In today's "I couldn't have said it better myself" news
Dave Johnson from Seeing the Forest has a great post asking the eternal question, Do California Taxes Hurt?
I've long said that the oft-spoken comments about how government can't be trusted, means WE can't be trusted to govern ourselves, and that's a pretty scary mindset that could lead to .... uh....where we are now with our public sphere dominated by corporations, and the Cult of Bush in power. The anti-tax, anti-government drumbeat has been pounding steadily since sometime in the 1970s, and it's starting to make my head hurt.
Personally, I'm not inclined to hand over my right to self determination, and my decision-making powers to someone else to be my protector and my decider. I'm a big girl now, and I don't need another daddy. We govern ourselves. Is it a pain in the neck sometimes? Does it take some effort? Of course. Would I have it any other way? Hell, no. You'll have to pry my Constitution out of my cold, dead hands.
Taxes are not inherently bad. They are necessary to run a civil society. The economic problem we face is the misuse of the power we grant to the government for taxation. For example, when the president decides to throw a big war for all his friends, and the congress (other than Feingold) doesn't object. THAT is a problem.
I've long said that the oft-spoken comments about how government can't be trusted, means WE can't be trusted to govern ourselves, and that's a pretty scary mindset that could lead to .... uh....where we are now with our public sphere dominated by corporations, and the Cult of Bush in power. The anti-tax, anti-government drumbeat has been pounding steadily since sometime in the 1970s, and it's starting to make my head hurt.
Personally, I'm not inclined to hand over my right to self determination, and my decision-making powers to someone else to be my protector and my decider. I'm a big girl now, and I don't need another daddy. We govern ourselves. Is it a pain in the neck sometimes? Does it take some effort? Of course. Would I have it any other way? Hell, no. You'll have to pry my Constitution out of my cold, dead hands.
Taxes are not inherently bad. They are necessary to run a civil society. The economic problem we face is the misuse of the power we grant to the government for taxation. For example, when the president decides to throw a big war for all his friends, and the congress (other than Feingold) doesn't object. THAT is a problem.
posted by Terry at 7:45 AM
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