Well, I 've been busy
(Although maybe not if you asked TBO . . .)
; )
In any case, I thought I'd share a comment I wrote in response to some of the comments on this article in US News regarding the California budget crisis. When I looked at the comments, the top 3 all wrote, essentially, that California should slash its expenditures even further than the decimation already happening. I found that sad, disturbing, and 100% predictable:
(I wrote) I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see some people urging even more cuts, but the plain fact is, California needs to raise taxes in order to survive as a governmental unit. I realize those advocating more cuts don't want California (or any) government to exist, but that attitude is sophomoric at best, and coldhearted and callous at worst. Do you all think you'd be better off in a world without government? Where do you think the money comes from to keep your streets paved, your sewers functioning, your fire and police departments operational, etc.? From the government's tax revenues, that's where. If any of you think private enterprises could do a better job, you are fools to think so. Do you really think you are wealthy enough to afford these private police/fire/public works yourselves? If governments didn't exist, only the extremely rich would be safe from all kinds of catastrophes, or has the devastation of New Orleans from federal neglect somehow slipped your mind?
Or maybe you are simply mean spirited enough to allow for taxing to pay for these kinds of agencies, but not those designed to help out those less fortunate? That kind of libertarianism is sickening to hear espoused by anyone older than a college freshman, because it truly betrays a naive and wholly solipsistic worldview. Do you think you (or someone you care about) will never need the help of a public agency? What if you have a child with developmental difficulties? Or even more simply, want to use a library's resources? I can guarantee you that you do not want to pay all the licensing fees required to access the materials any public library carries, let alone the books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, etc. they own.
But I suppose you don't want any of those kinds of things to be available to anyone either . . .
; )
In any case, I thought I'd share a comment I wrote in response to some of the comments on this article in US News regarding the California budget crisis. When I looked at the comments, the top 3 all wrote, essentially, that California should slash its expenditures even further than the decimation already happening. I found that sad, disturbing, and 100% predictable:
(I wrote) I guess I shouldn't be too surprised to see some people urging even more cuts, but the plain fact is, California needs to raise taxes in order to survive as a governmental unit. I realize those advocating more cuts don't want California (or any) government to exist, but that attitude is sophomoric at best, and coldhearted and callous at worst. Do you all think you'd be better off in a world without government? Where do you think the money comes from to keep your streets paved, your sewers functioning, your fire and police departments operational, etc.? From the government's tax revenues, that's where. If any of you think private enterprises could do a better job, you are fools to think so. Do you really think you are wealthy enough to afford these private police/fire/public works yourselves? If governments didn't exist, only the extremely rich would be safe from all kinds of catastrophes, or has the devastation of New Orleans from federal neglect somehow slipped your mind?
Or maybe you are simply mean spirited enough to allow for taxing to pay for these kinds of agencies, but not those designed to help out those less fortunate? That kind of libertarianism is sickening to hear espoused by anyone older than a college freshman, because it truly betrays a naive and wholly solipsistic worldview. Do you think you (or someone you care about) will never need the help of a public agency? What if you have a child with developmental difficulties? Or even more simply, want to use a library's resources? I can guarantee you that you do not want to pay all the licensing fees required to access the materials any public library carries, let alone the books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, etc. they own.
But I suppose you don't want any of those kinds of things to be available to anyone either . . .
posted by bryduck at 12:29 PM
2 Comments:
Speak on it, Brother Bryan! Speak on it! We could use some of your preachin' here in mid-Michigan too. Schools? Libraries? Fire departments? Who needs 'em? Right? LEFT!
Yeah, but at least your state has a good, if utterly sad, reason for its economic woes. If Californians taxed themselves at anywhere near an appropriate level for an economy this big and diverse, I have a feeling a lot of things could have worked out differently in our present (national) crisis.
Post a Comment
<< Home