So I'm reading today that "The Burleson Tea Party" wants to boycott Austin because Austin is boycotting Arizona. This is what Angela Cox, founder of the party, wrote:
"I call upon you, to take a look at what has happened, right here, in the great state of Texas. The voice of the few, in Austin, Texas, have taken matters into their own hands, by slandering the Arizona legislation, and voting unanimously of a boycott of Arizona. How dare they ignore the voices and wishes of Texans!"
Well, I just have to say...good riddance, Burleson Tea Party. We don't need you here anyway. The Tea Party movement, in itself, is a bit of a joke. They name themselves after a movement related to taxes. Particularly, "taxation without representation." Since the Obama administration has reduced taxes for most Americans, this seems an odd name for a movement against him.
But anyway, back to this boycott. As a "Texan" myself, the Burleson Tea Party doesn't speak for me. I support what the city of Austin is doing. Does that mean I support illegal immigration? No. Not at all. I just think that what Arizona is doing is going a little too far. Basically, it's racial profiling. Anyone who doesn't look "Anglo" can be stopped at any time, for any reason. If I'm driving through Arizona, will I be stopped because my wife is Asian? I mean, really, where does it end? It's almost tantamount to placing a five-pointed star on someones clothes.
My mother was an immigrant. My grandfather was an immigrant. My wife is an immigrant. I'm only the first generation of my family that was actually born here. This a country made by immigrants, and it's what makes it great. The diversity. My wife was telling me the other day that nobody ever treats her special here. She complains that when I was living in Taiwan, I always got special treatment from people because I was a foreigner. And it's true, I did. But now that she is here in American, she isn't treated any different from an American citizen. That's because an American citizen can be anyone, of any race or background. Christy fits in as much as anyone else. But once we start stopping people for "not looking right", we're heading down the wrong path.
"I call upon you, to take a look at what has happened, right here, in the great state of Texas. The voice of the few, in Austin, Texas, have taken matters into their own hands, by slandering the Arizona legislation, and voting unanimously of a boycott of Arizona. How dare they ignore the voices and wishes of Texans!"
Well, I just have to say...good riddance, Burleson Tea Party. We don't need you here anyway. The Tea Party movement, in itself, is a bit of a joke. They name themselves after a movement related to taxes. Particularly, "taxation without representation." Since the Obama administration has reduced taxes for most Americans, this seems an odd name for a movement against him.
But anyway, back to this boycott. As a "Texan" myself, the Burleson Tea Party doesn't speak for me. I support what the city of Austin is doing. Does that mean I support illegal immigration? No. Not at all. I just think that what Arizona is doing is going a little too far. Basically, it's racial profiling. Anyone who doesn't look "Anglo" can be stopped at any time, for any reason. If I'm driving through Arizona, will I be stopped because my wife is Asian? I mean, really, where does it end? It's almost tantamount to placing a five-pointed star on someones clothes.
My mother was an immigrant. My grandfather was an immigrant. My wife is an immigrant. I'm only the first generation of my family that was actually born here. This a country made by immigrants, and it's what makes it great. The diversity. My wife was telling me the other day that nobody ever treats her special here. She complains that when I was living in Taiwan, I always got special treatment from people because I was a foreigner. And it's true, I did. But now that she is here in American, she isn't treated any different from an American citizen. That's because an American citizen can be anyone, of any race or background. Christy fits in as much as anyone else. But once we start stopping people for "not looking right", we're heading down the wrong path.
Any claims by the Tea Party to be standing for "fiscal responsibility" are dubious at best. If these people really care about "out of control government spending," where were they during the Bush years? Is it fiscally responsible to initiate two indefinite nation-building projects abroad, while at the same time cutting taxes for the wealthy? You don't have to be an economist to see that that is a recipe for massive budget deficits.
ReplyDeleteI believe Arizona's immigration law will be challenged in higher courts and found to be unconstitutional. The law institutionalizes racial profiling, and violates the equal protection clause.
