Our county Republican party organization has had a well-publicized contest going on now for about a month with no "winners." Any Democrat who will agree to sign over their tax rebate check to the school system "to help the children" will enjoy a Happy Meal purchased for them by the official Republican county organization. So far, no takers. ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."
What a great idea! Let's cut military spending and make donations optional , I'm willing to take the security risk... and that damn AWD Cross Country wagon is sooooooo sweet. Perhaps after that, we can cut spending for the drug war, I'll need a new rack system for my new wagon (those Thule chrome racks look a lot better than my bunk Yakima). I won't really need Highways w/ my new AWD wagon so once we cut road spending I'll be able to buy myself that new Specialized Allez bike. What a dream, this is fun! Actually, I don't have kids at all. Let's cut all education spending! Poppa wants a yard w/ a dog! Since I don't have kids, I'm not worried about the future so let's stop paying off the debt. A recession will ensue, but if Dub taught me one thing it's that the economy is like alcoholism: it only kills the weak individuals. I'm a white male, I'm set. Meat doesn't truly affect me, so once we cut subsidization to the farmers.... [This message has been edited by Achebe (edited June 26, 2001).]
What spending did we cut to fund the tax rebate...? Just curious. I thought the federal budget grew again this year.
My jokes don't seem funny if I have to explain them Brian. pththhththtthht. RichRocket's post had a hint of (what's that old quote) truly putting democracy into the hands of the citizenry. I think it's obvious that people will always choose themselves over the system, so the 'Happy Meal' story is cute, but meaningless.
In like fashion, the government (composed of career bureaucrats) will always choose for itself unless thwarted by us citizens of The Republic. It is a cute story but NOT meaningless. So many Democrats decried the tax rebate because they said they didn't need the money. They were given a PUBLIC opportunity to put their money where there mouth is (both figuratively and literally) by donating the money to the county school system (figurative) and getting a Happy Meal (literal). Apparently, they will do neither. Is this not a meaningful illustration of all-talk and no-action? Feel-good lip flapping, I say. ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these."
Achebe, You are an idiot! Everyone knows that Yakima is better than Thule. Mmm....Specialized. ------------------ Squatting on old bones and excrement and rusty iron, in a white blaze of heat, a panorama of naked idiots stretches to the horizon. Complete silence-their speech centers are destroyed-except for the crackle of sparks and the popping of singed flesh as they apply electrodes up and down the spine. White smoke of burning flesh hangs in the motionless air. A group of children have tied an idiot to a post with barbed wire and built a fire between his legs and stand watching with bestial curiosity as the flames lick his thighs. His flesh jerks in the fire with insect agony.
Rich, I thought people (republicans and democrats and martians) opposed the taxcuts because of the increased spending that is also coming with it. ------------------ Squatting on old bones and excrement and rusty iron, in a white blaze of heat, a panorama of naked idiots stretches to the horizon. Complete silence-their speech centers are destroyed-except for the crackle of sparks and the popping of singed flesh as they apply electrodes up and down the spine. White smoke of burning flesh hangs in the motionless air. A group of children have tied an idiot to a post with barbed wire and built a fire between his legs and stand watching with bestial curiosity as the flames lick his thighs. His flesh jerks in the fire with insect agony.
RichRocket, are you familiar w/ the Tragedy of the Commons? It's kind of relevant here. If the Happy Meal story isn't meaningless, why not cease military spending increases, give me a huge chunk of change, and wonder if I'll do my part for society? You're a republican... if military spending was optional would you donate? Or would you propagate? Donate or Propagate! Donate or Propagate! BTW Rich, you never told me where you're from (I asked later in that 'family secrets' post; you had mentioned that you live close to Greenville).
