Town Talk (thetowntalk.com) ran an associated press article where Senator Landrieu joined with both Democrats and Republicans to block a Senate rule to “ban the practice of larding spending bills with earmarks -- those pet projects that lawmakers love to send home to their states” Where was Ms. Landrieu’s moral indignation then? Wouldn’t these earmarks borrow the same money from the poor that she is so concerned with now? Maybe fiscal responsibility and moral indignation is intended to be like a sweater, you put it on when it suits you.
Call me callous, but it is this kind of approach to governance that makes term limits such an attractive constitutional amendment.
2 comments:
There is a moral issue here, but it isn't what they think. Trying to create envy in someone else's life in order to benefit oneself is surely reprehensible (9th and 10th commandment). And of course there's the moral issue of bearing false witness against one's neighbor, which they do constantly (8th commandment).
Fierce moral urgency coming from Democrats rings a little false these days. It rings pretty false from any politician, come to think of it. But trying to make high taxes a moral issue when everyone knows you're happy to throw money away on a whim... Well that's just silly.
Not to be simplistic, but I am:
If a person earns 100 dollars and is required to contribute 10% of it to the government
and another makes $1000...
and another $10,000. etc....and they each contribute the same percentage, how is it unfair?
And the one who makes $100. is also eligble for how much assistance out of the tax fund?
If left free to give of abundance...some do...
And businesses that thrive make good employers.
Both rich and poor squander, both rich and poor make good choices. Maybe what America needs in government are smaller paint brushes with which to depict whole classes of people.
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