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Shark Tank And The Federal Child Savings Plan
I'm consistently vexed by the perturbation headlines about Progressive policy proposals elicit among large segments of the news-consuming American public.
In my rather grim view of humanity, people aren't generally capable of altruism -- selflessness isn't our thing. We care first about self-preservation, second about protecting the interests of those closest to us and very little (if at all) about the well-being of anyone else.
Accordingly, I don't "blame" the wealthy and the rich for wanting
Surely you jest about being vexed. Propaganda machines have most people so crazy that they vote against their own financial interests almost every time. This is not a bug it’s a feature of successful propaganda.
You’ve written that length about financial propaganda, some seemingly focused on enriching the mouthpiece. But some I have to say is focused on confusing the masses into thinking that what is really good for them is bad for them.
I used to think that but, you got to admit the truth, eventually. Most people vote their values, not their economic interests.
Giving is never selfless though we convince ourselves otherwise. You want to feel good about yourself, give something away. You want to punish yourself, give something away. Altruism is a very nice concept to con ourselves with under the sun. A beneficial evolutionary con. Nothing grim about that in my opinion.
The pendulum of conformity has a long way to go before the middle class you speak of get slung off of their positions.
Makes you want to find a small island where you can create some seperation.
It’s pretty impressive to see so many people dedicated to the idea that the harder they beat themselves and theirs down the more virtuous they are. Economic Flagellants.
But definitely the most common refrain I got from people I considered friends who voted Trump was “I’m looking out for me and mine, no offense but if it hurts you and yours that’s your problem.” Basically saying I’d rather potentially save money on healthcare than allow your family to be treated fairly under the law and I’m not sorry about it because you’d do the same to me if you could. These people legitimately see community and government itself as a zero sum game and taking anyone else’s interests into consideration as immoral. This is a failure of basic human instinct. Humans are innately cooperative which is fundamentally not zero sum.
Add them together and it’s a pretty toxic sludge, vote against your interests AND your neighbors all while thinking somehow you’re winning because abortion may become illegal. Political suicide bombers engaged in Jihad.
This proposal is not an expense. It’s an investment with a long-term return. Unlike tax credits for parents of dependent children, it can’t be used to buy a new boat or to take a trip to Las Vegas. Much can be explained about our policies toward children by the fact that they can’t vote while their parents can.
whatever it takes for people of particularly “red” US states, but also the “blue” states to entertain and adopt the notion that government by the people for the people is really on their side, a seemingly self evident principle so distressingly removed from our collective awareness at this point in time and history…