Thread: Are you willing to pay higher taxes, and if so, for what?

Originally Posted by apdst

All men weren't created equal....

well, our Founding Fathers disagree with you.

Originally Posted by Thunder

well, our Founding Fathers disagree with you.

No, they didn't. You're just mis-interpreting what they meant. In no way did they mean that the government should take money out of my pocket to give it to some deadbeat sumbitch that didn't have the gumption to get it for himself.

Originally Posted by apdst

All men weren't created equal....

Originally Posted by apdst

No, they didn't. You're just mis-interpreting what they meant.....

ok, why don't you tell us what the Founding Fathers meant when they said "all men are created equal"?

Originally Posted by Thunder

ok, why don't you tell us what the Founding Fathers meant when they said "all men are created equal"?

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;

All people are created equal in that they all have the same rights. Equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I am willing to pay much higher taxes for things that actually help us. Infrastructure, social safety net. But not for war. And not for the suppression of freedoms.

[QUOTE=Thunder;1059920429]ok, why don't you tell us what the Founding Fathers meant when they said "all men are created equal"?[/QUOTE

A little history lesson here. The "all men are created equal" phrase appears only in the Declaration of Independence. The writers of the Constitution had a slightly different opinion. If you are talking about the census, the Constitution proved for apportionment based on the formula that Whites, including those bound for a period of years, were counted as a whole, Negroes as 3/5 a person, indians not at all. If you are asking about the vote, Only white males and freedman had that privilege. Indians, Negroes, and women not so much.

It was much later that any of these groups were recognized as equal.

Sure I'll pay higher. For education, social programs, healthcare... things that will help people live better lives.

Originally Posted by Paschendale

Sure I'll pay higher. For education, social programs, healthcare... things that will help people live better lives.

Go ahead and do it. No one is going to stop you.

Originally Posted by Kandahar

You didn't take care of yourself. Your entire life, you've used public infrastructure to get where you need to go and to get the goods/services you need. If you're like most people, you probably attended a public school at some point in your life. If you've hired any workers, you've benefited from THEIR education, most of whom probably attended a public school at some point in their life. If you're like most people, you parked at least some of your money (especially when you were first starting out) in a federally-insured bank which instilled some modicum of confidence in the financial system. You've benefited (either directly or indirectly) from federal health initiatives. You've benefited more than most people from federal agents with big guns who protect your property and enforce your contracts.

The idea that you "took care of yourself" with no help from the taxpayers is bull****. If you disagree, imagine that you had been born in poverty in a rural village in Sub-Saharan Africa. Do you think you would have enjoyed any of the success that you have? Or would you be struggling to eke out a subsistence existence like everyone else in your village?

What is dishonest about your statement is that it is true for everyone and far more true for most people compared to me (never used public schools, never used public resources such as an emergency room without paying for it etc) and yet you claim I somehow should pay far more for this than anyone else

and your braying that my property is protected more is beyond moronic. having been a prosecutor I know damn well that it is poor areas that most crimes are perpetrated in. People like me have strong locks, private alarms or security, and in my case, substantial ability to kill and defend against criminals. we have dogs, both my wife and son are martial artists and are both in the top five percent nationally in terms of shooting skill. our area is not one where there is much crime at all

that is where the welfare socialist nonsense falls on its ass.

Originally Posted by apdst

Go ahead and do it. No one is going to stop you.

I alone don't have enough to make a difference. As keeps being repeated on this forum, taking everything from a small number of people won't fix things. What you really need is a little bit more from everyone.