August 03, 2008
Some 230+ years ago, some brilliant people got tired of tyranny. They weren't ticked at having to work. They weren't ticked at having to pay taxes. They weren't ticked at not having enough 'entitlements.' They were ticked at being taxed without representation, and having there needs taxed beyond what was being done in the mother country. They were ticked because they were truly being 'picked on.' Unlike a great many revolutions that have happened since then, they set down and wrote a set of rules for how the post-revolutionary government would be run. In the most revolutionary act in history, shortly after that, very intelligent people got together and overthrew that with a new document that addressed what was lacking in the Articles of Confederation. Those people created one of the most incredible documents in history: the United States Constitution. The writers took other important documents into account, and got creative where they felt those documents fell short. I have read this document. I have read it more than once. Only once does it talk about the entitlement of a citizen of the United States of America: you have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life and liberty rights are handled much later with respect to the removal of those rights if behavior so negatively impacts the rights of others to have and pursue those three rights that they can no longer be trusted as citizens.
The liberal movement started with the right philosophy: people are actually being abused. If we band together, we can make things fair in our pursuit of happiness. Then something horrible happened: it became a business. Now people get paid to do it, and they constantly look for ways to make themselves look more necessary. This has grown into the worst thing that the American public has experienced: give me, give me, give me. My liberal friends will probably not speak to me again, but I can not stand down from my Sartean existentialism. We have the right to pursue happiness. It is not given by the government. We make our choices, and we live with them. Some people get lucky. Some people take risks, and make it happen. It can not happen for all of us. We get by as best we can.
When I was 22 years old, I decided to go to graduate school. I needed to learn more. Once I started, I couldn't stop. I needed more. I found something that had never before been considered. It is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it was important enough to allow me to get my Ph. D. For five years I lived on every freakin' penny. Granted, I lived better than most graduate students because I was really good at what I did. When I finished, I moved 2,000 miles from everything I knew to take a job for a salary that was the national average. I had moved to one of the highest cost-of-living areas in the country. I was ok with that. I was confident, and I rose through the ranks very quickly. I was, and hopefully am, good at what I do. However, I pay higher taxes. Why? Because I live in an area that has such a high cost of living that they pay me that much. If I still lived in Missouri with this income, I would be a king. I am concerned that if Obama wins the presidency, he will further raise my taxes. A friend of mine told me that she thought I should pay higher taxes. What the f? I already do, and I worked to get this far. Why should I pay more so that other people get more benefits? I am not asking for those benefits. I do not believe it is the government's responsibility to provide them. They are simply supposed to make sure that I can pursue my quest for happiness. If they are going to be responsible for ensuring my happiness, they freakin' need to find me a girlfriend. Kate Beckinsale would be a great solution...
Current events have spurred this frustration inside me. The mortgage bail-out is one of the irritations. When my ex-wife left, I was worried that I could not stay in this house. The house is far from spectacular, and having a second income taken out of the budget made me scared. However, this is the only home Annie has really ever known. I was determined to keep it. I took an option ARM. Frankly, I didn't know what I was getting into given the information from the broker, who was a lot like a used-car salesman. That said, I read the agreement. I saw what was likely to happen. I did it anyway because it would buy me some time. The rate started adjusting, and when it got bad, I re-financed. I took care of my business. I heard a woman on the news the other day that said that yes, she was looking forward to a 3% mortgage because she had recently gotten married, and she felt she was entitled to buy a home, and it was too difficult the way things were. They had apparently already bought a home, and were struggling. Join the freakin' club! No one said it would be easy, and you certainly are not entitled to a home! I heard another lady on talk radio that was a mortgage broker who said that a couple had called her to ask how many payments they should miss before pursuing the government option. They then proceeded to ask her for a new car loan. Excuse me for a second. I think I need to call God on the Big White Phone...
Another thing that I followed happened over the last week. There is a group called the Minutemen calling for the security of our borders. Recently, a man and his two sons were gunned allegedly by an illegal alien. This individual had been arrested multiple times before, but given that San Francisco is a 'sanctuary city,' he was not turned over to INS. This group assembled at City Hall to demand the resignation of the mayor. Another group assembled to argue with them. They were shouting, 'go home racists.' Frankly, I heard all the points being made. It had nothing to do with the fact that the individual in question was Mexican. He was an illegal immigrant. Apparently, the Minutemen decided that the counter movement was becoming dangerous, and they left. The spokeswoman for the counter organization loudly proclaimed that they 'left like a dog with their tale between their legs.' Granted, that part I don't care about. I don't know why they left if they believed what they were proposing. My frustration has more to do with the woman that they interviewed afterwards...
