tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10214951.post430663781039859010..comments2024-03-17T08:07:12.695-05:00Comments on Between The Lines: Long's "share," Obama's "spread" wealth equally immoralJeff Sadowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03972004592729833310noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10214951.post-83911231468389834012008-11-05T13:03:00.000-06:002008-11-05T13:03:00.000-06:00I just happened upon this web site for the first t...I just happened upon this web site for the first time. Upon reading the material on this page, I felt I must comment on the shallow and stupid remarks of “anonymous”. <BR/><BR/>Let me first make it clear that I am an absolute free marketer - probably more so than anyone else on this page. Having said that, I would like to point out that Matt's comments were not necessarily liberal and definitely not naive. He presented a well-thought-out question with logic and reason. The facts he stated were in fact correct - taxes have been historically much worse in this country, and Long was definitely more socialist than Obama claims to be at the moment.<BR/><BR/>Anonymous, you did not methodologically address Matt's specific points. You instead just hurled unjustified insults from your position of cowardly hiding behind an anonymous name. Additionally, Matt was very polite, but you were not.<BR/><BR/>Matt proved that he is a thinking man and put himself out there to be challenged (academically). You proved nothing but that you are an ignorant bully.<BR/><BR/>Kel KellyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10214951.post-74616926440064577162008-10-30T00:04:00.000-05:002008-10-30T00:04:00.000-05:00"Any 20 year-old who isn't a liberal doesn't have ..."Any 20 year-old who isn't a liberal doesn't have a heart, and any 40 year-old who isn't a conservative doesn't have a brain."<BR/>-Sir Winston ChurchillAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10214951.post-22175996195328126212008-10-29T16:09:00.000-05:002008-10-29T16:09:00.000-05:00LOL! Matt Looks like a solid "C" student to me Je...LOL! Matt Looks like a solid "C" student to me Jeff! Good luck with trying to teach anythinig to another young and naive kool-aid drinking liberal. I guess we were all young once. Boy, if I could have that back...LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10214951.post-39170826102960610502008-10-29T01:06:00.000-05:002008-10-29T01:06:00.000-05:00Hi,I intend to be one of your students next semest...Hi,<BR/><BR/>I intend to be one of your students next semester as political science is my major and I happened to fall across this blog.<BR/><BR/>Although I have much more research and many more years to go before I can speak on this with total and unwavering confidence, I find it hard to lump Obama and Long in the same category. Perhaps the same broad area of the political spectrum, but they are hardly identical.<BR/><BR/>Obama's plan for federal income taxes will increase the rate for the top bracket to 39% and his other tax increases on the same bracket(s) will return to rates around what was seen in the 1990s. Even casual research can show that prior to Reagan, American tax rates were decidedly punitive and far-reaching. These days they not be ideal, but these are not ideal times and taxes (largely thanks to conservatives like yourself)are not nearly as high as they have been in the past. Infrastructure, education, healthcare, etc all have to be paid for and accounted for in some manner, not to mention our looming national debt and growing deficits.<BR/><BR/>Long was a socialist in essence, Obama is not. And further, I find your general argument to promote the idea that a progressive taxation system is inherently unfair and somehow even immoral because it "punishes" those that make more and therefore presumably work harder. Although it's far from perfect and debatable as to how much people should be taxed, I agree with it if not in principle then in practicality and the assurance that all people will garner equal opportunity to rise up the ranks of society and our economy. If not a progressive system, then what? I've read the FairTax plan, I've heard calls for flat taxes without compensation for the poor, and I've heard arguments arguing for more privatization so that services can be paid for as they're used.<BR/><BR/>If you don't oppose progressive taxation in general, then where do you draw the line and at what point does morality or a lack thereof become a matter of practicality and fairness versus ideology?<BR/><BR/>Just wondering! :)<BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/><BR/>MattAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com