BrewBlog

Redistribution of Wealth, Taxes, and Health Care

Our current government in both the executive and congressional branches as well as many of their supporters are in favor of legislation that supports wealth redistribution. It isn't a question of if they are; it's a question of how much. We've heard the president make a comment about spreading it around and while candid, the comment was not made in jest. Despite that isolated comment, the ideology is present and in our system, on purpose. We see it. While you can argue its intent you cannot argue its presence. Again, it's a question of how much and the intent.

I wouldn't characterize wealth redistribution as providing support to those that need it. Disadvantaged children, old people that have fallen on hard times and the disabled are all people we need to look after and care for our society. Most would agree that there is plenty to go around for those that truly need it. After all, most of us don't hesitate to do some level of donation to charity simply because it's the right thing to do and we don't need to burn too many brain cycles to make that moral decision.

Unfortunately, redistribution of wealth is something that we are seeing more lately, cropping up in different bills, many of which are turning into laws. There is a fine line between spending tax dollars to support those that need it and handing it over to people that don't. Welfare is a good example of a program with an intent that can do a lot of good and provide a service we can agree is needed. But there is abuse that takes a legit program and turns it into handouts for losers and lazy people. It's a tough issue to solve and most everyone would agree that we don't like to see abuse. But what about other forms of wealth redistribution? Our progressive Federal Tax Code is a great example, perhaps the best example. We essentially have half of the population paying all of the income taxes. Yes, it's true. Those of us that are paying the taxes (half of us) are the contributing so that everyone can benefit. So we have half the population not contributing to the pot but are benefiting from it. The progressive nature of the tax code enforces those making more to pay more (higher percentage) and those making less to pay less or none at all. That is classic redistribution of wealth. My income is seized and dealt out to others. Many forms of taxation go beyond the government's enumerated powers and are thus unconstitutional. Constitution aside, is it right to take from one class and give it to another? I say no.

How about personal tax credits? Tax credits for children are only available to those that make under a certain amount of money. So wealthy folks pay more money and do not receive a credit for having children. But there are millions and millions of individuals that do not pay income taxes (meaning, they may pay income taxes, but they get it all back at the end of the year) and they do receive the credit, despite not paying a cent into the system. They are not getting money back that was ever theirs; they are getting a check that is someone else's money. The check comes from the government, which gets all their money from half of us. Is that fair?

Many would argue that it's perfectly fine to offer assistance to those that don't make a lot of money. If that is the rational and moral stance, then shouldn't our middle class give up what they have and give it to truly impoverished? Most of our non-tax contributors live in shelter and eat and have televisions and cell phones. How about they give up their phones and televisions so that starving people in Africa can eat? Isn't that the right thing? If it's ok to take money from one class and hand it over (no strings attached) to another, then shouldn't that apply all the way down? I doubt those in favor of taking money from people with more money would be willing to give theirs to someone who needs it more than they do. By the way, tax payers in the country already spend bazillions of dollars to feed the hungry all over the world. The greedy capitalists are feeding the hungry. That president many hated, George W Bush, spent more to assist Africa with humanitarian aid than any other president in history. He's viewed by many that pay nothing as the prime example of the greedy rich guy. How does that add up exactly? So let's see, someone contributes nothing and they are righteous because they care. Others collectively contribute everything and they are greedy for not contributing more because they have more. So if an individual accumulates wealth, they must be doing it at the expense of others and are therefore greedy. To me, greed is more about wanting to have something that isn't yours.

