Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A Sneaky Way of Raising Taxes

A Sneaky Way of Raising Taxes

Reducing the size of a package is a sneaky way of raising the price. 
Reducing Gov't services is a sneaky way of raising taxes. 

When an individual, a class, or a corporation evades taxes, they shift the tax burden to others. This is another sneaky way of raising taxes on the unprivileged; either they'll pay more in taxes or receive less in services. 

Don't be fooled; when politicians talk about shrinking the size of government, they are proposing giving you less services. You'd be paying the same tax for fewer services. Your effective tax rate would increase. When pols propose returning a million dollars to the rich and a hundred dollars to others, they are raising the effective tax rates on the latter. 

Consider what actual effect politicians' sneaky proposals will have on your taxes, your quality of life, and your expenses. Not fixing bridges is a bad way to reduce government and taxes.

Being Fair to Israel

Most progressives use different standards to judge Israel & its enemies. That is bias. 

Most progressives don't criticize arabs' raining missiles on civilian areas or blowing up buses ... when it's done to Israel. That is #bias.

Criticism of Israel is not bias unless it is unfair. The most obvious kind of unfair criticism that which is false. The other kind is criticism based on different standards for opposing sides. The grossest use of unequal standards is when absolutely no standard is used for the Arabs - there is no criticism at all. 

Progressives, who pride themselves on being fair, should be fair to Israel.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Progressive Voices

Progressive Voices

Russ Feingold, former 3 term senator from Wisconsin, is the voice of American progressive politics. 

He has demonstrated by his courageous, principled votes that his actions are consistent with his words and his campaign promises. 

He is a true statesman who is not owned by corporate money. 
 
The following give articulate and passionate expression to progressive issues:
Keith Oberman, 
Dylan Ratigan,
Cent Uygur,
Glenn Greenwald,
Nancy Goodman

Progressives are true to their principles, not their party. So, being anti-Republican is not sufficient to be considered a progressive. Rachel Maddow is an eloquent anti-Republican spokesperson but doesn't criticize Obama sufficiently for his grossly anti progressive policies. 

Saturday, January 1, 2011

How do you know what you think?

Some people may simply know what they think. For me, it often takes hearing someone say something that either resonates within me as true or is so obviously wrong that it makes me angry.

These positive or negative reactions of mine not only indicate to me what my beliefs are, they also demonstrate to me how deeply I feel about them.

When I express my agreement or disagreement with others' statements, I then learn from my own expression exactly what the details of my beliefs are.