Ed Pilolla
Journalist . Writer . Storyteller
- By ED PILOLLA
- On February 28th, 2012
- In Journalism
Foolishly, I have been trying to figure out what to write in my journalism blog for the past few weeks. I know this ‘other’ blog will worm its way into my life as the first did. I should remember the history of my poetry blog, in that I didn’t know what it was or what it would become when I began. But it has evolved, or at least sharpened. And the only way to make something is to begin. So this is my first journalism-related post at my new website, which isn’t really much of a milestone, I suppose. Here goes.
Don’t you dislike it when a writer clears his throat for a few paragraphs before getting into it:)
When I was a kid, being born free in America meant that you weren’t born into debt. And if you didn’t make enough money to rise out of poverty, you didn’t owe taxes to the government because otherwise, you’d be like an indentured servant. You only paid income taxes if you could afford to pay taxes. This is how my older brother explained it to me.
Our parents were connected to the World War II generation, which was connected to the Great Depression generation. No matter whether people were republican or democrat, people understood how difficult life could be in poverty, if only from family stories. When Ronald Reagan pushed his tax plan in the 1980s, he also endorsed removing more poor people from the federal tax rolls to show good faith. This was important for the population at the time.
During this republican primary, there have been crowds that cheered the prospect of the poor paying income taxes. These people are largely part of a privileged class emerging that has no recollection of or connection to poverty. They hate the poor, among other people.
I can guess how these people would define Born Free. Google images of tanks firing have the title.
Convincing a significant minority of the population that society’s problems are the fault of the poor is a major victory for the elite.
The thinking and values of the world population seem to be progressing in an astonishingly wonderful way. Then there are those who are regressing. Since we are all in this together, I don’t think we can’t hate these people back, though it may be an awfully sweet temptation.
Art credit here.
16 Responses
Please feel free to comment!
There does seem to be a shift, people rant about the 1% but then they go and bash the poor with this tax nonsense. Like taxing the poor is ever going to make even the smallet dent in the already enormous amount of debt. Just another rich plot to keep their money and shift the blame.
Income tax is the most degrading and totalitarian of all possible taxes. Its implementation wrongly suggests that the government owns the lives and labor of the citizens it is supposed to represent. – Ron Paul
This maybe a journalism post, but I love him, I love him, Laura. You’re not Laura?
I think everyone should pay taxes, with proportion increasing as you make more. The US has minuscule taxation compared to other countries and with it, a rotten reputation for caring for its citizens, from schools to healthcare. Sales tax doesn’t exist in Oregon and homeowners pay property taxes to take care of all, rather than everyone via what you buy. Our system sucks but there are no ‘good old days’ – we’ve never done right by ALL citizens and few seem to think everyone should care for everyone. We have selective service for military yet no mandated social service -why is military violence required yet compassionate care optional in the US? Sigh…
if you think everyone should pay taxes then many people will go into debt because they don’t have the money. surely you don’t mean the physically and mentally disabled should pay taxes. or those who work but live below the poverty line. should they cut back on rent and food to pay income taxes?
since everyone pays social security taxes, no matter how little one makes, i can see what you are saying is the poor already pay taxes. that’s the beginning of the sliding scale. that i can get on board with.
I’ve never thought of ‘born free’ having to do wtih debt. I thought it was religious freedom and such. And as a middle class republican, I can assure you that I’ve never hated anyone in a class below or above me. The new stats released just last week show that it’s 50% of American who pay no tax at all, so you really can’t say they are the minority anymore. Having said that, I do not believe people living in poverty should have to pay taxes. There has to be a better way!
betsy, i would have been shocked if you hated anyone either. that’s because i know you and what a good person you are. but we disagree. is that 50 percent of all americans? i’d be interested to know more about that stat. i’m talking about those who work but live at or below the poverty line.
i found a decent breakdown of employment stats. it’s from 2007 but the percentages apply well to today. link is below. it says that the rough breakdown is 50 percent of americans are unemployed or underemployed. but that 50 percent includes people too old to work and people too young to work, including children. so it’s a bad number, according to this libertarian publication. a better stat is probably that 70 percent of working age people are in fact working, and of those working 20 percent are living at or below the poverty line.
of the 30 percent of working age people who don’t work, some are disabled, others are unemployed, while others make a little bit of money but not nearly enough to make a living on, which means is there’s no such thing as health insurance or trips to the dentist.
http://delawarelibertarian.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-many-americans-actually-work_27.html
I look forward to your animal shelter piece. I just adopted my THIRD toy fe ox terrier. My first two were bred by a breeder; and this last little one came from a house where there were 51 toy fox terriers, and the shelter eventually rescued them. The people were not evil, but just could not afford to spay/neuter. Little Basil (my adoptee) is a sweetheart. Of course, his tail is not ‘docked’ as it would be if he had been born of a breeder. But I love him so; and I so respect the people who rescued these dogs and sheltered them and adopted them out to loving homes. I do want to read your words, however / wherever they are published.
hmm..over here in germany the tax you pay depends on the income.. think that’s pretty fair..
We are the same as Claudia in Germany, the tax you pay depends on the income. And, I think that’s fair too ;o)
I think everybody should pay taxes, but at a rate that is linked directly to their level of income.
A lot of people do not realize that before Reagan’s tax cuts, there was an 80 percent or 90 percent tax rate on earnings over a certain level (I think it was after your first million). It was after those rates were cut that we started seeing the unholy golden umbrellas CEOs started getting — tens of millions in stock options and such. A CEO who once earned 40 times the income of his lowest paid employee is now earning hundreds of times that level of pay. I use the term “earning” loosely.
Greed is ruining this nation, and it is ruining the politics of a “free” people who are increasingly encumbered by poverty. The gap between the wealthy and the poor is growing. My fear is that, as has happened in other nations throughout history where this pattern has emerged, there has been revolution. I really do not want my children or (someday) grandchildren to go through something like that.
Sign me among the nouveau poor.
Yes, Ed, it is a very sweet temptation to “hate” back. Every now and then, I get so mad at these people’s words and want to spit back at them with hateful words. But, what’s the point. I think they’re like that because they’re such insecure people.
It’s not just those who’ve not ever experienced economic struggle that “hates” poverty. It’s also those who’ve experienced poverty, or thought they’ve experienced it. I’ve known a few—and still do—who look down on the down-on-out. I don’t understand the attitude at all.
*sigh*…I do not understand the recklessness & greed of a relatively small percentage “lording” it over those battling through difficult economic times, etc. As an American living aboard I’ve witnessed what’s happened in the last few years with such sadness. My own sister is struggling to keep above that poverty line, and it breaks the heart. So many struggling. Regression was the very word I was thinking while reading this piece, Ed. Being the lib-dem I am, I can only remain hopeful… choose not to hate.
) Here where I am living now, in Norway, tax is rated on income level. There are those in lower income brackets here, but there does not seem to be these huge gaps between the income levels as back home. Looking forward to more on your shelter piece and more here. Many thank for your kind comments on my poetry… I am growing more comfortable sharing poetry again to a wider readership, as well as art.
one of my favorite elements is it’s the christian candidate wanting to make life more difficult for poor people. that’s what jesus was about, burdening the poor for the sake of empire.
I really value your work , Great post.