When someone asks me why I like taxes and why liberals impose values on everyone….
Posted by David on September 30, 2007
Two things.
1) Republicans are delusional in that they think progressives impose values and they do not.
2) I ask them why Republicans force us to give up our civil liberties, why the decide who gets to get married, why they want to decide how a woman handles their pregnancy, why they are attacking our free speech (MoveOnAd), why they are imposing a loss-stop (sic?) on soldiers who should have gotten out of Iraq long ago, why so many of them are for putting the 10 Commandments all over the place when supposedly have a pluralistic, secular nation and government, and why do so many of them want to force people to adopt English as the Official national election.
I reject their terms.
I ask: Why do you hate democracy? Democracy is where a group of people who chose a leader who then governs according to the values of those who chose her or him (theoretically).
Progressive have 1 definition of government. They have another.
Under ours, democracy is a mutually beneficial society–we have social spending and public schools which help people in those programs, other people suffer from less crime, a more tolerant and educated, and healthier society–we all benefit by having a stronger democracy and a stronger country.
Under theirs– they can’t go out and buy another i-pod or another yacht, or whatever. (I am being a bit snarky here) but under their definition, government is there to get out of the way.
But without these taxes and social programs we all suffer.
And anyone who thinks their pay check is theirs and their alone is delusional.
A) Think about a job– no one is paid what they are actually worth by hour or salary. Part of their pay goes to the building and resources they use everyday, their managers and their employees. Their pay is TAXED.
B) No one is successful or unsuccessful in a vacuum. Education, transportation, trade, laws, regulation–it all exists as an infrastructure which goes towards they guy or gal getting their paycheck. They’re paying their dues to be part of a free society and more productive society. Those taxes don’t HINDER them–they HELP them.
Tell them to go to a country with no functioning public infrastructure or democracy and then see how FREE they FEEL and see then if they feel like VALUES are being IMPOSED on them.
Crossposted at Rockridge: the question was asked, my reply is in the comments below the question and then posted here above.
http://www.rockridgenation.org/questions/what-should-i-say-when-i-am-told-that-i-am-pushing-my-values-onto-others
