<<...question the intelligence of anybody supporting Gore>>
I am a physician who has organized and worked with a bunch of docs who volunteer to give free medical care in evenings in the homeless shelters in the city of St. Louis. We have been at it eight years. The homeless have taught me and given me a lot over the years.
I voted for Al Gore. In other elections, I voted for some Republicans and some Democrats. Clearly there are issues on which Republicans are correct and Democrats are wrong, and vice versa. We all weigh the contradictions and make our choices. But here is the issue that outweighs the others, for me. Let me help you question and examine my intelligence.
On page 29 of the July 31, 2000 issue of Newsweek, Robert Altinger wrote that the U.S. is rapidly resembling a third world country. In 1976 the wealthiest 1% of the US owned 20% of the nation's wealth. In 1999 the top 1% owned 40% of the wealth. George W. Bush pretends to have a fair across-the-board tax cut. He lacks the integrity to be honest about his true intentions. His discussion of his "fairness" ignores that he does not cut the payroll taxes, which exceed the personal income taxes for the middle class. And in this context he also ignores his estate tax cuts that benefit the very wealthy. Bush did nothing to stop Texas from exempting themselves from the higher federal minimum wage-while nationally the minimum wage was over $5.00 per hour, in Texas it was still only $3.35 Ironically, Gore's targeted middle class cut, combined with removing 80% of the estate tax, while not changing the payroll taxes, works out to be fair to most everybody.
The wealthy people and our corporations are strong enough to share prosperity with the poor and the middle class. They can manage to deal with some inflation due to higher minimum wages. I wonder when George Bush and the Republicans will finally have enough--when the top 1% has 60% of the nation's wealth? 80%?
As to the issue of finding somebody with intelligence that is above question who support Al Gore, let me offer a couple of people:
Steve Kirsch, founder of Infoseek, noted philanthropist. Here is the background on the guy: skirsch.com and here is why he supports Gore: skirsch.com
Another is John Doerr, prominent venture capitalist. He has spent millions trying to improve public educations. He started a venture fund for innovative schools. He is a big Gore supporter. hbs.edu
Tom D |
