Even with this down economy, more than 90% of us still have our jobs. Some of us who have been working hard and still doing well financially are being constantly told that we are to be taxed our “fair share.” Exactly what is my “fair share?” Twenty percent? Thirty−five percent? Fifty percent? That’s a number that’s hard to define, especially when almost half the population pays nothing. Now that’s very dangerous.
With this lousy economy, the numbers of folks who pay zilch, nada, and bupkes is growing and may soon become the majority. Then what will my “fair share” be? When the 51% depend on the taxes of the 49%, the “fair share” of those who are doing well will be 80%, 90% and yes, even 100%. I don’t mind paying my fair share. I just don’t want to pay yours. There’s something wrong with our system. That flat tax is looking better every day.
*****
I wish the talking heads on TV would quote accurately, not just a portion of an entire sentence. Last week I heard several biased strategists say that former Vice President Cheney wants to execute the prisoners held in the jail at Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba. Before you believe it to be true and spread the lie even further, here is what he said. He stated that the jail in Gitmo was necessary because those prisoners are too dangerous to be held elsewhere.
“If you don’t have a place where you can hold these people, the only other option is to kill them, and we don’t operate that way.”
The last six words have been conveniently left out and that is what he actually said, not a Robert Gibbs rewrite of what he meant to say.
*****
And while we’re on quotes, here’s something that was said by legendary oilman and mega−billionaire T. Boone Pickens on alternative energy:
“We’re building the world’s largest wind farm, a $10 billion investment. The U.S. currently imports $700 billion in oil every year and we can’t keep it up. Wind and solar will become major factors in addition to natural gas, and we should all make a big commitment to that.”
Ya hear that, Teddy? Wind! Wind farms! Wind energy! He’s talking to you, Senator Nimby.
*****
And one more quote: “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation.”
Dear God. I hope not.
*****
When I attended high school way back in the last century, it was mandated that I study either French or Spanish. Dummy me, I chose French. I should have chosen Spanish. In New York City, with no knowledge of Spanish, I frequently find myself on the wrong bus.
It’s no secret that the U.S. now owes mega−billions of dollars to the Chinese. We just learned that the Hummer division of General Motors is now owned by our Asian friends. I just read that a Chinese business consortium is attempting to buy 15% of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.
