Grr. I hate this argument

[NorCalDem]

Whenever I decide to read a little over at FR, I get so frustrated with them bashing every organization funded through our taxes. They're always whining that in order to exist, it should be "self-supporting" (I was reading an article on NPR/PBS). Alright, fine, everything in our society should be "self-supporting," we'll start with the MILITARY!!!!! What, speak up... wait, I can't hear you anymore?!?

[Mythsaje]

1. Oh, the military could support itself...

...through pillage.

I'm a little tired of that crap too. I can see a bit of the argument--there are certain programs that should be a LITTLE more self-supporting, perhaps, but the system isn't set up that way.

You know what Welfare should do? Send some of its more promising clients to school to become welfare workers.

Oh, but that's not QUITE the same thing. But it makes some amount of sense, I think.

[Skinner]

3. LOL

"Oh, the military could support itself... through pillage."

I thought that's how the Iraq war was supposed to work. Didn't they tell us that the oil would pay all the expenses for the war and reconstruction? :eyes:

[classof56]

6. Well, that's what my wacko RW associates were telling me.

As I voiced objections to the war and stood on a street corner in silent protest, my fellow citizens who welcomed the inevitable were saying, "It won't cost taxpayers 'cause Iraq's oil will be used to pay for it and Iraqis will be the big beneficiaries and their country will get back on the track and won't it be loverly?"

Yeah, right. Actually, I don't talk to those RWers anymore. Couldn't deal with what I know they'd say: "Isn't the world better off without Saddam?"

Words continue to fail me in dealing with these people. Reason after reason why I remain...

The Tired Old Cynic

[ThomWV]

5. That's "DOES" support us through pillage nt

[Jade Fox]

2. What's very odd....

is that Jim Robinson, the guy who runs FR, is wheelchair bound. It's possible
he works, but he seems to have a lot of time to run his website, so I'm
guessing....

He's on some kind of publically funded assistance, I bet. Quite ironic, don't
you think?

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

4. Ya, that goes for 'faith-based' programs too damn it!

Why, in this so-called ownership society of self-sufficiency, do we suddenly need tax dollars for faith-based initiatives...if the "moral majority" is a majority and Americans are "the most generous people" on the planet, why the hell do they NEED tax dollars?????

I never go to FR, but would love for someone to ask that question.:evilgrin:

[EC]

7. How do they expect the FCC or FDA or EPA to be

self-supporting? Start selling books or souvenirs?

[Mythsaje]

10. Bigger fines...

WAAYYY bigger fines.

Confiscation of whole corporations? Works for me.

:evilgrin:

[Sparkly]

8. Tell them that right now, they themselves aren't self-supporting.

The country isn't self-supporting. Their household budgets aren't self-supporting. We are borrowing money from China every single day to pay for their tax cuts, this war, and "bonuses" for Halliburton.

That ought to make their little heads explode.

[satya]

9. A lot of freepers live in govt subsidized housing--mortgage deductions.

And I know a couple of them who've borrowed against their houses to start businesses. They couldn't have afforded such an expensive house without the rest of us taxpayers subsidizing their mortgage payments. And their businesses wouldn't survive without all the govt-subsidized infrastructure improvements. But they consider themselves "self-made".

[Broken_Hero]

11. Yeah, i use that....

To bash back, when RW complain about paying taxes, and crap, they make it seem like they are paying for welfare right outta their pocket, and in reality, most of our tax dollars goes to military/defense, so if a RW complains about paying taxes, tell them they don't support the troops cause a lot of our tax dollars goes to the military. I have used that before, and they all laughed, i also mentioned that the military is a social program also, and i got into a good number of fights. My main arguement about the military being a social program is this=People go to the military to earn money for college, to get a career in the military, or another unknown reason. The military is free, the pay for everything, three meals a day, and all that, they train you, and put you through many classes...sounds like a social program to me, they are helping you become a soldier, feeding you, and on top of that, the people who do enlist gain friends, make bonds with others...so is it a social program? Or am i just looking at it wrong...