Good evening. Let me introduce myself to those who do not know me. I have been on DK for awhile now, occasionally posting, mostly making sardonic comments about this or that piece of cant, hypocrisy or meanspiritedness present in so many of our leaders. Venting is supposed to be good for the psyche after all, and who better to vent on?
I am what the Republicans would call their natural constutuency: I am a middle aged white homeowning male with a family, a professional degree, a solid record of military service and an above average income. I even remember supporting Reagan in the early 80s
So it is with a sense of pride and bemusement that I say to the Republicans everywhere I can: I despise everything you now stand for. And since you insist on giving me money, well, here's exactly what you can do with it.
One more personal reminisce: I attended my local Obama rally in September of 2008, saw him on my local university campus. It was very much like attending an impromptu musical appearance by Mick Jagger: Big crowd, lining up for tickets, passing through metal detectors and stretching up to see, in person, the celebrity star come to grace our medium sized midwestern town with his presence. I am not being sarcastic here; we honestly felt like a part of something new and really big, something that promised real change to a status quo we had all become heartily sick of. Well, as a standard part of his campaign speech, he asked everyone in the audience. . . you know, this was when he was really really against the Bush tax cits for rich people . . .how many of you out there really make less than $250,000? raise your hand of you make less. Naturally nearly everyone's hand shot up. Mine didn't. People cheered the President and those around me looked at me a bit strange. Why is he here?
I was there because even I thought that the bush tax cuts should be given an undignified send off and allowed to die. And I really thought that they would after Obama won. Who on earth among his supporters would really want to extend them?
But now here we are, two and a quarter years later and to my amazement, like a re-animater corpse, they will not die, at least not yet.
So I figured how much I would save. I remember a site on MSN money where you could calculate your tax cut savings. And the figure I come up with is roughly $7500.
I am fortunate. I don't need the money. Why am I shouting and jumping up and down saying I don't need it? Why are teabaggers who live on fixed incomes of 52000 (The median income) so livid that I have to pay that extra money? Is it Ignorance ? is it Delusions? It it Cynical manipulation?
Well I don't know and at this point i don't really care. I am not responsible for the state of other people's disreputable opinions and like my quote says, it is difficult to force things into empty heads. So here I am with my empty unneeded $$.
There are lots of charities some will go to. How about Doctors without Borders? That should be good
Of course, we have a problem with access to health care in this country too. So how about some money to my local free medical clinic? Yeah that would help.
I loathe the death penalty and unjust imprisonment. Hey here goes some sugar to Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties union. I believe gun violence is a national tragedy and am persistently shocked and angered by our country's refusal to do anything about it. Merely mentioning it as a problem draws heated response (see one of my previous diaries). So some $$ to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. That should give the RKBA-ers something to cheer about.
I am astounded at the barriers women face to access reproductive health care and to exercise their basic reproductive rights. Where are our billboards? So mucho dinero to Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Rights Action League.
This leads us to politics. It is obvious to all that money has become the new currency of our democracy. i can't be George Soros. Too bad. I can give real generously to progressive candidates, including Mark Schauer if he ever wants to run again and regain his seat from that troll who usurped it in Michigan's 7th. When does Orange to Blue start up again?
I bet my local farmers could use some business. So what if the food is cheaper and more tasteless at the super Wal-mart? Our Farmer's Market's should start up soon. I can eat my earnings.
And lastly since I know some 99-ers, and since the Federal Government regards as creeping socialism the idea of giving them a break and offering them work, maybe I can help.
This is my vote. It is my putting my money where my mouth is. It is probably not much. But I think it counts, at least for me. Yeah, Mr. Boehner and Mr McConnel and Mr Rogers, that's what I am going to do with my tax cut. Following this, I shall prepare a finely crafted and eloquent letter explaining exactly what you can do with yours.