Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength sent President Barack Obama a letter asking him to raise their income taxes. Patriotic-millionaires-support-raising-taxes-but-wont-voluntarily-pay-more-to-the-govt/ Specifically, they request him to not continue the Bush tax cuts for the rich. That is rich. Anyone who thinks that these millionaires aren't paying their accountants and lawyers right now to find new loopholes around the new tax law is loopy himself. Which will leave only the small businessmen to foot the new tax toll. Yeah, that's patriotic.
What I'd like to see Congress do is add a contribution line to the income tax form. Publish anyone's contributions over $50,000.00. Call them silver donors, and gold, platinum and diamond. Let them have a photo op with the president, if they give a million or more. Let the country know who is bailing them out. The top giver for the year could be officially named the "Patriotic Millionare."
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Compromising Politics and Principles
Should progressives and tea party activists compromise, the dear wish and advice of the elite media? Robert Kuttner, at Huffington Post, shows the fallacy of this effort, in Backbone, Please.
He further questions why the media thinks this is a good idea. Even some moderate Democrats and Republicans advocate meeting in the middle, as if meeting in the middle of a fence would be a tremendous place to balance our nation. What nonesense!
He further questions why the media thinks this is a good idea. Even some moderate Democrats and Republicans advocate meeting in the middle, as if meeting in the middle of a fence would be a tremendous place to balance our nation. What nonesense!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Calling
I really like this article: Your Calling by Andrée Seu. She wrote an article for World Magazine years ago proposing that, in the search for your calling, to acknowledge that God gives you your skills and your interests to move you in the direction you are to take. This article goes along with it. It would be nice if God just told us what we are to do for our lives. That isn't His way. So how wonderful to be able to trust "that all things must be subservient to my salvation" (Heidelberg Catechism Q. 1) including his directing you and me into our vocations. I commend the article to your consideration
Friday, November 19, 2010
Simple method for truth
How can you test your intellectual position against the truth? After all, not one of us is objective. If you think you are, you and I are in disagreement, and it is your burden to prove your objectivity. I’ll be interested in your evidence. Good luck.
We all have personal, cultural, societal, educational presuppositions and preferences. Some are more true, and some are less. We are like the man standing on the earth trying to figure out its shape. The astronaut looks from above, and sees truthfully. We need to do our best to become like the astronaut. How do we remove ourselves from our own position?
First, we have to be aware of where we are - as the man on the earth. He cannot judge by his sight. He has to find other, better data. We have to find what limits our ability to know the truth. I judge as a woman - but need to hear the man's perspective to overcome my female bias. I have to know I have a female bias, as well as presuppositions based on where I live, my economic level, educational level, etc. The more one identifies, the more one is able to limit their ability to falsely inform him.
Then secondly, I need to test what I believe to be true against what I know to be true. We use this method in driving all the time. We know that the car can skid in the rain, snow and ice. We don't doubt it, we KNOW this to be true. A person would be considered either foolish or crazy (not to mention dangerous) to not consider this fact true.
But what about what cannot be quantified? Regarding non-physical, we must have some starting point. Mine is the Bible, and it is a sure standard. It is held true by God Himself. What is your standard?
People who say that they're objective have just not acknowledged that they have preconceived beliefs. That stands in the way of their search for the truth. Figure out your standard, that by which you judge facts. Is it science? a religious book or leader? common sense? Whatever it is, identify it, and work to separate yourself from it. See what it is apart from you. Is it worthy of building your life, your future, your family's future, on? Finding your presuppositions and your belief system is the beginning of being able to separate from the gravity of the earth and be able to actually look down on it - not the earth, in fact, but the truth.
We all have personal, cultural, societal, educational presuppositions and preferences. Some are more true, and some are less. We are like the man standing on the earth trying to figure out its shape. The astronaut looks from above, and sees truthfully. We need to do our best to become like the astronaut. How do we remove ourselves from our own position?
First, we have to be aware of where we are - as the man on the earth. He cannot judge by his sight. He has to find other, better data. We have to find what limits our ability to know the truth. I judge as a woman - but need to hear the man's perspective to overcome my female bias. I have to know I have a female bias, as well as presuppositions based on where I live, my economic level, educational level, etc. The more one identifies, the more one is able to limit their ability to falsely inform him.
Then secondly, I need to test what I believe to be true against what I know to be true. We use this method in driving all the time. We know that the car can skid in the rain, snow and ice. We don't doubt it, we KNOW this to be true. A person would be considered either foolish or crazy (not to mention dangerous) to not consider this fact true.
But what about what cannot be quantified? Regarding non-physical, we must have some starting point. Mine is the Bible, and it is a sure standard. It is held true by God Himself. What is your standard?
People who say that they're objective have just not acknowledged that they have preconceived beliefs. That stands in the way of their search for the truth. Figure out your standard, that by which you judge facts. Is it science? a religious book or leader? common sense? Whatever it is, identify it, and work to separate yourself from it. See what it is apart from you. Is it worthy of building your life, your future, your family's future, on? Finding your presuppositions and your belief system is the beginning of being able to separate from the gravity of the earth and be able to actually look down on it - not the earth, in fact, but the truth.
Welcome to the start of finding the truth!
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