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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Congressman Steve Womack declares war on American Irony

Posted by Richard Drake on Thu, Dec 29, 2011 at 11:35 AM

The Scowling One sent Christmas greetings via his latest “From the Front” email, with the following note about the payroll tax cut:

“Differences still remain on how we pay for this extension, and Congress will have to work hard in the New Year to resolve those differences. For now, this approach should allow Members to enjoy the holidays with their families and save America from the frustration of a dysfunctional Congress at an otherwise wonderful time of year.”

Oh, Steve, I’ll bet whoever wrote that for you had a straight face while they were writing it, too!

Personally, I know a number of Americans - many right here in Northwest Arkansas - who aren’t going to enjoy the holidays nearly as much as TSO. Some have unpaid breaks from industrial jobs, and some are unemployed or underemployed.

They just don’t care, quite frankly, if you and your friends - from either party - were able to slip home to down some eggnog and sing some Christmas carols with your families. They don’t care if you enjoy the holidays or not. In fact, quite a few Americans might prefer that you were just as miserable as they were this holiday season.

What most constituents might enjoy is the idea of Congress giving the American people a real Christmas present and taking their jobs seriously for once.

But 2012 is an election year, and I suspect that it will be even worse than this year.

******

Mike Masterson: Tax Break by Association?

In his Christmas day piece - “Congress gagged” - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist Mike Masterson had a section with the heading “Redistribution logic,” in which he wrote:

“Does any full-grown person out there really believe if the government slaps ever-increasing taxes on the wealthier Americans (many of whom do the employing in America) that in some magical way that increased tax revenue will improve their personal financial circumstances?”

There’s a whole world of writing one could put out in response about fairness, and shared sacrifice, and of the usual thing we are all taught in school, but twisted soul that I am, my eyes fell upon Mike’s precise use of language.

As in, “ . . . many of whom do the employing in America . . .”

Not all of the wealthy, or even most, but many.

“Many” may not even mean a majority.

And yet it’s okay that we should provide tax cuts to all of the upper tier in our society. even the Paris Hiltons of the world, because some of the monied class provide employment?

*****

So, you want a tax break?

Maybe if the wealthy in this country would like more money from the public purse, they should all individually write an essay (no ghost writers allowed) on what they have done for us lately, and what they will promise to do for us, should they get the tax break they so desperately seem to need.

We set standards for teachers, after all, why not for those who insist on tax breaks?

And hey, let’s drug test them, too, while we’re at it.

****

Quote of the Day

Most of us ask for advice when we know the answer but want a different one. - Ivern Ball

rsdrake@cox.net

        
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