America..Land of the Free - Democratic Underground

But not "that kind of free". You know the one I mean----the "free", as in free from British Rule.

That's so "last 3-centuries ago".

We are accustomed to BEING free, as we know it.

We have morphed into wanting everything to BE free FOR us.

Roads?? yep..we need 'em....
but god-damn..don't you DARE raise MY taxes to pay for them

Schools?? yep we need 'em....

but
a) "my" property taxes are already too high
b) "my" kids are grown up
c) I don't HAVE any kids

Health care?? yep we need it

but
it should be freeeeeee, by cutting someone else's programs/benefits..don't you DARE suggest raising MY taxes to pay for it..even if it means I have shitty coverage and may end up a pauper if I do get sick..but, I'm healthy and don't plan to ever get sick, or maybe later if I do get sick, I'll have won the lotto and will be rich, I tell ya..rich!

We love "the free" in America.

People will stampede their fellow citizens to get a good place in line for free or near-free "stuff". People send off for free stuff all the time, even though it might be stuff they can't, or won't use, and with houses stuffed to the rafters with other stuff already, have no room to store.

A BOGO deal is a wonder to behold, and people line up to participate.

People camp out, the day after Christmas to get "free-with purchase" or "half-off" for wrapping paper for next year's gifts they cannot afford, because many are still paying for the previous years' gifts.

Is it any wonder that the government always struggles with passing legislation for things we really need?

"STUFF" COSTS MONEY, and we have become accustomed to thinking that things "can be" free, if only we "work the numbers right", and get someone else to pay, or make it appear to be free.

"Land of the Fleeced"

K&R

Any raise in taxes would be more than offset by the disappearance of insurance premiums, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses.

they've got the money, let them pay.

If you have money, people will PAY to be near you..to curry your favor, and to pay your way :grr:

I don't watch anymore, but it always aggravated the hell out of me to hear the media describe in great detail, all the wonderful things in the "Goodie-bags" for the presenters at the Oscars.. Like these could not afford the watchm the iPhone, etc.

but a toiletries set given to shelter homes is considered a waste of taxpayers money

Roads are important to our national infrastructure in that the entire nation would grind to a halt without them. However, the roads where I live are crap. The mayor has recently decided to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars applying "bike lane" decals, which each costs the city 200USD, at various sites on our decaying roadways. I've seen several of these high cost decals peeled up from the roadways.

We do need schools for our children and I will very likely have to pay twice for my child's schooling. Once to the tax man for some other child's PS and again to the private catholic school my son will actually go to. Public school's are an abomination to children of all socio economic demographics. The catholic school my son will go to collects tuition in the form of a 10% tithe. If one cannot afford to sacrifice 10% of his or her annual income for tuition, he or she should not have had any children in the first place. None of us are catholic, but my wife went there and I went to public school. Her stories ironically lack religiosity, and nobody ever got stabbed or raped in her school. The same cannot be said of random acts of violence at my school and that was over twenty years ago.

Health care is needed for many. However, I believe that the federal government ought not mandate virtue in any of its forms, but rather restrict villainy in all of its forms. Think about it...

and calorie-free too

My new battle cry?

Probably not, but still.

When over HALF of what we spend is on that one thing we cannot afford much else, and until that changes we will continue to go down hill

I think that phrase needs to be revised to	DJ13	Sep-11-09 04:46 PM	#1
This overlooks the fact that Americans already pay for single payer without actually getting it	nxylas	Sep-11-09 04:46 PM	#2
top 1% has as much income as the bottom 50%. maybe that's why.	Hannah Bell	Sep-11-09 04:47 PM	#3
The super rich are the ones who never have probelms getting free stuff	SoCalDem	Sep-11-09 04:55 PM	#5
I wish you'd stop making sense.	bobbolink	Sep-11-09 06:40 PM	#9
America: The Land Of They Thought They Were Free.	TheWatcher	Sep-11-09 04:53 PM	#4
I am having trouble pegging you...	Tweedledummer	Sep-11-09 05:01 PM	#6
Joe Wilson??	SoCalDem	Sep-11-09 05:04 PM	#7
aw, another crying because they have to be part of society....	bobbolink	Sep-11-09 06:41 PM	#10
You ate a pizza already???	L0oniX	Sep-11-09 06:49 PM	#11
hey.. it's Freeeeeeee pizza	SoCalDem	Sep-11-09 06:58 PM	#12
Mandate Virtue! Unrestrict Vanity!	Toucano	Sep-11-09 07:17 PM	#13
We spend way too much on the military!!!	bob4460	Sep-11-09 06:34 PM	#8