Andrew Sullivan, once known as a Conservative blogger (I guess he still is, but one who sees the deceptions rampant in BushWorld):
www.AndrewSullivan.com – Daily Dish
Just remember all that Bush promised last night: an astonishingly expensive bid to spend much more money to help people in ways that conservatives once abjured. He pledged to provide record levels of education funding, colleges and healthcare centers in poor towns, more Pell grants, seven million more affordable homes, expensive new HSAs, and a phenomenally expensive bid to reform the social security system. I look forward to someone adding it all up, but it’s easily in the trillions. And Bush’s astonishing achievement is to make the case for all this new spending, at a time of chronic debt (created in large part by his profligate party), while pegging his opponent as the “tax-and-spend” candidate. The chutzpah is amazing. At this point, however, it isn’t just chutzpah. It’s deception. To propose all this knowing full well that we cannot even begin to afford it is irresponsible in the deepest degree.
So when Kerry proposes broad social programs, it’s a grand vision, but Bush’s plan is deception? Both will have to work with a nearly evenly divided legislature that will not go along with everything proposed.
No Chris, the point was “how is Bush going to pay for this?” Kerry is rolling back some money to pay for it. Bush has cut money for Education, practically eliminated environmental regulations, cut into Social Security, because the purpose is to give back those poor rich folks their capital gains tax money, and their inheritance tax money, (so they can pay their bills, I suppose?) The rich pay less of a total tax than do the middle and lower…like most economists who aren’t living in Bush world, there has to be some fiscal responsibility, and on top of that, some equity. The gap between rich and poor is now the largest in history.
Dale
Also keep in mind Chris, that the post you commented on was made by a bloger who was a notorious conservative, and still is — but he sees what he sees. Bush is deceiving the public, a nd continued to shift money that we don’t have, because he is funneliing it all into providing favors for the upper crust.
Dale
My thoughts exactly. Sure Kerry’s party maybe pro-choice, and pro-stem cell. And sure Bush’s party is morally closer to the gospel on some issues.. But when are we going to stand up for one of the most crucial issues in the Biblical narrative — the issue of economic justice, and care of the poor.
If we have poor spending habits — we blow our ability to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us… and we are unable to care for our neighbor. Sure the Bible doesn’t speak about the government helping our neighbors — but if your nation’s currency ain’t worth crap because of a high deficit, and your paying taxes on that deficit because you robbed Peter to pay Paul — and now you can’t help your neighbor, and your government can’t help your neighbor… I guess we’ll have to wait for some other gvernment that doesn’t believe in deficit spending to come over and help our neighbors for us … of course then again — the Mormons might beat us all to it.
Why vote for Kerry? — because he is anybody but Bush.