(Community Matters) In a conversation with a friend, we wandered into discussing politics. This friend isn’t especially political but he was/is a supporter of GWB. Started out by telling me he wasn’t going to apologize for Bush (knew that I’d been calling for this). Admittedly, that was a little bit embarrassing. Guess I can ask for an apology abstractly but not in person.
It was a friendly conversation and has left me thinking. My friend believes that by raising his taxes (one could comfortably presume he’s in the upper tax bracket – probably making $500k to $1mm per year), it’ll hurt the rest of society more than him. They’re simply likely to reduce what they spend, and that’ll hurt others more. This is a valid and interesting perspective.
The philosophical discussion about entitlements and accountability became a wee more sensitive, though we were ginger and further explained ourselves without challenging each other too much. My focus on the lower and middle class prompted the question of “what about me & mine.” Of course, that’s most folks’ perspectives. And, I could have been more ginger than answering that was not my concern (even while acknowledging nor were Steven & I my concern – what I meant is the friend & his family, Steven & me (our family) are blessed with resources, demand for our intellectual capital & time and will be fine – even if taxes are raised to Clinton-era levels). I explained my perspective that the lack of upward mobility for the middle class, deteriorating public education, crumbling infrastructure and a tenuous economic system are bigger threats to affluent Americans than modest increases in taxes.
Anyhow, I enjoyed my conversation with this friend. I also realized I am not in practice discussing these issues with those opposed philosophically. Good gosh, have I mostly been staying in the tribe? That’s not a good thing.
Community Matters 