So let's continue with an example that is on the table today, health care. This notion of a single payer system (the "public option") is another form of wealth redistribution. Basically, the proposal on the table suggests that the half of the population that contributes income tax dollars should pay for the half that does not to have health care. This proposal, to me, is offensive. I'm completely fine with funding Medicare and Medicaid to assist the old and the needy. I won't go into how the government has completely run those programs into the ground. Sticking with the premise of this post, the idea that millions of people will get their health care for cheap or for nothing while others of us continue to carry a bigger and bigger burden isn't fair. I agree there are problems and I do propose reform but sticking with what is on the table as of this post is wrong. In short, I am obligated to pay, to have my property confiscated, so others can get health care with no strings attached. In other words, by no action of mine, I've become indebted to someone else and that someone else has not obligation back to me. Anyone can live however they want, abusing themselves through poor living, and I'm obligated to cover it. If I choose not to, I will be incarcerated. Think I'm exaggerating? If I don't pay, I will eventually be arrested and I will lose my freedom completely. The person I'm magically indebted to can do absolutely nothing and continue to exist with their poor habits, freedoms intact, with cheap/free health care.

There is class envy, no doubt. Many people feel like they should have the nicer things that their neighbor has. After all, if I'm a hard worker and they too are a hard worker, why should they have a new car and why am I driving a clunker? I need more televisions, flatter televisions. I need a new cell phone every year. I need a data plan too. I can't afford it but I should be able to afford it. So I'll run up my credit cards and someone else should help me pay it off. I should make more money because I just should. Executives have too much money and should give some to me because that would be fair. The man is holding me down. I can afford a four dollar coffee drink just about every day, multiple televisions, satellite television/cable, newer clothing, pedicures, etc., but I don't want to have to spend a whole heck of a lot on medical services. That should be cheaper for me because I can't afford it (even though I can afford plenty of other discretionary things). These are things folks may not be saying but they are what they are thinking or at least how they act. Priorities are out of whack.

Having these opinions may seem insensitive but I really don't think it is. It's perfectly reasonable to me that individuals would expect to keep the product of their labor, after taxes of course. And it's also completely reasonable to question where our tax dollars are going. The government exists for well documented purposes. More and more we're being taxed for things that are outside the enumerated powers and there are mounting examples of wealth redistribution schemes. Those that do not pay income taxes and are fine with that have nothing at stake in their minds, perhaps. It's much easier to spend money that isn't yours and that's part of the problem. Sure, someone will vote for free health care or whatever, if they aren't going to have to pay for it.

I have to credit Andrew Wilkow here as he's been brilliant in articulating these arguments. So to be clear, I'm stealing some of his ideas for a good portion of this post.

Polanski is a Perv. Deal With it.

All of the people that are defending Polanski need to wake up and smell the karma.  First, we are a republic, yes?  If we don't respect our laws and due process as a society, then this country is in worse shape than I thought.  Several laws were broken and just because he's a famous director, it was a long time ago and he's had a tough life, it's no reason to let him off.  If it were an unknown, poor, black man that committed this crime and was captured 30 years later, would there be public outcry to drop the charges?  I don't think so.  So what does that mean?

Second, a 44 year old man lured a 13 year old girl into private to do a "photo shoot".  He gets her high on alcohol and quaaludes so he can have his way with her more easily.  She resists, verbally, repeatedly.  He asks her to get naked.  He performs oral sex, intercourse and sodomy.  She is 13.  He is 44.  He's a pervert folks, sorry.  He pleads guilty and then flees the country.  Oh, but his movies are great.  It's been a long time.  He's had a hard life.  How the hell does any of that negate the fact that he did what he did, on purpose. 

Then there is the argument that the victim, Samantha Geimer, wants there to be no legal action against Polanski.  She says she just wants it to go away, doesn't think he will be a repeat offender and forgives him.  He pleaded guilty, he broke the law.  Then he took off, which is also a crime.  It's not up to Samantha Geimer because that's not how the law works and it doesn't matter if you like it or not.  I've heard many in France are disappointed in the U.S. for this and I say, who cares.

Polanski should do time for what he's done and it's pretty straight forward as far as I'm concerned.  He'll probably get off light if he does any time at all.  Am I missing something?

