There is a saying that what a man believes can be determined by what he does rather than by what what he says he believes. Consider this bit of human behavior.
Conservatives, including most Republicans, want to reduce the size of government and end most government programs. They have tried for years to get rid of social security. Despite their unsuccessful attempt to privatize social security a few years back, they still talk about wanting to do this. (Can you imagine the effect this would have had on this country's elderly poor if social security had been privatized before a huge financial crash a few years ago ?)
But have you ever seen a conservative or any Republican who upon receiving his or her social security check sent it back to the government instead of cashing it ?
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Really? That is your argument? You fight against something but you lose the fight so you are not supposed to take advantage of the money offered you? Government spending is out of control but despite all efforts, a stimulus is passed that offers tax payer money to repair roads. As a state that fought against the government spending more money, you feel they are obligated to abstain from utilizing the money to fix their roads? They lost. The money is now going to be spent despite their good efforts so why shouldn't they use the money on their roads? The state is paying a percentage of the taxes the government is using without regard for budget so shouldn't they try and recover their own taxes instead of letting you steal their money for your roads? Your argument is ridiculous. Try thinking before putting your foot in your mouth.
ReplyDeleteBill, good to have you here adding your opinions. Your point is a good one and merely buttresses my statements.
ReplyDeleteThe point about conservatives and Republicans and their social security checks was made simply to show their hypocrisy, Bill. If they were really against government spending they would send the check back. Do you remember how some states where conservatives were in power and how a while back a few refused to accept government funds for improvements some time back ? I certainly agree with you -- they should have accepted the money for the purposes intended and used it. But a few didn't. But the hypocrisy of the conservatives who rail against social security and then cash social security checks instead of sending the money back remains.
Nobody is saying that a state that fought against government grants should not use money sent to it for repairing roads to do so.
In our democratic, flamingly liberal opinion they should.
The point is about hypocrisy, Bill.
I understand, still people pay the government money from their paycheck in the hopes of social security. Government then takes that money and uses it for everything but social security. That is the reason the system has failed now and not thirty years from now. The conservatives running now suggest either fixing the system to one that can work regardless of external factors or eliminating it all together while preserving the system for those on it (or near to going onto the system) and refund the money contributed to those who have time to seek other alternatives.
ReplyDeleteStill the fact remains. Money came out of their paycheck to fund the social security program and they should be able to reclaim the money they spent on the system. Giving it up when government failed to respect the purpose of that money and has buried itself in debt and does not offer to refund the money, well, you get the point.
I just don't see it as hypocritical when they were forced to invest in the system and promised a return then actually keep the money when it is paid to them.