I had a very spirited conversation with my brother-in-law today regarding the state of affairs in our nation. It was, in fact, so spirited that I wish that I had recorded the conversation. This is not about bashing my brother-in-law who I have mad LOVE and RESPECT for. However, he and I have fundamental differences on the role government should play in the lives of Americans.
My position is that in the most prosperous country in the world, we shouldn’t subscribe to a political agenda that has seemingly ZERO compassion for those less fortunate while at the same time, being UBER protective of the tax rate of the top 2% of wage earners in the country. Case in point: in the 2010 lame duck session of Congress, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) signed by all Republicans in the Senate emphatically stating that not one piece of legislation would even be CONSIDERED before there was an extension of the “Bush Tax Cuts” that were due to expire on December 31. This action from the same GOP members of the Senate who regularly block and delay extending unemployment benefits. On one hand, the GOP doggedly advocates lowering taxes for the top 2% while on the other, it wants to cut off the ONLY income that millions of unemployed Americans rely on. Where is the logic in THAT? Where is the COMPASSION?
My brother-in-law’s position is that liberals are good at spending other people’s money. He’s against taking money from people who EARNED their money and GIVING it to people who don’t earn their money. His position is why should a greater tax burden be put on the people who have been successful while many of those who earn lower wages pay no taxes at all. His strongest position is the government has no business TAKING his hard earned money and paying for stuff that he doesn’t want to pay for. He doesn’t want to pay for extended unemployment benefits and for food stamps. His only obligation was to take care of HIS family and not anyone else’s. His question is: why does the government want to punish HIM because he worked hard. Now, this IS my brother-in-law and no matter what type of person he may seem to be by now, he is a JEWEL of a man and has a heart of GOLD. But those are his positions. Of course, he is not alone in that thought process.
There are people on both sides of this debate who are extremely passionate about their respective positions to the point where they are not only DUG in, they are CEMENTED in. They believe so passionately in what they believe in that some are seemingly willing to see the country go over the cliff as we just witnessed in the Debt Ceiling debate. This is why we have the name calling and disrespect and all of the other mean spirited actions from BOTH sides that we’ve never seen before in our politics. We’ve gotten to the point where Americans are convinced that other Americans are the ENEMY. That is just wrong.
Our elected officials are the generals in this quasi-Civil War as they are just as complicit. They seemingly are long on POLITICS and short on GOVERNING and governing is what is needed to get out of this mess. Politically, 40% of the electorate is on each side and there is the moderate 20% in the middle. The country needs to be governed and BOTH sides are responsible for governing. What do we do? Where do we go? This may all seem so complicated when it really is not. What is the answer?
The answer is simple. COMPROMISE.
Peace, peace in the Middle East !
Craig Riggins
Email: theprodigalreturns517@gmail.com
My position is that in the most prosperous country in the world, we shouldn’t subscribe to a political agenda that has seemingly ZERO compassion for those less fortunate while at the same time, being UBER protective of the tax rate of the top 2% of wage earners in the country. Case in point: in the 2010 lame duck session of Congress, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) signed by all Republicans in the Senate emphatically stating that not one piece of legislation would even be CONSIDERED before there was an extension of the “Bush Tax Cuts” that were due to expire on December 31. This action from the same GOP members of the Senate who regularly block and delay extending unemployment benefits. On one hand, the GOP doggedly advocates lowering taxes for the top 2% while on the other, it wants to cut off the ONLY income that millions of unemployed Americans rely on. Where is the logic in THAT? Where is the COMPASSION?
My brother-in-law’s position is that liberals are good at spending other people’s money. He’s against taking money from people who EARNED their money and GIVING it to people who don’t earn their money. His position is why should a greater tax burden be put on the people who have been successful while many of those who earn lower wages pay no taxes at all. His strongest position is the government has no business TAKING his hard earned money and paying for stuff that he doesn’t want to pay for. He doesn’t want to pay for extended unemployment benefits and for food stamps. His only obligation was to take care of HIS family and not anyone else’s. His question is: why does the government want to punish HIM because he worked hard. Now, this IS my brother-in-law and no matter what type of person he may seem to be by now, he is a JEWEL of a man and has a heart of GOLD. But those are his positions. Of course, he is not alone in that thought process.
There are people on both sides of this debate who are extremely passionate about their respective positions to the point where they are not only DUG in, they are CEMENTED in. They believe so passionately in what they believe in that some are seemingly willing to see the country go over the cliff as we just witnessed in the Debt Ceiling debate. This is why we have the name calling and disrespect and all of the other mean spirited actions from BOTH sides that we’ve never seen before in our politics. We’ve gotten to the point where Americans are convinced that other Americans are the ENEMY. That is just wrong.
Our elected officials are the generals in this quasi-Civil War as they are just as complicit. They seemingly are long on POLITICS and short on GOVERNING and governing is what is needed to get out of this mess. Politically, 40% of the electorate is on each side and there is the moderate 20% in the middle. The country needs to be governed and BOTH sides are responsible for governing. What do we do? Where do we go? This may all seem so complicated when it really is not. What is the answer?
The answer is simple. COMPROMISE.
Follow me on Twitter: @TheProdigal517
Facebook: Craig RigginsEmail: theprodigalreturns517@gmail.com
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