We Love our Phones in the Car

Have you noticed that people are back to talking on the phone in their car, without a blue tooth device, despite the law in place to prevent it?  When the mobile phone law was first passed in California people, at least around where I live, really seem to cut back on talking on the phone while driving.  Lately though, people are back at it.  Some got their blue-tooth devices and use them faithfully.  Some probably got the blue-tooth device, used it for a while and then decided they didn't like it.  Some are still planning to get the blue-tooth device but haven't got to it yet.  Then there are those that started using the speak-phone on their phones and hold it a few inches from their mouth because somehow that is different than holding it up to their head (I did that once and realized how ridiculous that is).  Finally there are the flagrant defiers.  They don't hunch down in their seat because they think cops won't be able to see them, they just drive around with the phone stuck in their ear as they did before. 

People love their phones!

Era of Irresponsibility

Radio, television, internet, and mail have been flooded lately with ads pertaining to credit card, mortgage or other debt payoff.  The adds try to appeal to those buried in debt by referring to debt as if being some sort of cold people have been catching. 

"Are you in debt?  It's not your fault!  Are creditors calling you?  Stop the madness!"

It's simple isn't it?  Free individuals are incurring debt and then are expected to pay it back.  The idea of credit exists for a reason and it would seem we've lost our way somewhat.  If you give everyone a card that will allow them to buy whatever they want, a mortgage to buy a house, a loan to buy a car, and whatever else, many of them can not and will not pay it back.  Seems like lately we're seeing it a lot.  I can't say I feel too sorry for the banks that are luring in people and giving them credit cards and allowing them to buy houses they cannot afford.  The banks most certainly share the blame, as does the Federal Government for interfering with the free market.  But let's be honest, the people that get these cards and charge them up and buy cars they can't afford and mortgages they can't afford are mostly to blame.  It would seem that owning a house is slowly becoming viewed as an entitlement.  If you can't afford something, you shouldn't have it!  Society doesn't owe someone something because they have lost any asset that they shouldn't have had to begin with.  And each time that happens, someone else is having to pick up the slack.  The "greedy banks" that loaned the money to begin with is just going to pass the expense along to the rest of us.

Most that have lost their home do not necessarily fall into this category.  I'm certainly not suggesting that anyone that has debt or anyone that has suffered foreclosure is part of the problem.  We've all had debt and we've all likely struggled.  I'm not lumping everyone together.  In fact, I'd suggest that a lot of hard working people are now struggling more than they should have to in part because of the irresponsibility of others.  The whole notion of defaulted loans and not paying back credit cards has become an acceptable pastime for some.  What ever happened to fiscal responsibility?  People want something so therefore they should just have it?  Never mind that they cannot afford it?  If someone borrows money they should have to pay it back or lose the asset.  What is this idea that we need to bend over backwards to keep people in their homes?  If you've run up a credit card debt of $20,000, why should it be ok that you just pay back $5,000 and call it even?  The banks will take it because it's better than nothing but why is society today so comfortable existing in this unsustainable, broken model? 

We've truly become a spoiled nation of people that have this sense that they should have the same things as anyone else.  It's simply owed to them somehow.  Any hardship is likely someone else's fault.  For some, declaring bankruptcy is a form of "sticking it to the man".  Isn't this going to eventually catch up with us?  My generation is going to get old and most won't have two nickles to rub together for retirement.  Then it's going to be up to someone else to provide for them.  Sure, they had some nice things, lived fairly comfortably, but didn't bother putting anything away for retirement?  And why is that?  It's too hard?  It's unfair?  How many people can seem to come up with money to pay to have cable TV, a cell phone with a data plan, high speed internet, multiple televisions, expensive hobbies, and so on and so on and so on but won't put anything away for a rainy day or for retirement?  We've lost our way as a society.  Far too many are irresponsible when it comes to their finances. 

I'm probably coming across as harsh, insensitive or an ass.  And that's probably because we seem to be expected to accept all this debt and irresponsibility.  Don't we still want standards and accountability like the generations that preceded ours?  What are our children going to think when they are having to support our sorry asses?  Future generations are going to be left with less and less, not to mention the trillions of dollars of debt we're leaving them in the form of national debt.  We need to get off our asses people.  We need to stop spending money we don't have, as individuals and as a society.  Future generations are depending on it.

