Ghost in the Machine has the story, really, “U.S. History for Dummies.” Well worth clicking over to read it in full.
But I also want to call attention to this brilliant graphic — a sort of photographic political cartoon, and it’s quietly, subtly, savage:
What things in this photograph were paid for by taxes?
Oh, there are a couple of inaccuracies — the phone lines were probably paid for by the telephone company, but eminent domain was used to get the easements in many cases. (Who did the photo and the captioning? Anyone know?)
Ben Sargent was a little less subtle, in the Austin American-Statesman, using that Oliver Wendell Holmes quote we looked at some time ago.
Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman, copyright 2009
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
[…] 26, 2009 Via Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub via U.S. History for Dummies at Ghost in the […]
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Last time I checked, bird, the Boston tea party was not about taxes but the fact that British parliament was levying taxes on the colonies without the colonies having any representation in Parliament. You know that whole “without representation” part of the chant.
Since the people engaging in the modern day “tea parties” do indeed have representation they are not “revolutionaries” or having a little “rebellion.” They are simply complaining that their precious Republicans didn’t win the White House and aren’t in control of Congress.
And that they’re claiming they’re grass roots is downright laughable considering the whole stupid thing was fostered, created, sponsored, hyped, controlled and paid for by the higher ups at the Republican party, Fox News and former high ranking Republicans such as Dick Armey.
At least when, in the duties of my job at US Bank, am speaking for US Bank I’m not dishonest about it. I’m not claiming that I’m just speaking for myself.
And no, bird, this isn’t about putdowning those who pay for our surviving. This is about pointing out the hypocrisy and the lunacy behind a group of people who are complaining that they have to pay anything for living in this country. They could pay just 5% of their earnings in taxes and they would still complain about it. The United States has the lowest tax rate of any industrialized country. This is not about taxes actually being high..this is about them being greedy to the point that they think that everything they’ve earned they’ve gotten on their own. Obama could implement all the tax hikes he’s proposed…and the rich would still pay less taxes then they did 20 years ago or 30 years ago.
This is also about the Republicans hoodwinking the middle class into paying for massive tax cuts to the rich while the Republicans shift the tax burden to the middle class.
And it’s also about those so called “tax party” protestors not once complaining much less protesting about the massive government spending increase that happened under George W Bush, not complaining much less protesting the fact that George W Bush took us from a huge budget surplus to a even larger budget shortfall. Not once complaining much less protesting the massive deregulation that happened that caused the current economic crisis we are in. Not once complaining much less protesting the fact that George W Bush ran roughshod over the US Constitution, which they suddenly claim to care about, in order to justify government espionage of its own citizens without justified reason. Not once complaining much less protesting the massive amount of money that has been wasted and disappeared into Iraq due to massive corruption…including a whole lot of corruption caused by Republican backers such as the guys that created Blackwater and Custer Battles.
And my personal favorite and I’m bringing it into this because the co-chair of the “tax party” in St. Paul on the 15th wrote an editorial. He’s complaining about “socializing” medicine in this country. yeah well considering that the hospital and the insurance company tried charging my dad and me 90 grand for the 5 days my mom was in the hospital last year before she died..I would like it if they came up with a fix for the system because it’s so obviously broken.
And I won’t even mention the sheer stupidity they exercised in choosing to use the phrase “tea baggers.”
I’ll grant that they have at least a couple legitimate complaints. But by and large they are being used by people and a party that doesn’t give a damn about them. And they are also not aware of what they all get for the taxes that they pay.
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There’s only a point if one cares about civilization and what we actually do with the taxes. They are the ones making light of those who pay for their survival, Graeme.
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What is your point Ed? Are you claiming that your revolution wasn’t in part a tax revolt? I don’t see a clear point to this thread. Apart from a general putdown of people that pay for your survival.
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Thanks, RBH. Fixed now, I think.
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The “Ghost in the Machine” link tosses me to Pharyngula.
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Personally I’m bemused by the sign “Cut taxes, not defense” being right next to the sign that reads “Zero Taxes.”
*mimics Mr. Rogers* Can you tell me, children, what pays for the defense of this country?
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[…] People continue to make fun of the tea party types. Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub posted a couple of images (cartoon and a photo); the photo was actually sent to me by my wife yesterday. MFB points out that the phone lines were […]
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