Michael, as I said yesterday, I don't think we should talk to each other about these things anymore. You present some of the most unsubstantiated, inaccurate, irrelevant and opinionated and squishy data I have ever seen collected in one place, treat it as absolute truth, and then say "That's your answer to everything isn't it Christine. Just raise everyone's taxes and spend more money, and all our problems will be solved?? In case you haven't noticed, it hasn't been working".
Not only is that putting words in my mouth--I have said that everyone has problems at some level with the WAY tax dollars are spent, but never advocated solving problems by throwing more tax dollars at them--but this discussion is just not going anywhere, simply causing friction and bad feelings. I really like to discuss social issues because I think they are interesting and important, but as I pointed out to you yesterday, it can be a waste of time if each person's underlying most important feeling isn't identified.
As I said, your main problem with the environment and social problems seems to be tax issues. Do you take a mortgage tax exemption? One of the things I think it is important to remember is that welfare is not just for the poor and homeless--each society decides which people will benefit from its tax structure, and in America the mortgage tax exemption is middle class welfare, a gift! There is no inherent natural law which says that mortgage interest should not be taxed.
I see homeless people living all over San Francisco. I don't really care exactly how many there are, or who caused the problem. I think it's quite complex. I would just like to figure out how to solve it!! We have such great wealth in this country, and so much intelligence and creativity, that it seems like there should be some solutions. I personally have advocated work camps, where the homeless pay their own way by working, and are given healthy food and shelter and treatment for substance addiction in return. I would say that this is less expensive in a taxation sense than general assistance, which is several hundred dollars a month in San Francisco, paid by tax dollars.
Anyway, Michael, I don't really like being accused of positions I don't even have. I still think we should just stop talking about this stuff. |