No More "Working" Red Light Cameras in Roseville

The City of Roseville has decided to do away with the red light cameras because the system was not cost effective.  According to an article in the Press Tribune, "After four years of troubles with the system, the Roseville Police Department earlier this summer quietly ended plans to bring back photo red-light enforcement to Roseville intersections, officials said."

Can't say that I'm sad to see these go.  For the most part, I don't like the idea of computerized cameras ticketing citizens when there is such a blatant conflict of interest involved.  The company that made the cameras were getting paid for doling out tickets, which is a little bit of horseshit.  If it were less of a controversial subject, I'd perhaps have a differing opinion.  There are valid arguments against the fairness and legitimacy of the technology.  There is also data that shows that while t-bone style accidents were on the decline, rear enderswere on the rise.  That's not great results.  Also, they are going to leave the cameras there as a deterrent, even though they are not doing anything. 

I'm not completely against automated law enforcement though.  For instance, if we could invent a robotic turret of sorts that could identify a perpetrator in the middle of committing a crime and deliver non-lethal stoppage with 100% accuracy, that would be cool.  I may be able to get behind that.  We can call it "Crime Stopper 2000".  You need the number to make it sound cooler. 

Yoga Impressions

For the first time in several years, I went to a yoga class.  My gym offers many of these and I've been thinking about doing yoga since I've been sidelined from playing racquetball.  I need other activity to help keep me less out of shape until I can get back on the court.  Yoga may be something I can do somewhat regularly.  My stress needs managing and I can definitely use the core strength and flexibility.  Today's class taught me a couple things.  First, I'm decent at the physical part of yoga.  Not sucking horribly helps make it enjoyable right off the bat.  Second, my ability to relax and focus is not the best. 

For starters, I was running late but did make it in time.  So to begin with, my anxiety level was elevated slightly because I was in a hurry.  The first few minutes of class was lying motionless, in repose.  I thought that term was reserved for what you did after you were dead, prior to cremation or burial.  For the first few minutes, while the late people trickled in, a CD of tranquil music was playing.  The music was accompanied by a woman's voice calmly repeating affirmations.  "You will no longer let the past failures of your life weigh you down" and things along those lines.  I began mentally debating each of the statements.  I quickly realized what I was doing and made a strong effort to squelch my conflicting thoughts.  Debating the lady on the CD made me realize the focus part of all of this was going to be hard.  Also while in repose, eyes closed, I felt a little twitchy because I kept waiting for my three year old son to run up and stomp on my nuts.  Even though he was not there, I'm just conditioned to remain on guard.

Overall, I really enjoyed the class enough to do it again.  I'm curious to see how much the chatter in my head reduces in future classes.  For instance, at the end of the class there is a six minute period where you lay comfortably and attempt to clear your mind using visualization.  It's intended to be relaxation to the max.  The instance it was over and we were finished, my brain shouted "I'm getting up and getting my mat put away before all these slow people so I don't have to wait".  That's a totally inappropriate thought for me to have immediately following yoga.  I obviously have some work to do. 

What Would You Do for Four Hours?

Having recently returned from a great backpacking trip, I found myself locked out of my house with no way in and nowhere to go.  I arrived home a day early with only my backpacking gear, a single dollar, my phone, my driver's license and my credit card.  I carpooled and was planning to have Allison let me in so I had no keys.  I remembered that she was going to the beach, on the coast, two hours away.  That would have been good to remember earlier.  I was able to get into the garage via keypad entry but that is as far as I got.  Trying all other doors, knowing they would be locked, I considered other possibilities.  Of course my first thought was to call Allison but her phone was out of range.  My mom has a key but she is out of town.  I asked my law enforcement neighbor if he his lock-picking kit but he no longer had one.  I was a mess too, having not showered for several days.  I couldn't drive anywhere since I had no keys.  Exhausted from the long hike that day, I wasn't up for trekking anywhere on foot.  What was I going to do?