You know guys like us don't benefit much from the tax cuts....the top 2% of taxpayers benefit the most. And anybody who's seen how bad HISD has gotten would not support a tax cut. Look at Sterling, Jones, Worthing, Lee, etc. high schools in Houston- absolutely terrible due to a lack of funding. I went to high school at Kempner, and I saw the difference in funding for us and Willowridge, which was between night and day. FBISD spent all kinds of money on SF Austin but almost nothing to improve Willowridge. Also, Austinites, who thinks I-35 could use a major facelift? How about our military? Social Security? Welfare? Conservation? Parks and Wildlife? Hmmm....How're we going to pay for all this? ------------------ "Oh No..." -Bill Walton in 97 just before Stockton's buzzer beater
That's strange! I seem to recall Democrats decrying Bush's tax "relief" not because they didn't need the money, but because it is pure political chicanery. I seem to recall Democrats decrying it because the only people who got any kind of relief were those who made over $625,000 a year. I also seem to recall people of every political spectrum decrying it because it is only temporary and based on projections that may or may not come true. Cute story Rich. And utterly meaningless. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
The point is that a central theme of almost any opposition to the tax cut/rebate was that the government needs the money MORE than the individual citizen does. The lack of activity in VOLUNTARILY returning the money to the government (by god, the local school system not the Fed either) proves that that argument is lacking substance and the argument was insincere when made. Of course, the indiviudal needs it more than the government. I criticize NO ONE for that. I'm only criticizing those check-cashers who argued AGAINST the tax cut/rebate on the grounds that the Fed had better use and/or greater need for the money than the individual citizen. They say one thing and do another. It's one thing to blow smoke in pre-draft asessment of talent in order not to give away your true position, but here it is entirely another disappointing matter. Achebe: I live outside of Winston-Salem, NC. Baqui99/R-Tex: I don't know if you guys saw the illustration I posted a couple of weeks ago about the fictional lunch group of 10, but it pretty well laid to waste the argument about the unfairness of the tax cuts. The Top 2% get more back because they are paying more tax and carrying a disproportionate share of the burden of funding this nation. Oh, BTW, my income is nowhere near $625,000 in case you're wondering; I'm not arguing in self-interest here. Wish I were! R-Tex: What WOULD make the story meaningless would be if the Democrats flocked to the offer and gave up their "frivolous" rebates. When they DO THAT the story will be rendered meaningless because the challenge has been met. Until then........ ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these." [This message has been edited by RichRocket (edited June 26, 2001).] [This message has been edited by RichRocket (edited June 26, 2001).]
RichRocket, your point was entirely clear. A few of us happened to disagree with you, but for some reason you haven't acknowledged any of our points. This is as much of a habit around here w/ some posters as the subsequent cry of 'intolerance'. Oh yeah, that's the script: RichRocket, you're not being very tolerant to the beliefs of others. Now could you please tell me why none of my examples are pertinent? Could you please tell rimbaud why the inflationary concerns, hence recession wasn't really why many people argued against the tax cut. Do you honestly think that before the tax cut when someone would argue from conviction, that they were being disingenuous? Or do you think you want to capture this beautiful moment where everybody gets a freebie, in a culture in which we're already encouraged to care more for ourselves than others, and optionally chooses whether or not to support the system's infrastructure or themselves? Give me a break. Cease military spending increases, hell cut military spending... my point is still valid; get a tax cut, or a check in the mail and tell me something: donate or propagate? [This message has been edited by Achebe (edited June 26, 2001).]
You forgot the magic words "In my opinion". You ought to try to include them when you make statements such as the one above. Your story remains meaningless, to me anyway. ------------------ "Blues is a Healer" --John Lee Hooker
Damn, didn't catch the cut road spending part... Hey, Achebe, enjoy your flats, wheel damage, and genital pain! Kagy always raises the level of any debate, lol! ------------------ Squatting on old bones and excrement and rusty iron, in a white blaze of heat, a panorama of naked idiots stretches to the horizon. Complete silence-their speech centers are destroyed-except for the crackle of sparks and the popping of singed flesh as they apply electrodes up and down the spine. White smoke of burning flesh hangs in the motionless air. A group of children have tied an idiot to a post with barbed wire and built a fire between his legs and stand watching with bestial curiosity as the flames lick his thighs. His flesh jerks in the fire with insect agony. [This message has been edited by rimbaud (edited June 26, 2001).]
Oh yeah, what's a B-1 bomber? Do I get to play in it? Why are people getting pork barrell spending to raise shrimp in Arizona? Am I really putting money into education for my 0.0 kids? *drroooolll*
LOL! You think this is a debate? I do wish I could add as much to debates as people who troll from thread to thread making sarcastic remarks or implying that people who disagree with them are idiots. I used to do that but I guess I didn't realize how much growing up would compromise my reputation on the BBS. Lesson learned.
Don't be so hard on yourself Brian, I don't think that you're any different than before... you're just less apt to defend any of your posts now by posting rhetoric such as 'I've already explained myself' or 'you're insinuating that I'm an idiot'. These are just arguments, just words (where 'argument' means sets of premises and conclusions not two or more people being mean to one another). Don't be so concerned with your opinions to think that someone questioning your opinions means that they're questioning you. In fact I have to ask, why does everyone hold their opinions so dear and untouchable? Did the summertime make everyone moody? Was it the floods? Most of the biggest issues have two good sides(or else there wouldn't be so much dissension). Hell, I waiver between pro-life and pro-choice on any given day. I waiver on a lot of issues, and I'm just looking for the best answers(sometimes the best questions). We live in the Western world. Our culture begs the question that progress is a good thing. We have to argue, but we don't have to take ourselves seriously while we're doing it.
