Joe Biden and Obama -> Taxes = Charity
As regular readers of the 'Grok know, I'm not a fan of high taxes, especially when much of them go to the social-services-industrial complex. No, again, I'm not saying that we not help those that are less fortunate than us. We can, and should, be charitable and give when and what we can to help others. My mantra is that charity is an individual act, a result of the actions of an individual heart and will. Not coerced, not forced.
And certainly not as a result of taxation.
Yeah, I'm torqued over Joe Biden's latest gaffe:
Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden says that paying higher taxes is the patriotic thing to do for wealthier Americans.
His actual words:
"It's time to be patriotic ... time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut."
Patriotism isn't money. It is, however, a state of mind or attitude concerning one's view of their country, THIS country. It is a belief that this country is worthy, warts and all, is a great country and worth fighting for. That it is worth sacrificing for when needed. Sacrifice, like charity, is a voluntary attitude for something greater than oneself. It is not just following a law (paying your taxes) because it is a law (although it is morally right to follow the laws).
Patriotism is not just paying more in taxes. In fact, paying more in taxes has NOTHING to do with patriotism. Taxes are set by law and legislators. Taxes can go down, but more often, go up. No matter which way they do go, they are not voluntary to avoid or to pay; try that stunt and one will find out the error of their ways as the full force of the State will be turned upon you.
Paying taxes have nothing to do with attitude (except to darken one's attitude as the amount goes up). The attitude of patriotism is such that the ultimate sacrifice may and will be given freely.
Both Obama and Biden (and many folks here in the Lakes Region - it is not a DC thing, but does correlate well to one's sense of Liberalism) truly seem to believe that charity is expressed by the level of taxation. After all, taxes ARE charity, right? They believe that they have to right to take from you to salve their own sense of charity.
They are misguided concerning the true sense of charity. After all, charity is non-compulsory - I cannot force you to be charitable. I may shame you into giving, but it is not legally enforceable.
That said, it seems that Obama's increased giving to charity seems to correlate (like other politicians both Dem and Repub) only with his attempt to gain higher office (and not altruisticly).
At least Joe Biden...
Such hypocrisy, as he advocates for more help for "the poor", yet he cannot find it within himself to walk the talk. It's Al Gore all over again - do as I say but not as I do. I can fly my private plane, drive my SUVs, have my house that consumes the energy of 10 ordinary families, but the rest of you must wear the hair shirt wardrobe. I do not begrudge him is wealth (except he is known as a piker to boot); I excoriate the both of them for their two-faced-ness.
After all, if you think that the answer is more dollars, why not just write the check to the IRS with lots of zeros on it? Instead of doing zero? Nobody is stopping you - and think of the PR you'd get if you did - I'd be leading the applause!
Change? That's about all he gave - a few cups of coffee over the years. Leadership by example? Leading from the front? Would you want to use either of them as sterling examples for your children? Hardly. Get used to it folks - if these two socialists get into office (ok, a bit harsh with Biden but I'm dead on with that Saul Alinsky devotee, Obama), their sense of charity will be sated with your money.
I'll make this bet - if they do win the Prez prize, you can be sure that the fastest growing industry will not be that in the private sector - it WILL be the non-profits, the social services organizations, that will be feasting off the fat of taxes (e.g., those that are really in it for the business rather than the charitable purposes).
In the end, in the long run, charity will never, ever, be a result of you wanting to help out. Why bother? After all, the Government will be trying to do it all for you.
And doing it Badly. But then again, it's not their money. And who will bother to hold them accountable?
Comments
Posted by: ILoveJoeThePlumber | October 30, 2008 4:57 PM