The fact is that America's ability to attract immigrants is part of what makes this country so successful. This is a country that attracts the smartest and hardest-working people from all over the world. People come here in pursuit of the American Dream, and their ambition is what contributes to our innovation and competitiveness. My own mother, a computer programmer, is an immigrant from Eastern Europe.
This country has been built on the backs of immigrants. Hell, besides the Native Americans we are all immigrants! Hispanics are the fastest-growing racial minority in the country, and will only continue to exercise more and more political power. The days of a white majority are in this country are numbered, and I think that is really what motivates members of the Tea Party.
It is hate, suspicion and fear that are fueling the recent surge in GOP popularity. The right wing may make temporary gains in pandering to the xenophobes, social conservatives and traditionalists, but it is not a sustainable political strategy in an era of the minority majority.
The GOP has time and again shown themselves to be the party of No, the party of reaction, and the party of social backwardness. It is not the party to lead America in the 21st century.
The Tea Party boggles my mind. Ask most of them specifics and they'll give you quotes and sayings, no reasoning.
ReplyDeleteFrom an outsider, we canadians love you folks but its too bad you really dislike eachother ("its the socialists fault...no, its the GOP, and back and forth the mud goes). For Cali's woes, blame your banking laws, not Bush or Obama. It was your system that allowed a mcdonalds hamburger flipper to buy a house, maybe even with no money down. All so a bunch of realestate developers and investment bankers can make money. Look at our system- generally more conservative- we had no bank failures in the crash! Our banks lend to 75% of value, lenders require insurance, and as a result the housing market declined only 10-20% in the crash and has now fully recovered.
ReplyDeleteAnd just because a few national programs are administered by the feds doesnt mean we are all "socialists". In fact I hate socialists; i believe in free enterprise and that its every man for himself, but I'm happy as hell that I can rely on a safe banking system and a health system that will cure any curable ailment I have, at no cost to me, with the same medicines and equipment found in any US clinic. All we pay is a monthly bill of about $100 for my family, to cover whatever will happen. So what if i may have to wait an hour, or a few weeks for a test on occasion. My kid had spinal surgery and continues to receive treatment and its all covered. Now she runs like all the other kids. Why should my life be in financial ruins due to a tumorous growth? It isnt nor should it. I work hard enough to have a full life. And our doctors get rich too.....maybe not as rich.......so what....arent your foundations "life liberty and freedom? Without a national health system, all you have is "liberty and freedom". Learn to appreciate a national health program, its not about socialism. Socialism is Cuba and North Korea. Its about "you arent allowed to succeed> whereas we are all free market enthusiasts, dems, reps, and canadian liberals and conservatives
To Northern Observer: Canadian Health Care is NOT free and is funded mostly by your taxes. Most Canadians pay an annual health care premium that averages several hundered dollars per month. Low income families and those on assistance are exempted or pay a reduced premium. BUT the bulk of the health care cost is paid by income taxes from the people. The Canadian Federal Finance Department estimates however, that Canadians pay an average of 35% to 40% in income taxes.
ReplyDeleteThat is what a person pays per year for medicare from their taxes:
If you earn per year:
$11,309 = 389 dollars/yr = 3%
$24,231 = 1,076 dollars/yr = 4%
$32,866 = 2,214 dollars/yr = 7%
$41,637 = 3,449 dollars/yr = 8%
$51,298 = 4,862 dollars/yr = 9%
$64,415 = 6,245 dollars/yr = 10%
$79,430 = 7,750 dollars/yr = 10%
$96,217 = 9,876 dollars/yr = 11%
etc...
If each of you earn, say $51,000/yr, each of you pay $4,800/yr into the health care system of Canada to pay for the salaries of doctors, hosptial care, surgeries of each and every man/woman and child in Canada, etc...
So, both pay $9,600/y and if your career spans for about 40 years, then you both pay into the health care system about $384,000 total, and that is when your wages are stagnant for 40 years.
That the sum of a nice house.