forward joke and annoyed ranting
So I got this joke in my e-mail from a relative.
Father Daughter Talk
A young woman was about to finish her first year of college.
Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs; in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather saunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her
father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.
Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a
4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time
for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying. Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?'
She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'
Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GP A and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done
next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'
The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently,
'Welcome to the Republican party.'
I was so annoyed by it (it's not a good tax analogy and it assumes some very annoying things) that I spent a half hour formulating a response.
My response:
interesting anecdote, but maybe the problem of raising taxes is related to who is paying those higher taxes. The middle and lower class. While corporations and the richest top percent of the country receive tax cuts. this hardly seems fair either. just an observation. when i make a good salary I will pay my higher taxes and be content with it I hope. it will be my duty to help pay for people who can't make ends meet and need government services. I have had every opportunity to succeed and maybe I owe something to the community in return. and the people who need those services are not necessarily lazy do-nothings taking advantage of the system. many people who use the services taxes provide for have never had the opportunity or education to move beyond their present situation.
Thomas More from Utopia says "If you suffer your people to be uneducated and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them."
So maybe we should work to elevate those who have no life skills/abilities rather than be unhappy about having to pay for them. just being discontented does nothing to change the tax situation.
Also from More: "There are dreadful punishments enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing and of dying for it."
the girl in the anecdote worked hard and deserved her grades. but what about someone who works hard and gets crappy grades despite their best efforts. do they not deserve an education at all? should they get extra help? is it fair that my student fees pay for tutoring for struggling students? I say yes. I'm glad those services are available even though I've never taken advantage of them.
The caucus is today. which leads to being argumentative about a joke, apparently. i don't like the caucus system much. I'd rather just have a vote.
also the implications of the joke are very annoying. wanting to raise taxes does not mean you're a haughty teenager who borrows all her opinions from others. i don't know why i'm so irate about this. i'm going back to work. it's nice and calming.
Father Daughter Talk
A young woman was about to finish her first year of college.
Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs; in other words redistribution of wealth. She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather saunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her
father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.
Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a
4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time
for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying. Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?'
She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'
Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GP A and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done
next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'
The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently,
'Welcome to the Republican party.'
I was so annoyed by it (it's not a good tax analogy and it assumes some very annoying things) that I spent a half hour formulating a response.
My response:
interesting anecdote, but maybe the problem of raising taxes is related to who is paying those higher taxes. The middle and lower class. While corporations and the richest top percent of the country receive tax cuts. this hardly seems fair either. just an observation. when i make a good salary I will pay my higher taxes and be content with it I hope. it will be my duty to help pay for people who can't make ends meet and need government services. I have had every opportunity to succeed and maybe I owe something to the community in return. and the people who need those services are not necessarily lazy do-nothings taking advantage of the system. many people who use the services taxes provide for have never had the opportunity or education to move beyond their present situation.
Thomas More from Utopia says "If you suffer your people to be uneducated and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them."
So maybe we should work to elevate those who have no life skills/abilities rather than be unhappy about having to pay for them. just being discontented does nothing to change the tax situation.
Also from More: "There are dreadful punishments enacted against thieves, but it were much better to make such good provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live, and so be preserved from the fatal necessity of stealing and of dying for it."
the girl in the anecdote worked hard and deserved her grades. but what about someone who works hard and gets crappy grades despite their best efforts. do they not deserve an education at all? should they get extra help? is it fair that my student fees pay for tutoring for struggling students? I say yes. I'm glad those services are available even though I've never taken advantage of them.
The caucus is today. which leads to being argumentative about a joke, apparently. i don't like the caucus system much. I'd rather just have a vote.
also the implications of the joke are very annoying. wanting to raise taxes does not mean you're a haughty teenager who borrows all her opinions from others. i don't know why i'm so irate about this. i'm going back to work. it's nice and calming.