Comments on: Joe the Plumber Now Part of Election http://20millionminutes.com/2008/10/16/joe-the-plumber-now-part-of-election/ Reaching for Significance in the Next 20 Million Minutes Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:20:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: spudart http://20millionminutes.com/2008/10/16/joe-the-plumber-now-part-of-election/comment-page-1/#comment-66092 spudart Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:42:59 +0000 http://20millionminutes.com/2008/10/16/joe-the-plumber-now-part-of-election/#comment-66092 Oh if I could add one more point. We can all agree that giving is a good thing. We are called to give. I view my taxes as part of that giving. If the government calls me to give more, then I shall happily give more, because it forces me to give. I know that I don't give enough. And the challenge to give more is a good one. I can happily say I'm a cheerful tax payer. :-) Oh if I could add one more point. We can all agree that giving is a good thing. We are called to give. I view my taxes as part of that giving. If the government calls me to give more, then I shall happily give more, because it forces me to give. I know that I don’t give enough. And the challenge to give more is a good one. I can happily say I’m a cheerful tax payer. :-)

]]> By: spudart http://20millionminutes.com/2008/10/16/joe-the-plumber-now-part-of-election/comment-page-1/#comment-66089 spudart Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:29:39 +0000 http://20millionminutes.com/2008/10/16/joe-the-plumber-now-part-of-election/#comment-66089 Too often we think the American dream is being able to achieve greater material prosperity. But as historian and writer James Truslow Adams who coined the phrase "American Dream" in his 1931 book "Epic of America" says: "The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." The key phrase there is "social order." If government deems that the split between the rich and the poor is too wide, then it goes and helps to adjust that. Plus, just as God gives us soooo much, we should give back to others. One would argue that they want their own individual right to choose where to give their money. But it makes me wonder, if we had to pay no taxes, would people still give that money to others? Some maybe. Probably not the 25-35% we give now. Thankfully there are many people in this country that are givers. (and praisefully there are many who are cheerful givers). However, I would guess that the majority of people, given the option if they had no taxes would not give away that money. We know that giving is a good thing. And those of us that love to give, want to make sure what we give is getting put to good use. So it can be frustrating to see the government not spend it wisely in some cases. However, I'd rather have the government force people to say "you make a little too much, so you have to give" rather than people not giving at all. Too often we think the American dream is being able to achieve greater material prosperity. But as historian and writer James Truslow Adams who coined the phrase “American Dream” in his 1931 book “Epic of America” says:

“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position.”

The key phrase there is “social order.” If government deems that the split between the rich and the poor is too wide, then it goes and helps to adjust that.

Plus, just as God gives us soooo much, we should give back to others. One would argue that they want their own individual right to choose where to give their money. But it makes me wonder, if we had to pay no taxes, would people still give that money to others? Some maybe. Probably not the 25-35% we give now.

Thankfully there are many people in this country that are givers. (and praisefully there are many who are cheerful givers). However, I would guess that the majority of people, given the option if they had no taxes would not give away that money. We know that giving is a good thing. And those of us that love to give, want to make sure what we give is getting put to good use. So it can be frustrating to see the government not spend it wisely in some cases.

However, I’d rather have the government force people to say “you make a little too much, so you have to give” rather than people not giving at all.

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