Of Taxes and Terrible Thinking

This is a quote from the friend of a facebook friend from today. The original post was about the amount of her paycheck that goes to taxes:

"The problem is that I WOULD have no problem (and many other people thank goodness) to give my taxes for healthcare, education, protection of natural resources, sustainable agriculture, protection of species and this planet BUT I have huge problem with giving my taxes for terrible subsidies (off shore drilling and GMO included among many others), and meaningless wars!!!"

Lets dig into this a bit shall we?

The author of this post thinks that taxes should go for:

• Healthcare for all
• Education for all
• Protecting "natural resources"
• Sustainable agriculture
• Protection of animals
• Protecting the Earth

I am all for everyone getting the healthcare that they need and in a pinch you already can, at an emergency room. As a matter of fact, this is required by law. You can also find discount health plans. If health care is really that important to you I am pretty sure you can cut out things like TV, the newest cell phone and perhaps even soda, chips and cookies from your diet. If you can do all those things and still can not afford health insurance or health care, there are charities that will be happy to help you out. There is also a growing contingent of doctors that will treat you for what you can afford. If you say you have no insurance, and want to work out a cash payment, you can. I know from personal experience that if you can not afford the bill from a hospital stay, you can work out an interest free payment plan with the hospital. They will take anything from $25 up until your bill is paid off... Unless of course you go to a state run hospital.

Furthermore, please show me in the United States Constitution where it states a person's well being is something the state must provide for. I guess what I am saying is that private business and charities are better suited to handle this than the government. If you don't believe me, try the healthcare system in Canada, England or Cuba.

Education for all is already provided for in about 48 state constitutions. This is a legitimate interest of the state and a public education should be provided for. I guess the question is, to what level? Since this is not a power given directly to the Federal Government it would seem that by the 10th Amendment to the Constitution this would be something the states could rightfully claim for themselves. This would make sense from an educational standpoint as then the people closest to the students could make decisions regarding what should be taught. Each state is its own little laboratory. As it stands due to a centralization of the educational system Colorado, Wyoming, Rhode Island and Florida are all beholden to Texas for curriculum and textbook standards. Texas is a huge market compared to say Colorado. Is it safe to assume that students in Texas are the same as students in Colorado and should be taught from the same textbooks? The Catholic Church tried this centralization of curriculum. By mandating that only books on the conformity list be taught for certain grade levels, Catholics actually came away knowing less about their Faith than had Catechists at the local level been able to pick and choose the books that best suited their students. I guess, again, what I am arguing is that something that could be done at the local level better and more efficiently should be left at that local level.

I will continue this analysis tomorrow since this post is getting long. I guess though what is most disturbing is the contempt the author shows for a legitimate expenditure for the Federal Government. UNLESS she would want that to be done by corporations and private citizens of course.

Prayers,

Pisio

Hawaii

I took a quiz on Facebook today, what state should you live in? I did this after a friend of mine answered the same quiz and was told she should live in California. Based on how wrong they got that one, I wanted to see what would come up for me... Probably, Massachusettes or Michigan... Nope. With me, they got it spot on. I should live in Hawaii.

I lived my formative years in Hawaii, specifically on Maui. I graduated from St. Anthony JR/SR High School in Wailuku. Shane Victorino was 5 years behind me (he was such a punk in those days, I hear he really turned his attitude around though). Hawaii though has always stuck with me. I am still in touch with a lot of people from the island, and I can honestly say that I have more friends on that island than I do here in Colorado.

Am I happy with my life here in Colorado? Yes. Very much so. I love my new job and our house and the schools that my kids will have a chance to go to. I can't help this feeling though that something is lacking in our lives here. No, not the beach and bikinis. There is just something missing in the people. I am not used to a place where people are uncomfortable being called aunty or uncle by my children, or me for that matter. And I have to admit the handshakes rather than hugs are getting a little bit cold...

All I used to hear when I lived here in the 90's before my parents uprooted me and made me move to Hawaii was how racist the islands were. Is there racism present in Hawaii? Yes. Is it what people made it out to be? By no means. The people there just do not like dumbasses (although I can't explain why they elect who they elect), and the things that they do.

It even grew on me. If you go to Hawaii, remember, not everyone is on vacation. It is no more appropriate to stop on a main road and read a map in Hawaii than it would be in say... Chicago. In Hawaii you may get called a Haole for doing so... I will take that over what I might get in Chicago. If you are lost, pull over to a gas station and ask. That is what the people are there for. They will, if you are not a dumbass, give you the shirt off your back if you need it. You just have to go there and show the respect to them that you would anyone else.

Ohhh... why do I feel the need to apologize for Hawaii? I guess because it is calling me back. I can hear the Ocean taunting me in my dreams, daring me to wade in its waters again. I want so badly to swim with the Honu and Humu again. I want to feel the warn embrace of Hawaii and her people.... ARGH! I do not like the midlife crisis I think I am about to go through. Hopefully it will be short.

Prayers and aloha!

Pisio

Angry Gun Toting Meat Eater

"There is one group no one has recognized, and it is the group that will decide the election: the Angry White Man. The Angry White Man comes from all economic backgrounds, from dirt-poor to filthy rich. He represents all geographic areas in America, from urban sophisticate to rural redneck, deep South to mountain West, left Coast to Eastern Seaboard."

So the article by Gary Hubble reads, and man did it strike a chord with me today. I just wanted to jump up and exclaim some one gets it... And now because of this blog, I get to echo Mr. Hubble's sentements. You see, I am one of those white men he talks about so eloquently in the article from today.

