Monday Morning Musings

1. Last night, the History Channel was showing raw footage of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. The little bit I watched was the evacuation of the towers after the planes hit. And it made me teary eyed and very sad. Not because of the attack. Not because of the innocent lives lost, although my heart still hurts for their loved ones.

It was the people who made me sad. The people - black, white, brown, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, atheist, female, male, young, old, Republican, Democrat, rich, poor, simple, smart - in those moments all differences melted away and they were simply helping each other.

Carrying those who couldn't walk, supporting those who could barely walk, holding those who were overcome with tears.

The terrorists only made that human bond stronger.

What happened to us since then?

2. I have an acquaintance who only votes Republican because "Democrats raise your taxes, Republicans lower them." Period. The END. Fingers in the ears, singing la-la-la. Will absolutely not discuss any other issues.

I may send this on to him. Last I figure he ain't making no where near 2.8 million a year.

I don't know how the rest of you are doing, but my paycheck looks like a loan shark gets it before I do. Between taxes, health and dental insurance, and the small amount I can afford to deduct out in the wildest of dreams that I may actually be able to retire, about 30% of my pay is gone. And I'm down in the lower end of income, where 68% of American workers are struggling along with me while the millionaires laugh all the way to the bank.

I don't think that multi-millionaires should have to pay exorbitant percentages in taxes, but they surely should be paying more of a percentage than I am. Warren Buffet pointed this out once. He did a survey of everyone working in his office and found that his receptionist paid a higher percentage in taxes on her salary than he paid on all his income.

I hope that the hard working, middle class and working class Republican voters out there will really look at these numbers and begin to realize how their party has sold them out with razzle-dazzle and scare tactics (I refer once again to a person I know who was convinced that if gays were allowed to be married, her pastor would be "forced by federal law" to marry in their church any gay couple who asked.) and tired old cliches.

I know I'm not better off now than I was just two years ago.

3. Apropos of nothing, this has bothered me for a long time, so I shall rant about it here. I am so sick and tired of people saying that liberals just want to pat criminals on the head, serve them milk and cookies and let them go scott free because the poor little criminal had a hard life.

This is untrue. I know of no liberal that believes this. What we do believe in is crime prevention. So if Johnnie commits a crime, try him, toss his butt in jail and make him do his time. But what about Johnnie's little brother Bobbie?

If we can understand social/economic/educational factors that led Johnnie to commit his crime, perhaps we can prevent Bobbie from committing a crime.

I truly do not understand what is wrong with that. Isn't preventing crime better (no victim), cheaper (no trials/incarceration to pay for) and more productive (a citizen who has a job instead of wasting away in jail)?

4. Dear Home Ec 101:

How do I keep my couch cushions from becoming squished and furry?