I still have not discovered how to edit my posts. I apologize for all the typos and for the factual errors. I mixed up Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Joel who wrote about "Uptown Girl" (Christy Brinkely) being with in love with a "Downtown Boy" (Joel) and all the overbuilding in Long Island ("condo Town") also sung about the steelworkers being out of luck in "Allentown."
The economic meltdown in the rust belt was a 1980's phenomena not an event from the Bush-Clinton-Bush Presidencies. The destruction of well paying and secure blue collar jobs is an old, but still painful story. It is still hotly debated in the "blamestorming" sessions of the political campaign committees.
A new survey came about about Americans attitudes about sin. 87% of Americans believe in the concept of sin. Maybe more now that Benedict got such a warm reception. Here's the percentage of Americans who view certain activities as sinful:
Adultery 81% (seems low)
Racism 74%
Use of hard drugs 65% Its scary that 35% think drug use is OK
Abortion 56%
Homosexual activity 52% which is tied with under-reporting income to IRS
Gambling 30%.
We will soon get to vote on gambling in Maryland. Expect a lot of advertising both pro and con. The pro gambling forces will be well financed. The anti-gambling forces will mainly be churches. It is well known that gambling is effectively a tax on the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society. A majority of lottery tickets are sold in PG and Montgomery county -- mostly to poorer citizen. Gambling is justified as a NON-TAX INCREASE way to fund government services. Usually it is packaged as a painless way to fund schools or aid seniors citizen.
I have never purchased a lottery ticket. My wife won't let me walk through the casinos when we are on a cruise ship. I will vote against the referendum. I won't rail against it because my constituency that gambles sees it as a modestly expensive form of entertainment. "See a few shows and play some slots and enjoy a few days out of town."
However, I think we are naive if we don't think legalized gambling corrupts the political system. When will we stop avoiding the need to pay (and tax) for services we deem necessary. These "sin taxes" on cigs, booze and now gambling is seen as a harmless way to let those who want to sin--pay for the privledge. some states are building roads and charging tolls so that the drivers (the ones who can afford it) who use them pay the cost. This turns us further into a class system that American has long adhorred. We need road and we need better public transportation. Decide to build adequate infrastructure--compute the cost--levy the taxes---and get on with it. Or will we call driving on a toll road a "sin tax for not wasting hours stuck in traffic."
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3 comments:
I'm not sure that the 35% who don't think hard drug use is a sin are saying that it is ok. I think of it as an individual failing rather than a sin. Its a failing that can lead to a lot of sin though.
I agree completely about slots. I posted on the subject months ago. I think I'm the only person still opposed to the lottery. The only way I would be in favor is if it was mandatory for every adult in the state to spend $300 on it annually (or if they wished, simply write a check to the state).
As I have told anyone who would listen, the answer to all of our social problems is education, education, education. Can you image the level of education that could be obtained if we spent the kind of money that is being spent in Iraq on our kids? If every child who had a desire to learn in college was given that chance?
With an educated populace, more people would be able to open small businesses. Most people in this country are employed by small businesses. The more the merrier, I say. People are afraid of the competition and that more jobs would be lost but I say that is hogwash. If people are better educated, there will always be a new business with new ideas to be born with new employees to hire.
With an educated populace, politicians would not be able to smoke-screen the issues with false public images, lotteries instead of taxes, ridiculous earmarks to buy votes, etc. They would be forced to make educated decisions or be voted out of office.
Educated people tend to understand multiple viewpoints (whether they agree with them or not) and an understanding usually leads to a compromise rather than a stalemate that turns violent.
Children who are educated are less likely to make "sinful" decisions like using hard drugs, unprotected sex, gambling, etc. Instead, the fundamentalists seem to think the easier solution is not education but censorship. They seem to believe that if the sin is removed (or at least hidden) then no one will think to do it. Unfortunately, kids are smarter than that. They do it because they don't see the downside because nobody wants to talk about it.
One of the things I always liked about the Presbyterian church (and CCPC in particular) is its drive to learn. Continuing education in all subjects, no matter how uncomfortable, should be a staple of everyone's life.
If I were emperor, that is what would happen!
"Compute the cost, levy the taxes - and get on with it" versus your more recent blog on the need to return to frugality in America. The first idealogical position is consistant with the Democrats, while the second is more the ideal of conservative Republicans. However, I agree that George Bush knows how to spend with the best of them. Maybe Sarah Palin can stop a few more "bridges to nowhere".
Steve, from a dirt road beside a corn field in Texas.
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