Ms. Thompson,
Your column was forwarded to me. I read through it and had some comments. None of this is meant to be a personal attack, but I just don't agree with you on a lot of your statements. If you have the time and are interested in an opposing viewpoint, please peruse at your leisure. If not, I hope you had a nice day, and that tomorrow is even better.
Nolan D. Winans
Jean Thompson column: Anger, not analysis, leading people's actions
I'm undergoing a crisis of faith but not of a religious nature. I've lived the good life in the United States
The country and society we moved into was overly different from the current one that sometimes I think wistfully about leaving, moving back to a friendlier, less angry country. But I'm too old to undertake such a move so I'll have to live with my mental unease concerning the path we're on.
It's hard to know where to start but here goes: There's a lack of logic and critical analysis of issues by people most affected by those issues.
The tea party movement is a prime example of a lot of noisy slogans but little understanding of underlying causes and possible solutions. Opinion stated as fact. I am proud to have been to several Tea Party rallies. I'm sure you heard the news that we're all a bunch of hateful, racist, homophobes. By some strange coincidence, I didn't see any of that at the rallies I went to. I did, however read that there were liberal bloggers promoting the idea of going into rallies undercover with racist rhetoric to discredit the movement.
We surely must realize that an educated and skilled populace is our insurance that the United States
Are the very few top athletes going to save our economy in this highly competitive world market? No, so what?
There are still people who claim that the huge tax cut for the top 1 percent of taxpayers should be maintained, using the disproved argument that this will provide an abundance of jobs. History has shown repeatedly that raising taxes on the top income earners effects the economy negatively. I have that documentation if you would like to see it.
Sorry, most of
for most people. A return to slightly higher taxes for the top 1 percent would not be painful to them and may allow for some tax breaks to small businesses that do create jobs. The top one percent make approximately 20% of the income and pay approximately 40% of the taxes, but that's not enough?
Why are those who will never pay this increased tax or even earn $250,000 per annum of taxable income so against it? Because it's not fair. By that line of thinking, I should endorse slavery since I'm white. *For the record, I don't.
Warren Buffett and Bill Gates Sr. have supported the end of the tax breaks. Buffett, along with Bill Gates Jr. and a group of 40 billionaires, have met to discuss a plan to give at least 50 percent of their own income to help the impoverished people worldwide withhealth care, education and housing.
These billionaires support keeping the estate tax, cunningly renamed the death tax. I would say "accurately renamed". Why does the government deserve a chunk of someone's life's work when they choose to give it to their heirs?
Most people who noisily oppose keeping this tax will never come close to having the kind of estate subject to it. You seem to be repeating yourself here. Not specifically, but the idea.
Don't they realize that? I do.
They would do better concentrating on indexing the alternative minimum tax or simplifying the tax code. Are you suggesting we increase the number of people that pay no taxes? *I'm with you with in regards to simplifying the tax code.
Now the other side of the coin: If we cater to the noisy demands for lower taxes or, alternatively, a flat tax, consider the outcome. Ooh, "noisy" nice little dig. Noisy people aren't usually credible. Were you as dismissive of the people bashing Bush, many of them advocating violence, for eight years? or were they just exercising their right to free speech?
We have already read in national newspapers that some communities are turning off all streetlights in residential areas while cutting police forces to the bone. Does this make sense? I don't think it's right to speak for others, as I've not read that. I'd like to see documentation. Also, again, outrageously over simplified and misleading. It's such a knee-jerk reaction that anytime anyone suggests we lower taxes that that just means they advocate firing all the firemen and police officers. I'm sorry, but that's silliness.
Shorter school year — is this how we maintain our place in the world? Who has proposed that? I'll have to look into that.
Think also of neglected infrastructure such as unsafe bridges and dams, sinkholes and potholes in highways and unsafe streets. These are the things that are financed by taxes. Scary rhetoric always works. It doesn't matter if it's accurate.
We can eliminate waste, including "bridges to nowhere" and pork-barrel projects, but this requires bipartisan efforts and well-informed and active citizens. Finally! Something with which I agree. How do you feel about the Line Item Veto?
In this angry, polarized political climate, we're descending into chaos.
The party currently in power is not being forceful enough in explaining its actions, why they're needed and how things can be improved. Not forceful enough? Just how much more forceful would you like them to be? The healthcare bill had over 2,000 pages in it. Have you read it? I made it through about a hundred pages be and my eyes glazed over. I don't think a bill should be over 750 pages. Yes, I just pulled that number out of the air, but it sounds good to me.
In short, we're floundering while the Republican Party is capitalizing on the fact that it can and will frustrate all positive action. Ah, we have named the villain! I mean only nasty Republicans would object to "positive action", right?
The party of no has no goal higher than reclaiming power. Hey, "party of no", another nice little dig! Again you're asserting opinion as fact. I think that's irresponsible.
To this end, it has openly vowed to prevent virtually any useful action proposed by the current administration. Useful, huh? A lot of people, myself included, see much of it as something we don't need and can't afford. Much of it seems to punish success and reward failure. What does that do for our world standing?
The right-wing-inspired hysteria over the new health care law being "crammed down our throats" seems to have cooled somewhat but misunderstandings persist. Ah, if you object to it, you simply just don't understand? Maybe they can put conservatives in camps to "re-educate" them. You really seem to like labeling people. "Republicans/right wing/noisy/party of no" etc. At least you didn't use the pejorative "tea baggers"
This is evidenced by the USA Today article that shows that less than 50 percent of Americans correctly understand many of the new benefits and a similar low 40-plus percent incorrectly believe that Medicare payments are being cut and that "death panels" are in the bill. If you didn't read this article, do it now with an open mind and re-evaluate.I'll go hunting for it, but a link would have helped.
I urge all who plan to vote in November to put aside their anger and anxiety and read about the issues in reputable books and publications. Don't get hooked by the hysteria of Fox News and the emotional bludgeoning their commentators engage in. Got it, we should get our information from sources the left approves of.
Keep your cool, be analytical and consider the consequences of your vote. The good of the country should take priority over individual gripes. I assure you, I have kept my cool and I try to look at every side of every issue that I can think of, and I make, what I believe to be, "educated decisions.
If you made it here, thanks for taking the time to read it.
Jean Thompson is a Grand Chute resident and is a Post-Crescent Community Columnist. 2 of 2
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