After the passage of the Republican Tax Bill this weekend and then the quickly announced follow up that they will be attacking the social safety net next I just had to shake my head. When will republican voters ever get it that populism is an election tactic not a governing belief? I rail against members of my own family that continually vote against their own best interest. Why do you think this is a good idea? Do you really think that that million dollar salary is just around the corner and this will help you? It's not. It's your medicare that is under attack next. It's your social security that won't be there when you need it that is going away. But hey, Trump and his kind get to pass along even more than $11 million of their estate tax free. So...yay?
And yet, I have to admit that I also tend to vote against my own best self interest. If you count tax breaks and money as self interest. I vote for bond measures for schools even though I don't have a kid in public school right now. I vote to pay for public libraries when I can afford to buy my books and have internet in my home. I vote to make sure sick kids get health coverage even though my kid is an adult with health insurance through his work. I even vote democrat more than republican knowing that they would rather take more of my taxes to support social programs I don't need.
And that's the difference. I vote against my own best interests to help those with less than I have. My republican family and friends that vote against their own best interest to help those who have more than they have. For the most part, I do have a few in the upper echelons of income that are truly voting in their own best self interests monetarily, but the majority are paying for those benefits without reaping those rewards.
It makes no sense to me.
But then I think of what seems to be the prevailing philosophy and religion of the republican party right now. Ayn (like Swine) Rand and the Prosperity Gospel. It's a weird mixture considering Rand was an atheist who would have mocked the prosperity gospel with every fiber of her being. But they work very well together. Both believe, at their core, that they have more because they are more deserving than others. Randian philosophy says, "I'm smarter, I'm better, therefore I deserve more" the Prosperity Gospel says, "God loves me best therefore I deserve more" and both of them work to insulate the believer from those with less. Because obviously they aren't as smart, or as godly, or as deserving. If they were then they would have more. And it makes those that follow those beliefs stay trapped, if they aren't succeeding it's right around the corner, as soon as those freeloaders stop taking what they don't deserve, as soon as we get God back in to government, as soon as the others stop messing it up for us.
What a great scam.
Now I will have pissed off those that believe it because they will say that charity should be a choice and they will give to help those that need it, they just don't want the government involved. To which I say, bullshit. The percentage that actually give without a benefit is incredibly small. There are those that do, but most do not. Why do you think charities freak out when republicans start talking about doing away with the tax deduction for charitable giving? Because they know that without that tax benefit they will not receive that donation. People give because they can get. And very few people are content with the warm glow of doing the right thing for their giving.
And I also want to put in here a screaming rant I have all the time (Brent is shouting testify right now). Social security is NOT an entitlement program. WE paid for that. Along with Medicare. We paid for those benefits in our payroll taxes. I'm entitled to it, because it's mine. It's not an entitlement program like it's some sort of gracious gift. AND you (Congress) STOLE from the fund. Oh wait, sorry, borrowed without a way to pay it back. You did that. A part of why the fund is not going to be there for us when it comes time to retire is because you took the money. My money. Your money. Our money. They stole it. Sorry again, reallocated it. (so much side eye) So stop talking about getting rid of entitlement programs that you are not entitled to touch.
But because of their faith in the atheist Rand and the shoddy prosperity gospel republican lawmakers have you convinced that these are bad things. Social Security? Medicare? Bah! If you were just smart, better and more godly you wouldn't need them. You would have millions of dollars when you retired and could take care of everything yourself. While those dollars yo already paid in to the system were given to, well, millionaires for tax cuts so see how that's going to work out for you? It's really a win win.
Meanwhile, I'm looking at going back to work next year because Brent and I have reached the conclusion that none of the programs we assumed would be there when we started out our earning careers 25+ years ago will be there in 20 years. And we are better off than a lot of people out there. We have savings, we have investments, we have a lower debt load than a lot of people. We have more, we just don't think we have enough to live on once that safety net is pulled away.
I do not believe that having more makes me more deserving. I also have a really high opinion of my intelligence but being smarter than the average person doesn't mean I should get more, but it seems to mean I get it more. Stop letting yourself be scammed. Stop thinking you are one corner away from that million dollar pay out that is going to make all of this worth while. You are closer to taking the wrong turn and ending up with a medical bill that causes you to go broke. Stop thinking the god you pray to is a magic genie just waiting to grant your wishes. Read your bible and pay attention to the verses about the camel and the eye of the needle and the riches promised to you IN HEAVEN, as in you have to die first.
So I have decided to put out my own philosophy. The Prosperity Gospel by Denise (as in Oh Please).
It's simple really. Success is not measured by money. And there is no magic genie waiting to give you a winning lottery ticket. Be grateful for what you have and always know you are not better than those that have less, nor are you less than those that have more. Having is not the same as being. It takes more than a trickle to get that rising tide that lifts all boats. So get to lifting, sunshine.
And for the love all that we will now decide is holy, stop allowing people to redistribute wealth UP the chain! That's not how any of this is supposed to work!
So let it be written, so let it be done...
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