"The victimhood syndrome buzzwords — “disenfranchised,” “marginalized” and “voiceless” — don’t resonate with him. “Press ‘one’ for English” is a curse-word to him. He’s used to picking up the tab, whether it’s the company Christmas party, three sets of braces, three college educations or a beautiful wedding."

Preach Hubble, Preach...

As a white male in todays society I can know that I will never get a hand out from anyone. The onus for me to succeed is squarely on my shoulders, and I would have it no other place. I think it finally set in for me that I would never again play on an even field when I applied for Federal Fianancial Aid when I decided to return to school.

I filled out the endless mounds of paperwork, documenting my income for the last three years and proving that I had paid my share of taxes. I submitted the paperwork and was told that until I contributed $22500 annually towards my college education, I did not qualify for federal aid. Meanwhile, young women from affluent white families and minorities who are the sons and daughters of white collared professionals get my hard earned tax money in the form of grants or loans... all because they don't have a white penis...

Screw 'em... I got here without their aid, and I will eventually rule the world without their aid as well... HEHEHE....

"The Angry White Man is not a metrosexual, a homosexual or a victim. Nobody like him drowned in Hurricane Katrina — he got his people together and got the hell out, then went back in to rescue those too helpless and stupid to help themselves, often as a police officer, a National Guard soldier or a volunteer firefighter. "

Yep... screw waiting on the government to get me out... They mess up issuing a drivers lisence, and it takes them a month to let me know I am legally married... If they think I am waiting on their sorry asses to save me from a mother nature, they have another thing coming... Yet, I will happily go back in once I know my family is safe in order to help those who thought (half the problem right there) that the government cared about anything other than their votes (since they don't pay taxes, what else would the government want from them?)...

Personal responsibility and choices, or lack there of, make or break a person... Not what the government can do for a person... What ever happened to the "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" mentality of America? Trial lawyers, politicians and out right rats effectively killed that with entitlements and other beuracracies... the only people not affected... the angry white male...

"Women either love him or hate him, but they know he’s a man, not a dishrag. If they’re looking for someone to walk all over, they’ve got the wrong guy. He stands up straight, opens doors for women and says “Yes, sir” and “No, ma’am.”"

Yes sir...

Prayers,

Pisio

Fatherhood

I love being a father. I am not sure how people can deprive themselves of this incredible joy. It is so amazing to think that I played a small part in creating this beautiful little boy.  I guess that some people just know that parenting is not for them, and that is a good thing; I have respect for them.

 

However there is a group of males out there that I have no respect for... the sperm donors... Not the kind that go to the sperm bank, those who conceive a child with a woman, and then leave her to play both mother and father to the child. This is never how God intended things to do. God intended for us to be a family, reflecting the love that is the relationship of the Trinity. 

I am so thankful that God blessed me with the family He did. My mother and father showed my brother, sister and I what it was to be a family. Things were not perfect, but my dad loved and supported my mom and was the guardian of the family that God intended him to be. What an amazing example to have as a young man growing up. I hope that I am half the father he was. 

I realize that some of us were never that lucky. Fathers may have been alcoholics, or  abusive to their children, or their wives. Why? Why is it that men have forgotten their role as protectors and providers for their families? I really wish I could answer that... If I could think up a way to stop it all together I could become a very rich man. 

I guess that we should really not be surprised at the lack of responsibility shown as men, for our families and especially the women who are our companions... After all our original father, Adam, failed miserably at his role as protector of the family. Due to his lack of attention to his mission as guardian and provider the serpent was able to get close enough to tempt Eve. Had Adam been doing his job, the serpent would have been dead long before ever getting near his wife... 

Women... especially single women... I feel a little bit of pity for you... Working with young men, I see the choices you have as potential husbands and fathers, and I have to just shake my head... Where have all the good men gone? They have not been taught how to be men, and respect women... Perhaps the saddest part is women have come to expect that and they do not demand the respect that they truly deserve... You are worth it, despite what you may be told by your peers and the media... You deserve to be treated better.  If the guy is not going to treat you the way you want to be treated... he is not worth your time...

Somehow we went from fatherhood to here... Interesting... I love the way blogging just allows me to ramble and rant... Good Luck, and Good Night...

Prayers...

Pisio

Conservatism

Conservatism has been in the news a lot recently, and for the most part, those who call ourselves conservative have been getting some pretty bad press. I think what most people fail to realize is that in order to be a conservative, you have to put conservative principles before party. In a sense, that is my frustration with the current Republican party and their nominee for President, Juan Mexicain. 

Conservatives have built up the Republican Party since the time of Reagan. Now we are having to watch the party that our principles have built be torn apart by those who wish to put the party over the principles. Conservatism transcends Party. To those of you who call yourselves social conservatives, or fiscal conservatives, you are not conservative. 

When the moderate Republicans learn this, or Conservatives unite and form their own party the country will be in for a fundamental change similar to that we experienced under Reagan in the 1980's. Until then we can expect the rift in the Republican party to continue to grow. 

I can pick the party over the person, but I can not put the party before the principles.  McCain in my mind is not suited to lead this country. He has been a career politician, except of course for his military service, for his entire life. He is a Washington Insider who would rather work with those who would destroy the United States from within, than ally himself with those who understand what has made the United States great. 

No matter who is elected in November now, we have sealed our fate for the next four years. the country will move closer to socialism, and the new dependency created will ensure that we will never be able to even get back to the dismal state affairs that is today...

Sorry about the negative tone of this post, but I missed my meds...

God Have Mercy on the United States...

Prayers...

Pisio