So when did corruption get our government anyway?

pam · April 14, 2009, 10:33:25 PM

"At last I was granted permission to come to Washington and bring my friend Yellow Bull and our interpreter with me. I am glad I came. I have shaken hands with a good many friends, but there are some things I want to know which no one seems able to explain. I cannot understand how the Government sends a man out to fight us, as it did General Miles, and then breaks his word. Such a government has something wrong about it. I cannot understand why so many chiefs are allowed to talk so many different ways, and promise so many different things."

Chief Joseph said this in an address in DC in 1879.........This government did not become corrupt YESterday y'all. It did not become corrupt with the election of Barack Obama, or George Bush or Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan or Jimmy carter etc etc etc. The government started becoming corrupt the day the Revolution was over and people started thinkin about the money to be made and the power to be grabbed and started jockeying for position. The founding fathers had a grand dream but even it was started on the blood of the original people. Greed and an insatiable thirst for more has been the stone around the neck of this "dream" since the beginning. We learned absolutely nothing when you get right down to it. What is the difference between paying tribute to an elected Congress and president and paying tribute to a monarch? There IS no difference.
Why should I work and pay tribute(taxes) not for welfare, because I don't mind feeding women and kids, but for fancy state dinners of things I've never been able to AFFORD to eat on one of a zillion sets of gold and platinum rimmed china I've never been able to afford. On luxurious accomodations for foreign leaders who can afford to pay their OWN way. On cooks and maids and groundkeepers and chauffeurs and security guards and limousines and fleets of airplanes and helicopters....on retreats and everything ELSE politicians seem to think they are entitled to on my nickel. I seriously don't mind paying taxes to send some poor kid to the doctor or help a single mother get a better life or any of a hundred other (uhoh fixin to say a dirty word ) social programs. Yeah yeah I know there are people who abuse the system....I figure that's the price I pay to help the ones who NEED it. Which I guess is the answer that doin the same for the fat cats is PART of the price

Sure took the steam out of my own rant there didn't I LOL

In my opinion income tax is welfare for a whole class of already wealthy people who the founding fathers we are all so fond of thought should have to make their OWN living and serve in government because they wanted to improve the country not because they could make a killing doin it. Just think of all the things we could do with the money we spend on them.........

BUT....that's just my opinion and I'm sure y'all will tell me why I'm wrong LOL...ANNNNND that's why I don't think our country is fixin to go tits up

so y'all just go OOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM and it'll be better tomorrow.

Catwoman · April 15, 2009, 07:37:27 AM

;)LOL!

Diane Amberg · April 15, 2009, 08:54:26 AM

Governments have always had the potential for what many call corruption.....Others might just call it good business. The need for power is behind a lot of it. Many of the still extremely wealthy old moneyed families had a big time crook in there somewhere. In their own circles that was admired, and they didn't care what anyone else thought, because the "little people" didn't count. In some cases the wives were the social power and it was sometimes status to go out and do good while the men were making huge amounts of money and enjoying their Brandy and cigars at their exclusive club. Many of the social programs that seem to have gotten out of hand today were started by those wealthy women. Meat and fish market sanitation, public safe water and drinking fountains, and health sanatoriums for TB and such came from them. So some of that money did go for good. Some attitudes, I think, were left over from the British class system, which didn't break down until WWII. Even those chauffeurs, security guards and grounds keepers have jobs because of us. as far as making a killing? Even our old friend Ben Franklin wasn't above a little influence peddling. Didn't he have an exclusive contract to print money way back when? And "poor" is a relative term. Most poor people here aren't even on the same planet as poor people in India and Mexico. Sure, everyone would like to have "more." As for me, we have enough to be comfortable. I count my blessings every day. I'm thankful for what I do have and can have if I'm careful. I too would like to have our government be a better steward of our money. But the paid lobbyists are still at it and every state wants their share of that tax pie. Every state has projects that they need to have funded, only the really weird ones get any press. But to someone's state it must be important. Personally, I'd like to see more state government and less Federal government. This country is not at death's door and we must be careful not to create a self fulfilling prophecy with all the seeming anger out there. ( Pam, you have an interesting way of putting things sometimes but generally I agree with you.) I'm ready for a flat tax with no deductions of any kind. You buy, you pay, period.

Wilma · April 15, 2009, 08:58:52 AM

Well said, Diane. Couldn't have said it better myself and that means that I couldn't have said it better.

pam · April 15, 2009, 10:21:33 AM

Quote( Pam, you have an interesting way of putting things sometimes but generally I agree with you.)

lol

pam · April 15, 2009, 10:44:03 AM

I basically agree with you too Diane

What you said about poor is way true. Have you seen that commercial for that wholesale remodeling club place where the people are talkin about "the cabinets alone were gonna be 62000 dollars and we saved almost half by goin to such and such?" I mean seriously that is the poster child for the way the american perspective is out of whack to me. Then you see a show about some woman in Thailand cookin on an open fire with two pots to her name who is just excited she has company and makes them more welcome than they've ever been.

I'm happy with what I have too

sixdogsmom · April 15, 2009, 11:24:04 AM

Government has been corrupt from the beginning of time since it is made up of human beings. And we are a corrupt form of animal, always have been and always will be. Our form of government is the best in the world, and is filled with some hard working people as well as some total scumbags. Both are of many persuasions, some dems some repubs and some indep. The good news is that our forefathers designed this government as a self cleaning mechanism providing the people care to see how things are going. I agree with Diane and Pam also, and certainly enjoy reading both their postings that are full of good common sense. Keep up the good work ladies!

redcliffsw · April 15, 2009, 11:42:22 AM

Yankee Gen Sherman had in mind to teach the Southerns a lesson and next on his list was the Indians. He did it too.

I do not suppport a flat tax as it will provide a greater revenue source for the Feds and we ought to be limiting their
money supply - big time.

pam · April 15, 2009, 12:18:03 PM

Since they don't have a smilie on here for snortin in disgust just use your imagination that I'm doin it about Sherman LOL.

Wilma · April 15, 2009, 12:34:08 PM

I don't understand how taking tax money away from the government is going to help anyone. Without government we have no laws or a way to enforce them. Without laws we would all be back living in caves, the women doing all the work because the men have to spend their time protecting our lives. I like this way better. I will pay my taxes and accept all the help from government that I can get.