An experiment of sorts was under way.  I unpacked all my gear and put away what I could and piled the rest by the door.  Then I decided to do some garage organization, getting to some garage related chores I'd had for months and even years.  I discovered a few things I forgot that we even had.  Allison called me once she received my voice mail, having gotten into range.  She gave me the idea to order a pizza and have it delivered, which I did.  While I waited for the pizza I did some light pruning.  I spotted my old boom box and got some CD's out of my car.  Now armed with music, my time was getting better.  The pizza arrived and then I was wishing the pizza guy could also bring me a cold beer.  I was thirsty and relying on hose water.  The obvious trick is to remove the hose and let the bib run a little bit before drinking any of the water, otherwise it's warm.  Armed with tunes and a pizza, I pulled up a chair and sat in the backyard.  I was beginning to enjoy myself.  When do I ever get to sit in my yard, uninterrupted, and just think and relax.  Turns out, it only happens when I lock myself out of the house. 

In a lapse of judgment I opened the side door from inside the garage and set off my house alarm.  It screamed while I stand outside, unable to do anything about it.  The alarm company called Allison and she let them know to not call the police, which is good because I had made my way to the spa.  Sitting in the spa, in my underwear, may have seemed suspicious had the police arrived.  My family returned after I had already been home for four hours.  My little time alone was kinda nice after all.  It could have been worse had my phone been completely out of battery (it was very close).  Having no pizza would have been rough because I was starving.  My neighbor invited me over for pasta but I was dirty and smelly and there was no way I was stepping foot in their house.

So how good or bad would your experience be if you were put in my situation?

Room for Cream?

I've noticed no matter my response to "room for cream", I get served the same amount of coffee.  This isn't just one place either, it's almost as though everywhere I go I often get a full mug or cup of coffee whether I ask for room for cream or not.  I don't always get cream in my coffee, in fact I more often don't get cream, so I would notice the difference.  What's odd is that it's not a weird picky thing and I almost never bring it up, they do.  Same amount of coffee no matter what.  I have no contempt for the coffee people or anything, it's just an observation and results in a miniature social experiment.  Because, what does one do? 

For me, the solution is simple, I just don't put cream in the cases where the cup is too full for cream.  Otherwise, I'll fill it too full and do the thing where it gushes out of the top of my mug when I put the lid on, or else it will spill out the drink spout with the slightest bump.  The other solution is to ask them to dump some out but then you run the risk of being an ass in their view, regardless of your lack of fault.  I can detect an eye roll even if there is no actual eye movement.  Yet another alternative is to walk over to the cream and sugar area and dump some out into the trash.  That's just wrong because I know what a pain it is to empty trash with a bunch of liquid in it.  That happened a lot when I was working in a restaurant. 

So what else is there?  What do you do?

Driving Tip #2

You DO NOT need to swerve left before you turn right.  You DO NOT need to swerve right before you turn left.  There is a 99.9% chance that you are not driving a fire truck, tank, cement truck,  or pulling a 75 foot trailer. You're probably driving a regular car, truck or SUV.  With that established, please simply approach the intersection and turn the wheel to the left at the correct time as to avoid driving over the median.  That's it!  Why crank the wheel the opposite direction before actually turning?  Intimidated?  Don't believe that it will work?  Please drive out to a isolated road and practice with nobody around and you'll see that you can actually turn left without turning right first.  I know!!! Crazy!!!

BrewBlog Speed Round

My blog hiatus made for an overflow of post ideas that I've been keeping scribbled on a small piece of paper.  I'd see, read or hear about something and think that it was something that I would like to write about.  I'm thinking a "speed round" of sorts is the best way to get caught up.  So here goes....

- I've learned that I'll break multiple driving laws when trying desperately to get to my son's preschool in time to watch him sing a song with all his little friends.  He'd been practicing all week and it was the day of a little party to perform in front of the parents.  He was just about two years old and wouldn't have really known the difference but we really wanted to be there and we were running late.  I sped for one thing, naturally.  On the way I also did an illegal U-turn over two double yellow lines on a freeway overpass, drove over a curb as well as exited the freeway at a place where there was no off-ramp.  It was worth it.

