THE POOR, ALWAYS WITH US

I guess politics, sadly enough, always boils down to rich vs. poor, the haves vs. the have-nots.

The poor are always with us, as the Bible says. Over the ages, people have devised various systems to deal with this problem, which seems to take place no matter what political or economic system you live with.

Currently, on the far right, the Tea Party morons want to take from the poor and give to the rich endlessly, like Robin Hood in reverse.

On the extreme left, in some other countries, communists want to level the playing field and level the dining table as well.

In the good old USA, we have a perennial struggle. We want to motivate people to work hard, keep their noses clean (not commit crimes), and try to create a good country to live in.

The question isn't so much what our goals are as how we get there.

I hate the sanctimonious attitude of the right, who believe that poor people and rich people deserve equally what they get.

Nothing could be further from the truth. What we need is more empathy, more understanding, more caring. To walk some miles in each other's shoes. To realize that we are all in this together, and we need to support each other.

If we don't value each other, what the hell do we have?

-- Roger

© Copyright 2011, Roger R. Angle

GOP: SCREW THE POOR

Those great House Republicans, defenders of the faith and supporters of the Pentagon, today passed their draconian cuts to the federal budget.

They want to lower the maximum tax rate from 35% to 28%. Oh my God, big corporations and rich people shouldn't have to pay taxes like the rest of us. What were we thinking? We should just all gather around and kiss their collective ass.

Give me a break. 

I read in Newsweek that Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), of the House, is a big believer in the foolish and discredited ideas of the late Ayn Rand, who believed that those who own businesses create wealth and deserve to keep all of it. The rest of us should subsist on crumbs that fall from their tables.

Basically these right wing Republicans and Tea Party types believe in a feudal society. They want to turn the clock back. Way back.

So let's all sing together: Screw oh screw the poor, and kiss the asses of the rich.

Who wants to be a millionaire? We do! Who wants to screw the poor? Hurray!

Reminds me of lines from a poem by Charles Baudelaire, "Litany to Satan":
         Thy awful name is written as with pitch
         On the unrelenting foreheads of the rich.

But, ah, what can we do? The rich are always with us. A burden we all carry.

I say, if you want to pay less taxes and have a smaller government, go live in Somalia. Let me know how you like it.


-- Roger

© Copyright 2011, Roger R. Angle