*The author of the Pledge was a very religious Socialist–his view of Socialism was more in line with the form that would rise to power in the Scandinavian countries rather than the more ardent form that rose in Russia (IOW, a non-Marxist Socialism).

And by the way, our tax code is as much to blame as anything else for the economic mess. The high marginal rate on income and the low rate on long-term capital gains and zero rate on housing turns the entire country into speculators in an attempt to earn low-tax or tax-free money.

Democrats have shown in the past that they are totally irresponsible with public funds,

I know. That Clinton presidency! Tell me, which did you hate more: The peace or the prosperity? The balanced budget or the lack of war-related casualties? Just curious.

Also: What Clinton Fan said. Totally agree, great post.

It also depends on what you mean by “share” too.

Are you talking about a flat fee per person, or a static percentage of income?

A flat fee is plainly a REGRESSIVE tax, fucking the low wage earners worst of all. Sales taxes on basic goods, VATS, they’re regressive, and they suck.

If everyone pays the same PERCENTAGE of income tax, though, that really isn’t progressive–but the rich person WILL end up paying more tax, because they’ve earned more.

I don’t know who these freeloaders you speak of are, though. I don’t know any of them.

I do know people who work their asses off in the most menial of jobs, caring for the sick and elderly, cleaning up shit and doing the most important but rather unsavory jobs with gentleness, compassion and caring, who make a lousy, stinking twenty grand a year. I know one fellow who works a second job delivering pizza after his day job to make ends meet and keep his kids in Walmart sneakers.

They aren’t FREELOADERS, they’re what’s called “working poor.” The one to two grand of their shitty salary they pay every year in tax is what some of my wealthy pals spend eating in restaurants every few months. My wealthy pals CAN afford to pay more. It’s not necessary to gouge them, but a percentage point more isn’t going to kill them. Trying to suggest coughing up a little more is “virtuous” or calling paying a tiny bit more “patriotic” though, is idiotic. If you’re living large, and the bite isn’t big, it’s not a big deal.

All that said, what is success?

Is success being authentic in your life, doing meaningful work that makes a difference to your fellow humans, or is success eating at fancy restaurants and having a bigass bank account?

Or is it a little of both? And maybe something moore?

Or something else entirely?

I think a lot of this crap that is being thrown around about who’s rich and who isn’t, and how people behave, and arugula, and Whole Foods, and latte… is just that–a load of crap.

I take issue with Obama because he is inexperienced, he is a stumblebum who is lost without a teleprompter and can’t think on his feet, his advisors AND his friends are a bunch of (sometimes shady) cretins (many of whom ARE experienced, and I don’t like their “brand” of experience), he is a crook (and once a crook, always a crook), and he is a one-note, whining, hubris-laden, aloof, arrogant…well…asshole.

THAT’s why I don’t like Obama. I find him sketchy on a number of levels.

I am not in love with McCain, or Palin, either, but I think McCain, constrained by a Democratic Congress, will be tolerable for four years, and maybe, in his old age, he’ll be bigger than PARTY and bigger than personal ambition–I do think he has that quality in him. I also think he’s not stupid, and is better equipped to handle national security issues. I also think the tension between a Democratic Congress and a GOP (sane, for a change) President will force bipartisanship.

The truth of the matter, though, is this: I see McCain as a placeholder for CLINTON 2012.
That’s MY bottom line.