Phphphphttt….

Goodness, what a kerfuffle. I knew I should stick to less controversial topics, except that, I have opinions. I am usually loathe to air those opinions because of my allergy to confrontation. Let me give you all a little perspective, from the Rootie point of view.

I’ve been poor. I have been on public assistance and lived in very substandard housing. I’ve bought clothes at Goodwill and been grateful for the ability to do so. I’ve wondered if I was going to have food to feed my children. I know what it feels like to have nothing, and to be condescended to by people who had much more than I did. It was not a pleasant experience.

I’ve been wealthy. I’ve had more than enough money for anything I wanted. I’ve bought clothes at Dillard’s, and paid more for a jacket than an entire months budget for food, years before. I’ve gone 2 weeks, eating out every single day, because the kitchen was getting a high-dollar renovation. I know what it feels like to have everything I need, and then some. It is an exceedingly pleasant experience.

I know that if something happened, and I were to become poor again, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. My security lies in other areas than how much money is in the bank.

Having said all that…I think there’s a point in here somewhere…It’s rich people who have allowed my husband (and me, by default) to succeed and make more money than he ever dreamed possible. THe rich man who owns the company my husband works for has used his own money (it’s a privately own corporation) for capital improvements. These improvements are why my husband was hired in the first place. If he had not been hired here 4 years ago, he’d be unemployed, because the publically owned corporation he worked for went bankrupt, putting a couple thousand people out of work. If his current boss had been taxed to the degree certain politicians want, because he’s a Rich Fat Cat Feeding Off The Labor of the Little Man, he would not have the money to invest in the improvements, which are providing jobs for almost 50 people, including my husband.

This boss lives a very comfortable life. He has a well dressed and elegant family, and yet he considers the needs of his many employees before the extravagant desires of his own family.

I honestly don’t think he’s the only one in the US who’s like that.

It’s the rich people who provide the jobs for everyone else. I really don’t see why their drive and ambition should be penalized in a punitive manner.

I mean, after all, only (a double digit number)% of my husband’s income goes to taxes, I guess we could afford a bit more.
I’m thinking of the really wealthy people I know. Some of them are relatives, some collegues, some friends. I cannot remember a time when anyone of them complained about the taxes they pay. Not because they somehow perform that magic trick liberals (who love to spend other people’s money) insist they do- the one where they get out of paying taxes by sleight of hand or whatever trickery their highly paid accountant can scheme up- but because they pay their taxes, all of them, so we can have roads and policemen and schools.

I’ve lost confidence in the government’s ability to handle tax money, tho. Our schools suck, in spite of throwing more money at them. Our roads? the really good ones are the ones where the Senator with the most clout finagled the funds, by naming stretches after himself or his brother-in-law. So, just like with any addict, the government needs to be weaned off this endless supply, held accountable for what it spends, and dare I say?…oh yes…give control over to the states, for it is much easier to manage a state-sized budget than this bloated, gaseous cloud we call our federal govt.

Hah…and you thought I had no opinions.

I know for every example or opinion I’ve just aired there is another opposing one. I’m ok with that, but you aren’t going to change my mind, so don’t try. The fact is, my opinions here are based on personal evidence and plenty of thinking.

“and that’s the truth…phphpthphphpttt.”
~Edith Anne