Last week, the Times published a great piece about living on the edge of poverty. I hope we can see more like it because there are many myths that need to be destroyed. The article points out one that always bothers me: people on food stamps are lazy and don't work. Not true. Most people on food stamps are considered working poor and can't afford to do anything beyond paying for their house. That's why they need money for food.
Here's another giant pile of bullshit.
Surrounded by corn and soybean farms — including one owned by the local Republican congressman, Representative Stephen Fincher — Dyersburg, about 75 miles north of Memphis, provides an eye-opening view into Washington’s food stamp debate. Mr. Fincher, who was elected in 2010 on a Tea Party wave and collected nearly $3.5 million in farm subsidies from the government from 1999 to 2012, recently voted for a farm bill that omitted food stamps.
“The role of citizens, of Christianity, of humanity, is to take care of each other, not for Washington to steal from those in the country and give to others in the country,” Mr. Fincher, whose office did not respond to interview requests, said after his vote in May. In response to a Democrat who invoked the Bible during the food stamp debate in Congress, Mr. Fincher cited his own biblical phrase. “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat,” he said.
So, subsidies and handouts are just fine for him but no food for the poor. How very Christian of him. By his logic, he himself took from others and gave to..himself!! Kinda cool how that worked out.
In addition, I'll never understand how elected members of Congress fail to recognize that the United States government has the power to tax. Calling it "stealing" is simply an adolescent blurt rooted in a flat out lie.
5 comments:
Just because it has the power to tax does not mean it should tax every possible thing for any random thing.
That's what you always miss - and in your pathological love for all things statist you can't stand an opposing or moderating viewpoint.
In addition, I'll never understand how elected members of Congress fail to recognize that the United States government has the power to tax.
Taxes are raised in order to pay for govt that benefits all. I find it worse that we have farm supports than food stamps - but neither one is what the federal govt was established to provide. Your only argument is about who should get the goodies.
"Just because it has the power to tax does not mean it should tax every possible thing for any random thing."
But government has to tax something in order to function. People often criticize Minnesota as a high-tax state because of its high income taxes. But it (and several other Midwestern states) don't have a tangible personal property tax. That's where the state taxes you for all the things you own, like your car, your stereo, your guns, even your dog.
States with no income tax often charge higher personal property taxes. It also means that you have a government assessor poking around inside your home or business looking at everything you own. Which seems more intrusive, arbitrary, vindictive and unfair.
Most southern and western states get a lot of revenue from these sorts of taxes. Would you rather have Big Brother looking in your closet than paying a percentage on your income? And of course, wealthy people can just keep all their pricey jewelry in a safe in Minneapolis near their summer home and avoid the tax altogether.
And you completely ignore the point.
Tax, yes. Spend like a drunken sailor and then complain when people don't want their taxes increased, no.
The point isn't that the government can tax, it is whether it should be spending money on every possible thing.
Tax, yes. Spend like a drunken sailor and then complain when people don't want their taxes increased, no.
This!
But, what an insult to drunken sailors! They can only spend what's in their pocket. Government is spending our grandchildrens' lifetime incomes, but somehow it's bad to complain about such excess.
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