PATHETIC interlude

While the creationism "debate" is in full swing, I wanted to highlight a letter that I was stunned to read. Michael Bollinger of Blanchard writes:

I've seen articles and ads by "citizens" who want more spent for education, bridges and prisons. They're trying to persuade Oklahomans to allow the state to keep the current tax rates verses giving everyone a tax cut. The assumption is the state can provide more dollars to invest in education, bridges and prisons. If these issues are so important and worthy, why don't all the "citizens" who don’t need tax cuts donate the amount that would be cut to universities or to the state for bridges and prisons? This is especially for those in the top 5 percent who earn over $242,000.

Before getting to the nuts and bolts of this letter: what's with the shitty "citzens" in quotes? Oh yeah-- cheap rhetorical ploy. I guess I can say that Mr Bollinger has written a "letter" and feel OK about that. Now...


THIS IS THE MOST PATHETIC ARGUMENT OF ALL TIME. It's a classic-- if X is so important to you, then why don't you pay extra and let me have my tax cut. (Here is a hint on how that goes: everyone plays the selfish card and opts to pay for nothing assuming that the Next Guy will pay for whatever and then we delve into anarchy-- GREAT IDEA!!)


HERE IS AN AWESOME IDEA: Fine. Those of us who care about roads and bridges will pay for them. BUT THEN YOU CANNOT USE THEM. And moreover, you ALSO can't use businessesor services that use them. You can grow your own food, and somehow get gasoline pumped into your cars, and fabricate your own TV and radio. But that's it.


ACTUALLY, that's NOT it. Because some educated American-- who at some point benefitted from some public education-- at some point played a role in whatever technology you use. So you can't have that either. SO LIVE LIKE A CAVE MAN.


This clown goes on:

We should support and invest in education, bridges and prisons, especially those in the top 5 percent. I just don’t see it as the state's obligation (let's not overtax everyone for these causes). Everyone should pay a fair tax. Instead of being overtaxed, let everyone choose what to do with the money they earn.

Holy shit. So... the state isn't obligated to fund education?!? Or infrastructure? What fucking Hobbesian world does he think we live in?!? Jesus Christ.


This guy is the dumbest person who has ever written into the Oklahoman-- and that is an amazing accomplishment.


But more stunning is that the editors let this letter run. Ooops-- this "letter"!! Would a real newspaper run a letter like this?!? Someone has to stop this. It is an embarrassment!!