For shame!

The Republicans did it. I can’t believe they did it. They saddled a bill increasing the minimum wage to a tax break for the rich. By beelzebub’s brazen balls, this is the most crass, craven bit of slimy political maneuvering I’ve witnessed in a long time. What it boils down to is that congress has voted itself NINE pay hikes in the last nine years, while at the same time the working poor have received NO pay increases. Yet, in order to allow the poor to get the minimum wage increase, the Republicans are insisting that the richest families in America (some of which are, of course, themselves) get yet another tax break.

I’m steamed. I honestly thought they were going to back down on this one once they realized just how greedy and ridiculous they looked. But I guess they don’t mind looking greedy and ridiculous, as long as their pockets are lined with our money.

Bah! I’m gonna write that bonehead Grassley – I bet he’s involved in this somehow. He’s been making a LOT of bad decisions lately. Maybe it’s time for him to come home and let someone else who actually cares about Iowa go do his job in the Senate. (Every time I write him, I get what amounts to the same form letter back. “I’m sorry you’re sane and have a valid opinion and want me to vote this way, but I’m going to vote the other way anyway.”) I wish he could come and visit my neighborhood for a few days, maybe stay at the Gospel Mission, eat at the Soup Kitchen, see the graffiti and the kids with the blank stares – maybe then he’d see what his attitudes are doing to Iowa.

We NEED to stop taking money from the poor and giving it to the rich. It just isn’t working. The Republicans have taken a record surplus and turned it into a record deficit in just six short years, and they show no signs of stopping. If I’d do that with my household finances, I’d be in a world of hurt by now. It’s criminally irresponsible.

Grrrrr…

In the Name of the Lord

I heard an athlete on television say something like “All glory goes to God.” That’s a fantastic attitude! Make sure you don’t get a big head, be humble… But I bet the athlete in question kept the money. I doubt he donated all his winnings from his victories to the church.

You know, that may actually be a good thing. This is just a thought, but I wonder what percentage of church expenditures goes to helping the needy versus evangelism. I bet churches spend more now on recruitment and retention than they did in the past, percentage-wise. I don’t mind donating money if it’s going to help people who are worse off than I, but I don’t want to give money to the church only to have it indirectly end up in a politician’s pocket.

I’d rather the athlete donate his money directly to a charity. Isn’t that sad?