BP:

And this will be my last post here for a while. No, no, please don't cry!

First, put my "tirade" in the context of the repeated baiting, and snide, sarcastic remarks JFM repeatedly engaged in.

Second, It was only directed at JFM and was not broad based.

Third, As far as taxes go, I am not saying that what one does for a living has anything to do with their tax rate. Regardless of one's occupation, taxes should be based upon one's earnings and the tax should be progressive so that the more one earns, the higher the percentage of his gross earnings he pays in taxes. I refer you to BR's post regarding how Kerry made over 6 million dollars and only paid about $750K, or 12%, in income taxes. And contrary to what EVERYONE seems to think and how they are TOTALLY misreading me, it does not stem from any ill will towards those who have chosen more financially lucrative career paths. It is simply a matter of what is fair and equitable; it is simple mathematics and dollars and "sense". Not value judgements or ill will. I am sorry if anyone has misunderstood my passion on this topic.

The bottom line is, we all have to pay to run our country and it's government, and we are apparently not paying enough, hence our deficits. True, we need to make sure it is being well managed, like any good business. But we also need to make sure that those in power are not manipulating the system for their own personal gain or that of those closely connected to them. I am willing to pay my share, and more than I do now if necessary, but only if those of far greater means are also required to pay a proportionate increase.

I hope this helps to clarify my postion on this, even if we may still disagree.

Respectfully,

Jim

P.S. Thank you for what you said in my defense.

here are some quotes from our founding Father's

John Adam's


It already appears, that there must be in every society of men superiors and inferiors, because God has laid in the constitution and course of nature the foundations of the distinction.

John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776



It has ever been my hobby-horse to see rising in America an empire of liberty, and a prospect of two or three hundred millions of freemen, without one noble or one king among them. You say it is impossible. If I should agree with you in this, I would still say, let us try the experiment, and preserve our equality as long as we can. A better system of education for the common people might preserve them long from such artificial inequalities as are prejudicial to society, by confounding the natural distinctions of right and wrong, virtue and vice.

John Adams, letter to Count Sarsfield, February 3, 1786



It is the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping GOD in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship.

John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776



It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776

George Washinton quotes



The liberty enjoyed by the people of these states of worshiping Almighty God agreeably to their conscience, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights.

George Washington, to the Annual meeting of Quakers, September 1789

We have abundant reason to rejoice that in this Land the light of truth and reason has triumphed over the power of bigotry and superstition, and that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In this enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the Laws, nor deprive him of the right of attaining and holding the highest Offices that are known in the United States.

George Washington, letter to the Members of the New Church in Baltimore, January 27, 1793

I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.

George Washington, letter to the General Committee of the United Baptist Churches in Virginia, May, 1789

I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.

George Washington, circular letter of farewell to the Army, June 8, 1783



Thomas Jefferson quotes

And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever.

Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 18, 1781

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between church and State.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to a Committee of the Danbury Baptist Association, Connecticut, January 1, 1802

This letter will, to you, be as one from the dead. The writer will be in the grave before you can weigh its counsels. Your affectionate and excellent father has requested that I would address to you something which might possibly have a favorable influence on the course of life you have to run; and I too, as a namesake, feel an interest in that course. Few words will be necessary, with good dispositions on your part. Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. Be just. Be true. Murmur not at the ways of Providence. So shall the life into which you have entered be the portal to one of eternal and ineffable bliss. And if to the dead it is permitted to care for the things of this world, every action of your life will be under my regard. Farewell.

Thomas Jefferson, letter to Thomas Jefferson Smith, February 21, 1825



I put this down to show our founding Father's did not want God out of everything as most feel, but to keep it from being as in England. ACLU would have you to believe they "Founding Fathers" wanted nothing to do with God but these show differently.

The site which they were gathered was
http://www.marksquotes.com/Founding-Fathers/

Bill:
Who's God do you propose we all should worship?
I believe the general thought is that with as many believes out there, it is best not to choose one over the other.

Richard:
I'm with you; if you don't work and have the ability, then you're a leech on the system. The problem is that so many mental/physical conditions exist, it's hard to find who's really handicapped and who isn't.
Sadly, the people who really have problems would give anything for one day to have the same abilities as you and I.

NuSalt:
I love your convictions, but don't belittle yourself by falling to others substandards and childish name calling. It only hurts your arguement.

While I'm not typically a fan of pat buchanan, he had some very lucid arguments concerning the bush white house in an interview on NPR (fresh air, terry gross).

He is basically saying there is a looming civil war in the republican party. The "true conservatives" are apparently livid at the policies of the bush administration wrt the war, the deficit, immigration, and a few other issues I can't remember. Basically, they are holding their noses and supporting him, but after the election they will be causing all kinds of troubles for the poor neocons. If bush loses, they will be tearing a bunch of people to shreds. It won't be pretty.

Anyway, listen to it yourselves. http://freshair.npr.org/day_fa.jhtml?todayDate=current

If that link doesn't work, go to http://freshair.npr.org and click on current show, then click on the buchanan interview.

The howard dean interview is interesting also, but is more retrospective than the buchanan.

Gerg, You always get have coolest links! I think I hate you!

I've always liked Pat Buchanan. I don't agree with everything he says, but he strikes me as an honest and intelligent man; not the "Neo-Nazi" the lefties love to portray him as. I voted for him the primary years back, and thought about voting for him 4 years ago in the General election. His books are real eye-openers.

The description you gave fits me to a tee. I'm no "neo-con". I'm more of a Paleo-con/Libertarian, who will hold his nose, and vote for Bush, against Keery.

Neither one of these Bozos wants to control our borders. The Republicans love all the cheap labor; the Dems love all the future potential Democratic voters. So who gets screwed here? Gee, I'll give you three guesses!

If these rumors I've been reading about 25 Chechens rebels crossing in to the US from Mexico are true, we may be in for a world of hurt. Maybe now, we'll finally start doing something about tightning up our illegal immigration policies.