- I was at the gym getting ready to leave to go back to work and this guy was in my way, eating his lunch.  There is a little bench by the lockers that everyone has to share when getting dressed.  The part of the bench that was in front of the locker I was using was being used by a fat, half naked guy eating his lunch.  He had some rice bowl or something in a little plastic bowl and he just sat in his underwear and ate.  Why?  He's sitting there eating in a place that is not for eating and not moving for people that are there to do what that space is there for.  I'm getting dressed, struggling to not touch him in any way, which is difficult because he's large.  He just sat there and ate.  Idiot.

- What is it with the "permanent vote by mail" voter?  I liked "absentee ballot".  Why did we change that?  My guess is that morons didn't know what that meant so they had to change it so people would understand.  Anyone know?

- It's totally ridiculous that the old Sesame Street episodes that were released on DVD are not rated for kids because of all that crazy, risky content.  Cookie Monster smoking a pipe, Gordon taking a little girl home for cookies, etc.  Our society is really lame in a lot of ways.

I got a PS3 and I love it.

Remember those political adds about the Indian casinos that ran a while ago?  It was regarding allowing them to have more slot machines so they could make more money and be "self-sustaining".  They come right out and say that they need to expand these casinos so that they can make it and "self-sustain" as a people.  So let me see if I have this correctly...I'm supposed to vote to expand an operation that is illegal for everyone else?  So it's either run a casino or starve to death?  Is that the only option, the only business that can sustain their society?  You can state a case about entitlements of the land or whatever but what a lame argument.  Get a regular job like everyone else.

- We got an iRobot Roomba and we love it.  A Roomba is a robot vacuum.  They are fantastic and I highly recommend one of these wonderful machines.  I will never vacuum again, ever.  We also got one that scrubs the tile floor.  Awesome.

- It's kind of cool that the term "technical difficulties" has hung on all these years.  We were watching television  recently and saw that "technical difficulties" banner when the channel went out for whatever reason.  I'm surprised "technical difficulties" hasn't been replaced similar to how "absentee ballot" seems to have been replaced.  We'll eventually see "The channel is broken" or something...and it will be in Spanish.

- We recently bought the greatest trash can ever.  It's a Brabantia 50 liter Touch Bin.  I was getting sick of taking out the trash every three hours and now it's a once or twice a week thing.  It holds a lot and just kicks ass.  I fell in love with it when I saw it at the store and grabbed it without even looking at the price and discovered later that it was $200.  Ouch.  But it still kicks ass.

- There are way too many people eating fast food.  We were driving though town and while I was stopped at a traffic signal (half my life), I counted sixteen cars in the In and Out Burger drive-thru.  What!!  Assuming it had to be a fluke I  made it a point to count again when I happened to be at that same intersection almost exactly a week later and it was just about the same.  The thing that surprised me too was that it was 4:00 in the afternoon.  I get that most people eat fast food but I was really surprised.

- I really hate those "Too much good stuff" commercials from AM/PM.  So stupid.  First of all anything you eat at AM/PM mini mart is going to be shit.  Second, that guys voice is about at bad as the "We make a lot of cereal here" lady.  I'm not saying it's as bad but it sucks.

- I liked Giant magazine when it first came out and now I don't like it AT ALL.

- I find it depressing that someone would steal something I put out on my driveway for a donation.  Anyone that does that is either stupid, a thief or both.  People see that someone has placed something out for donation and assume it's fair game since the original owner no longer wants it.  So, they just take it.  Never mind that it was intended for a donation to help a cause.  If you don't understand that then you're a moron.  It's more likely a straightforward case of stealing.  Either way it's sad. 

- I really dislike the %110 thing.  There is only 0 to 100%.  There is no 110%.  You can't give something 110%.  If you say you're going to give it 110% than you are a liar.

Whew...