Much is made by the conservatives and particularly right wing conservatives that liberals love to "tax and spend". The hypocrisy in that statement is laughable. Just look at the fiscal records of the last two presidents and it's easy to see this argument is horseshit. Under Clinton we had a balanced budget and deficits were heading down. Now, let's talk a look at GW's record. Ewww, not pretty. The fiscal conservative that he is led to record budget deficits and sky rocketing national debts. Now a they'll be quick to point out our current president's budgets. Makes sense when you have to clean up the fucking mess he inherited.
So as it pertains to spending, what's the real difference between a liberal and a conservative? A conservative would rather spend our nation's treasury invading a country which had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11. In the process thousands of American troops died during this escapade and tens of thousands more were injured. This is a good time to remind everyone that hundreds of thousands Iraqis were murdered as well. But to a conservative they don't matter. A conservative would rather spend our money on a drug war so stupid and costly ($52 billion a year) even a dmwit like Rush "Pass me the pain killers" Limbaugh should be able to see the waste. A conservative would rather spend our treasure on weapons systems designed for cold war opponents, especially if they're produced in their districts. So what would a liberal spend the same money on? How about education? Fixing a crumbling education system which each year falls further behind the rest of the world. A liberal would spend that money on health care. Ensuring Americans are provided a health care system which is efficient and affordable. We would build roads, fix the bridges, invest in green technology and in short save this country. That my friends is the difference between a liberal and a conservative.
The differences in choice of where spending occurs by each party is well stated/emphasized. I'm sure the Right would argue that their choice of "investment" is just that (why am I arguing for the other side?!). Ok... enough of that. I'll be interested to hear the other side's defense and/or rationalization of such spending.
ReplyDeleteNo way in hell I am a conservative! I like to keep my business at the homeland, thank you. I appreciate this explanation. Shayne, you are the cat's ass Dude.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am a very liberal person, I can see the need for some conservatives to balances us out. If we spent all of our money on education, research, health care, infrastructure and such (where I would spend it) we would have a weak defense. As someone who was in the military Shayne, you must be able to see the need for a strong military to defend our nation.
ReplyDeleteNo true conservative would put George W. Bush in that category. Let's define conservative by what it truly is not by the people that coopt the term for their own benefit.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt's sentiments. Let's keep the Feds more focused on national defense and creating a secure environment in which the State's may flourish as it was intended. There is no greater investment in a society than education. This should be a State issue, not Federal.
Hey All, thanks for the comments. Let me list a few of the points I was trying to make.
ReplyDelete1. The fallacy of the fiscal conservative. Until they prove they are, they aren't.
2. Since I've shown that conservatives spend money I wanted to show that they spend it unwisely.
3. While it's true liberals will reach down to help someone up, we shouldn't apologize for it. Liberals are much more likely to vote for those things which enrich our country not just some fat cats pockets.
I did not mean to imply that we should weaken our military. In fact I believe we can strengthen our military by fighting just wars and not wars of fancy or vendetta. Our military is stretched thin by our overreaching foreign policy. If the war in Iraq ended today it would take a decade to return it's readiness to a pre-war state.
"wars of vendetta" ... off topic here, however since you brought it up, has anyone ever wondered how obligated Bush Jr might have felt to invade Iraq, where one of the bigger priorities that he might have had was getting into that hotel or whatever building that was which had his fathers face embedded on the floor, in order to remove his Dad's face from that floor...? (recall that one of the greatest insults in the Middle East is showing the bottom of your foot to someone)....? I wondered much about that at the time - who wouldnt feel some sort of obligation/vendatta... totally personal, whether right or wrong.
ReplyDeletevendetta.. (sorry)
ReplyDelete