Posted on 11/25/2010 7:20:59 AM PST by SeekAndFind
In 1990 William F. Buckley Jr. published a wonderful little book called "Gratitude," in which he made the case for a broad program of national service.
His argument, laid out in the chapter "The Patrimony and Civic Obligation," is compelling. Those of us lucky enough to live in the United States are the beneficiaries of a cultural inheritance that is impossible to fully reckon and that gives us enormous advantages - from the laws and institutions built over generations that allow free people to prosper, to the music we enjoy. To Buckley, it is vital that citizens acknowledge this debt to civilization. One of the ills of modern life, he says, is that we take too many things for granted. He laments "the failure to acknowledge a running debt to one's homeland (biological or adopted)."
Buckley believed a properly institutionalized expression of gratitude should include incentives for national service for young Americans (an idea worth reviving). But another way he said citizens routinely acknowledge this debt is through taxes "reasonably exacted."
There's nothing more likely to induce indigestion than a serving of taxes with your turkey, but in Mr. Buckley's honor, let's risk it. His notions resonate at Thanksgiving and shed light on today's perverse tax debate.
At this holiday I think of two friends who are senior military officers. One, an Army general, helps lead our forces in Afghanistan. The other, a Navy captain, served as an adviser there until recently. According to published military pay scales, the general, more senior, earns about $180,000 in base pay; the captain about $120,000. They and their families have borne great burdens over the decades. They are two of the finest people I know; just being around them makes you proud to be an American.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Miller blames the GOP for the wars we're fighting and then argues that the war debts we're handing off will rise another $150 billion this year alone. The GOP plan is to borrow another $700 billion more over the next 10 years mostly from less-well-off Americans' children, to give a good number of already wealthy Americans more continued relief each year than many military officers earn in an entire career.
So, at a time of war and surging debt, we cannot lower our taxes. Therefore, people who have wealth and means should shoulder the burden of paying for the service of our men in uniform and their salaries in order to show their gratitude this thanskgiving.
*THAT* is the gist of his column.
If he believes that, he should run for office on a platform to increase people’s taxes and see how many votes he gets for it.
What a fool!
I wouldn’t mind paying more in taxes if the government didn’t squander 90% of what they already collect. It’s like giving a crack head money for food. You know he will spend it on drugs. If you allow more tax money to go to the government they will only waste it on something similarly as wasteful.
Anybody who wants to pay more taxes can do so. Just leave the rest of us alone.
I’d pay more in taxes if I saw the benefits of the Stimulus. So where is it?
I don’t think this liberal has a good answer to my question.
“a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress”
Every dime he makes is ill-gotten from the hand of the felon Soros.
How about WAPO exercise some Due Diligence and report THAT?
Abolish the FED & the IRS.
The problem with liberals is this — THEY ALWAYS ASSUME THAT ONLY BY RAISING TAXES WILL GOVERNMENT REVENUE INCREASE.
They IGNORE time and again the cases where government revenue went up and the economy picked up and boomed when taxes were LOWERED ( even marginal tax rates ).
Count them -— Warren Harding, JFK, Ronald Reagan, even the later part of Clinton’s presidency and of course Dubya’s tax cuts ( which are slated to expire in over a month ).
In EVERY CASE, when taxes were lowered, Government revenues INCREASES and we then had more money to pay for defense, not to mention help the economy prosper.
The problem with men like Miller is they are historical ignoramuses.
before any function
RE: Anybody who wants to pay more taxes can do so
That of course assumes that taxes are voluntary. The problem is this — TAXES ARE COERCIVE and INTRUSIVE.
The IRS goes after your money EVERYWHERE it can find it.
” In 1990 William F. Buckley Jr. “
In (approximately) 30 A.D., a greater man than Buckley (yes, there was *one*...) said “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and render unto God that which is God’s”...
‘Gratitude’ and ‘Taxes’ fall into two different categories...
Make taxes VOLUNTARY for EVERYBODY! More and more morons (”millionaires”) are coming out every day whining that they want to pay more taxes. If the government would let them do it, we shouldn’t have any problem with revenue.
Young people have the same challenges all young people always have. Grow up. Find a job at any pay. Find two if necessary. Work hard. Live in a crummy apartment for a while probably shared with others. Stop griping and whining. Delay fun and entertainment until you get established. Move if you have no opportunity where you are. Stop mooching off your relatives. Stop trying to guilt them about how hard you have it. Take advantage of this wonderful free country that still has incredible opportunity for those willing to be resilient and willing to work hard. Shut up. And finally...have a great Thanksgiving!
The amount listed on your tax return is the minimum amount due. The rich liberals can make voluntary contributions, in addition to what they owe, ANY TIME THEY WANT!
If they want to pay more, let them do it. I have better uses for my money.
Ditto to what you said!
I’m grateful to God, not the freaking Federal Government.
There is no law preventing people paying more taxes than they owe. The argument the left made against paying their taxes was that the money would be use to fight a war they did not believe in. Pretty much all wars we are involved in, until, DumBO gets us into a war against someone producing too much carbon. I object to paying more taxes, because, it is a vote buy of nare-do-wells. The alternative to paying more taxes is charity, where, your money is directed to activities you believe in. Unfortunately, government is usurping the role of charity, which, is reason enough to not pay more taxes.
Your analysis is correct. If they didn't squander much of what they get they wouldn't need more. However, they want more, not need it, in order to squander it on self-serving projects.
I doubt that. The left is neither stupid nor ignorant. Just evil.
For an American to believe that paying taxes had anything to do with charity would be similar to buying drinks for an alcoholic thinking he was doing him a great service...
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