Perspectives in Progress
Tom is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, single father, and long time resident of Oak Creek, who writes regularly about human interaction and perception as it relates to social issues, value fulfillment, and introspection. Tom encourages and challenges the reader to engage new perspectives; believing that through open and honest evaluation of all sides of a debate, conflicting parties can communicate with greater efficacy and more productive outcomes.
Freedom Isn't Convoluted
We’re closing in on Election Day, with less than one month before collective America decides whether or not the priority is freedom or wealth.
It’s unfortunate that a country borne of freedom and opportunity for wealth has become one where the two can no longer be achieved (for all, by all) under the same political party. It would seem remedial to expect that both should be inclusive of the choices we have for candidates, but they clearly are not.
I believe that nearly all Americans want a healthier economy, but honestly there has been little clarity as to how exactly this would be achieved. A higher tax burden on the middle class certainly does not achieve that.
If you spend some time with this tax chart that displays the historical tax rates on the highest tax bracket in our country, and compare this to times of economic downfall, you can’t help but wonder why we continue to refuse to learn from history. As the taxes on the highest bracket drop, so does our economy. By contrast, when the highest tax bracket is levied their relative share, we have flourished.
But, this “blog” isn’t about the economy; it’s about the more important Constitutional guarantee of equality and freedom that we all share.
The thing that all Americans, unfortunately, do not seem to agree on is freedom for every one of their neighbors. The shunning of that absolute freedom is very disheartening and seems like a spit in the face to all who have given their lives for freedom.
Furthermore, the priority of wealth over freedom is not democratic at all, it’s rather aristocratic. It’s the exact philosophy we freed ourselves from in 1776.
For the last several months we’ve heard the stories of legislators like Republican Todd Akin who speaks with gross ignorance and uneducated vitriol. As if his original statements about women’s health weren’t disturbing enough, he decided to then attack their ability to earn a living, and then went right back to attacking their health and integrity again.
I’m not sure if I want him to keep talking or to just go away.
Some may have heard of Alaskan legislator, Republican Mark Ewing who suggested we should stop educating handicapped children because it’s wasteful and provides no benefit.
There are remarks from Republicans like Paul Broun who suggest that scientific theories are “lies straight from the pit of hell.” (One should first understand the definition of theory; and just perhaps, falsifiability).
In just the last few days, there’s news of Republican legislator Charlie Fuqua who suggests that we ought to expel entire ethnic groups from America AND institute the death penalty for rebellious children.
Republican John Hubbard called slavery a blessing in disguise for the African American community.
How about David Siegel? The CEO of Westgate Resorts, who just built himself the largest home in America (90,000-square feet; by comparison, the average Walmart is about 97,000-square feet), and sent a letter to his employees threatening to fire them if Obama is elected. How is that not coercion?
Virginia Republican legislator Bob Marshall has suggested that disabled children are a punishment from God.
The list goes on and on, truly. I could post links all day to the hateful and oppressive assertions of the Republican Party, but it’s becoming too nauseating to think about. These aren’t pseudo-politicians, they are business leaders and government legislators who believe they are representing the whole of America, and who believe they are entitled to legislate according to oppressive and archaic principles.
They are people who will decide the future of our American freedoms.
It’s not just one loose nut out there; it’s damn near an entire party full of them. (The GOP Presidential Ticket is not excluded. Don’t forget that it wasn’t long ago that Paul Ryan cosponsored abortion legislation with Todd Akin, using the words “legitimate rape,” and he still supports legislation banning abortion even in the instances of rape or incest).
How many more Republican leaders need to show their true colors of ignorance before America has had enough?
The Republican Party stands for freedom, for the wealthy elite. They do not stand to better the middle class, and they sure as hell don’t stand for tolerance, equality, civility or common sense at all.
Absurdity? There’s your absurdity, and it’s crystal clear to anyone who respects our Constitution, their neighbors, their wives, their mothers, their daughters and their sisters.
That is reality, and it’s not one bit convoluted.
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