[MD] Distinguishing Levels (Individual level)

[Case]

[Arlo]
Anticipating what you say below, I have argued many times for an abolition
of the income tax and a progressive consumption tax. The more you "take out"
(using Forbes' words), the more you "pay in". I have also argued that the
government, while it NEEDS to collect taxes, should not tax basic
commodities valued in the lowest 5% of the local market. All this does is
make the lowest priced goods more affordable to the poorer folk. And it
encourages ownership, and "thrift"!

As such, I have no problem with providing deductions to those who use solar
or alternative energies, or carpool, or bike, or or act in any number of
ways that makes the quality of MY life better. When more people use public
transit, it means MY air is better. And so if they get some tax dollars back
for that, all power to them. 

[Case]
We are in agreement here which is fine cause nothing is really going to
happen but I am concerned the even changes that I support can have
unintended consequences. For instance the income tax does make paying them
concrete, people notice the money is gone and get concerned where it is
going. I would favor shifting it all one onto business and letting them pass
it along to consumers. But I see the danger. Still, I do like shifting the
burden higher up the food chain. I mean who benefits most from public
services? I get roads and schools at a cop and fireman standing by but
WalMart gets a system to move its goods, an educated work force and security
to protect its investment on a much grander scale.

But these wacky flat tax and fair tax proposals are just, oh yeah wacky.
They people the taxes were intentionally designed to screw have let enough
water run under the bridge that no one even remembers. So not screaming
about things being "unfair" actually kind sound righteous.

[Arlo]
Agree.

[Case]
It strikes me that poor citizenship is our biggest problem. "Citizen" is
highest public office in this land. To be a "Citizen" is a matter of
personal honor and public duty A "Citizen" is educated, informed and
actively pursues the public interest as well as his own. A "Citizen" demands
respect for his personal rights but does not shirk his civic
responsibilities. I fear the title has been devalued and demeaned in modern
public discourse.

[Arlo]
Indeed, your "citizen" and my "Quality Principled Person" are quite akin. 

The devaluation of the term is just part and parcel of the idiotic Holy War
the Jesters have embarked on. For example, a citizen should be proud of his
heritage and country, but is not blindly obedient or unquestioningly
acritical of it. In the Holy War we are forced into two positions; Patriot
(an unquestioning and blind obedience to State) and Traitor (anyone who is
NOT unquestioning and blindly obedient). The Jesters paint any criticism of
the status quo as traitorous, using "red scare" McCarthyism to discredit and
smeer. Witness the whole current discussion. Because I have evidence
criticism over the quality of the land, air and water in my town, I warrant
only more insipid "commie, wacko, greenie" nonsense. I expect this, because
that's really all it ever is with Platt, and it is often comical watching
him stumble around saying things like bicycling "is a wacko lib thing".

[Arlo]
Well, we are certainly "gradually" accepting many things, aren't we? I gave
the example of "bottled water" before, and it still blows my mind at how in
less than 20 years we've actually accepted this. Can you imagine going back
in time and saying in 1975, "in the future, the water will be so dirty that
you'll have to buy all your water in purified bottles"?

This is also the problem with air quality. If Platt's hometown suddenly had
the same air quality as LA did overnight, I wonder what his reaction would
be (other than to turn on the radio to find out if it was, indeed, a problem
or not). Many of us notice the drop in quality, and prefer to think about
making it better, rather than worrying about "whose Party" it is an issue
for.

In the end, all that matters is that me, you, everyone, has clean air, clean
water and unpolluted lands. Right?

[Case]
Actually I can remember being shocked when restaurants started charging for
coffee. But bottled water? Still doesn't work for me. That is what you were
supposed to drink to avoid getting Montezuma's Revenge when traveling in
Mexico. Now we have designer water. Like a product brand is going to make
something tasteless taste better, Puleez.

As far as the tree huggers go they have made enormous contributions to
public health. Where I live they used to burn old tires on freezing nights
to protect crops. I woke up many mornings with a nose full of black snot
from breathing it. Before the environmental movement a river caught fire. A
river, how does that happen? In his book, "We're Right, They're Wrong: A
Handbook for Spirited Progressives" James Carville lists some of the great
things that have resulted from "commie, wacko, greenie" nonsense. A better
environment is high on his list.

Somehow right wing spin doctors make this sound bad. Like good is bad and
bad is good. I guess like frogs; if it happens gradually enough, we just get
used to living in Bizarro World.