In my typically long-winded way, I have to start with another story. Vigilantes always start with the best of intentions. However, they eventually make a transition. They stop taking care of business, and start employing violence on people that simply disagree with them. We have moved in the same direction. The woman that was interviewed, and frankly, I am seriously amazed that a San Francisco new agency published this... I admit that I may have the words jumbled a bit, so please forgive the quotes, but I guarantee you that the gist of the comment is not misconstrued: 'They can not come to the City Hall of San Francisco, the City of openness and acceptance and speak these things...' The irony sickens my stomach. She had more to say, but it was essentially the same, actually it was worse.
I am disgusted and trying to figure out how I fight this.
Ick...
The liberal movement started with the right philosophy: people are actually being abused. If we band together, we can make things fair in our pursuit of happiness. Then something horrible happened: it became a business. Now people get paid to do it, and they constantly look for ways to make themselves look more necessary. This has grown into the worst thing that the American public has experienced: give me, give me, give me. My liberal friends will probably not speak to me again, but I can not stand down from my Sartean existentialism. We have the right to pursue happiness. It is not given by the government. We make our choices, and we live with them. Some people get lucky. Some people take risks, and make it happen. It can not happen for all of us. We get by as best we can.
When I was 22 years old, I decided to go to graduate school. I needed to learn more. Once I started, I couldn't stop. I needed more. I found something that had never before been considered. It is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but it was important enough to allow me to get my Ph. D. For five years I lived on every freakin' penny. Granted, I lived better than most graduate students because I was really good at what I did. When I finished, I moved 2,000 miles from everything I knew to take a job for a salary that was the national average. I had moved to one of the highest cost-of-living areas in the country. I was ok with that. I was confident, and I rose through the ranks very quickly. I was, and hopefully am, good at what I do. However, I pay higher taxes. Why? Because I live in an area that has such a high cost of living that they pay me that much. If I still lived in Missouri with this income, I would be a king. I am concerned that if Obama wins the presidency, he will further raise my taxes. A friend of mine told me that she thought I should pay higher taxes. What the f? I already do, and I worked to get this far. Why should I pay more so that other people get more benefits? I am not asking for those benefits. I do not believe it is the government's responsibility to provide them. They are simply supposed to make sure that I can pursue my quest for happiness. If they are going to be responsible for ensuring my happiness, they freakin' need to find me a girlfriend. Kate Beckinsale would be a great solution...
Current events have spurred this frustration inside me. The mortgage bail-out is one of the irritations. When my ex-wife left, I was worried that I could not stay in this house. The house is far from spectacular, and having a second income taken out of the budget made me scared. However, this is the only home Annie has really ever known. I was determined to keep it. I took an option ARM. Frankly, I didn't know what I was getting into given the information from the broker, who was a lot like a used-car salesman. That said, I read the agreement. I saw what was likely to happen. I did it anyway because it would buy me some time. The rate started adjusting, and when it got bad, I re-financed. I took care of my business. I heard a woman on the news the other day that said that yes, she was looking forward to a 3% mortgage because she had recently gotten married, and she felt she was entitled to buy a home, and it was too difficult the way things were. They had apparently already bought a home, and were struggling. Join the freakin' club! No one said it would be easy, and you certainly are not entitled to a home! I heard another lady on talk radio that was a mortgage broker who said that a couple had called her to ask how many payments they should miss before pursuing the government option. They then proceeded to ask her for a new car loan. Excuse me for a second. I think I need to call God on the Big White Phone...
Another thing that I followed happened over the last week. There is a group called the Minutemen calling for the security of our borders. Recently, a man and his two sons were gunned allegedly by an illegal alien. This individual had been arrested multiple times before, but given that San Francisco is a 'sanctuary city,' he was not turned over to INS. This group assembled at City Hall to demand the resignation of the mayor. Another group assembled to argue with them. They were shouting, 'go home racists.' Frankly, I heard all the points being made. It had nothing to do with the fact that the individual in question was Mexican. He was an illegal immigrant. Apparently, the Minutemen decided that the counter movement was becoming dangerous, and they left. The spokeswoman for the counter organization loudly proclaimed that they 'left like a dog with their tale between their legs.' Granted, that part I don't care about. I don't know why they left if they believed what they were proposing. My frustration has more to do with the woman that they interviewed afterwards...
In my typically long-winded way, I have to start with another story. Vigilantes always start with the best of intentions. However, they eventually make a transition. They stop taking care of business, and start employing violence on people that simply disagree with them. We have moved in the same direction. The woman that was interviewed, and frankly, I am seriously amazed that a San Francisco new agency published this... I admit that I may have the words jumbled a bit, so please forgive the quotes, but I guarantee you that the gist of the comment is not misconstrued: 'They can not come to the City Hall of San Francisco, the City of openness and acceptance and speak these things...' The irony sickens my stomach. She had more to say, but it was essentially the same, actually it was worse.
I am disgusted and trying to figure out how I fight this.
Ick...