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Edited on Mon Jun-07-04 04:58 PM by BlueOysterDemocrat
You write:
"#1, we pay nowhere near the tax rate of Sweden or some other European countries"
I know. All I was saying is that if it ever gets to that rate, I would prefer to live over there.
"#2, Democrats, myself included, don't enjoy paying taxes any more than anyone else does"
Read my username and then tell me exactly why this statement of yours needed to be brought to my attention.
"#3, if taxes do go up under Democrats, it's likely because a new 'service' is being added."
"Likely" means nothing - but even if true, that doesn't mean I'll approve of it. Do you approve of every social program and every service the federal government offers (or, for that matter, that the Democrats have instituted)?
For the record, I'm all for services, but I'm not all for the federal government managing every single one of them. I believe social services should be handled by states whenever possible. If you honestly think every social program currently handled by the feds is a.) impossible to handle at a state level, and b.) being handled efficiently with a minimum of waste and administrative cost, then on this issue we have nothing to talk about.
"I'd gladly pay higher taxes for guaranteed national health care."
If that's what it would take, as long as pork and waste was cut, that would be fine. Guaranteed, though - NOT so-called 'universal.' I believe that those who need help should be helped, those that are happy with what they have should be left alone and not forced into any new program.
"I will not gladly pay higher taxes so Dick Cheney can pay less."
Agreed, but I don't want to pay higher taxes so that we can sustain current levels of waste and pork.
We probably aren't that far apart overall, but all I was saying is that if my taxes ever get to European levels, I'd rather live in Europe. What the hell was wrong with that? Where did I say that Democrats tax us for fun? Are we honestly to the point where even the slightest (implied, no less) criticism of use of tax dollars gets one treated like a Freeper now?
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