As is common during an election year, television viewers see many political ads aired during prime time. This is especially true for Floridians since we are a swing state. I dislike these ads tremendously, but after watching a new one last night, I have developed a deep hatred for them.
The ad that spawned this deep hatred was the "I am Joe the plumber ad." Basically the ad was stating that we as Americans should be able to keep the money we make, not share it by paying more taxes to help those that are less fortunate. This ad was a direct attack on Obama's proposed tax increases for those making more than $250,000.
When did it become accepted to advertise being selfish? When did it become accepted to let your fellow man fall into the depths of society without a way out? If we do not offer help in the form of tax supported initiatives many of our citizens will be left behind. Is this the way to raise up a country?
24 comments:
I think that selfishness is advertised because it is human nature to want to succeed at the expense of your neighbor. People are naturally greedy, which is how wars are started (the want for land, money, etc). There are some aspects of Obama's economic policies that I am not fond of, such as the regulations proposed towards the free-market. However the United States has not been quite economically succesful the past eight years. I stongly oppose socialism, but today it seems that a socialist-based economy is possibly the only way out of the recession. The amount of money wasted in five days of war in Iraq is enough to eliminate illiteracy worldwide. Just one second of war is over double what the the US spends on education per child, per year. I think that without such an enormous amount of money wasted on fighting, along with taxes imposed on large corporations that hire workers internationally for less-than-minimum wage and little or no benefits, the market would not be in stagnation as it is today. The attack ads by the candidates only reveal that neither Obama nor McCain has the credentials to effectively run the country. Rather than electing who should be president, we're electing the guy that is less worst.
Wanting to succeed is one thing. Watching everyone else around you suffer is inexcusable. I don't believe it is human nature to want to succeed at the expense of others. I know I'm not like that and I know many others who feel the same way. Your success and other people's misery are not mutually exclusive or symbiotic. Even if they were, you can be successful and still help others. Apparently, we've lost sight of that. However, no President is going to be able to change the way we are. We are the only ones who can do it.
I think that we advertise selfishness simply because it is in our nature to thrive and to succeed, regardless of what might happen to our peers. It is because of this selfishness that many would disagree to increase taxes to have to help those who have nothing to give. Many people simply don't approve of this, and would argue that they shouldn't have to pay for someone with a lower economic status, when they earned that money through hard work and dedication.
However, I do agree that this is probably the best way to help this country, at its current state, to raise itself up, given that the amount of money wasted daily is ridiculously high, mostly due to the war.
It seems as though the advertisement was made because America is suffering from great economic crisis. The advertisement is only reaching out to the inner self, the part of you that is greedy because of human nature. It is unacceptable, yet it isn't inexcusable. In such hard time it is every man for themselves but that is not the right mind set of a country. Our name "United States" says a lot about America and if we want America to rise up to greater a standard, that is not the right message to send out to the people. It's the wrong way to raise a country.
Greediness became acceptable when our founding fathers designed a system of government where the instruments of wealth are available to all.
Would it be farfetched to say that spending hundreds of millions of dollars to win a job that pays $400,000 a year is an act of greed, waste or both? I, for one, think that money could have been put to a better use.
Unfortunately Obama's and McCain's paln for the economic crisis are garbage. You cannot tax one class in the economy because it just ends up just hurting the entire economy. If you tax the rich then the rich stop buying, then the poor who produce it dont make any money, and then the middle class has nothing to buy. There needs to be an alternative route, I personally think we should just follow what Franklin Roosevelt did when the depression hit.
I believe that people are naturally selfish and want more for themselves. Right now our country is suffering from a great economic crisis. If people can look past their own personal gain and think of those that are less fortunate than themselves and are in need of help then not only will they be helping their fellow citizens but our country as a whole.
I think it's right and wrong. The reason why I say it's right is because, let's say you make $250,000 a year that you worked so hard for and worked every day and worked your tail off, Obama is saying he wants to now tax you 40% of your earning which means thats $100,000 taken out of your pay check. Now that means instead of making $250,000 a year your only netting $150,000 a year which sounds like a lot, but wouldn't you rather have at least $200,000. Now everyone wants a millions dollars, so let's say you get million dollars your only going to end up with $600,000 that means the government took way $400,000 from you. The reason why I say it's wrong is because this is your country were basically one big family and if you let one person die your going to end up letting the rest die.
I believe a great movie documents your hatred towards our corrupt-to-the-core political system. This movie would be "Swing Vote," because it documents how such atrocities can occur. The movie leaves many people, rightfully so, that political candidates will ignore their own party and political identity, just to get the vote. My question to everybody is what can we do about it? I say shun these candidates by voting for the one that doesn't slander, or at least form online blogging unions to spread the word against this atrocity.
Tina,
Your assertions that (additional) tax supported initiatives are the only way to help the indigent effectively, and that not wanting to be taxed higher than you already are to help the poor more than you already are equates with selfishness have my head spinning.
“They proclaim that every man is entitled to exist without labor and, the laws of reality to the contrary notwithstanding, is entitled to receive his ‘minimum sustenance,’ his food, his clothes, his shelter, with no effort on his part, as his due and his birthright. To receive it, from whom?”
~Quote by Ayn Rand, philosopher and author
I once worked for an Executive Vice President who made about $160,000 per year. Our company held a United Way drive annually (as well as many other charitable activities). In his mail there was a request for $2,500 for the campaign. I assumed he would throw it out, but when he did not, and I questioned it, he explained that a certain level of contribution was ‘expected’ from him, his peers and his superiors. What came to my mind was how much I already knew that he contributed to his church (tithing ten percent), and how many of these charity contribution requests came to him throughout the year (many). Now I know he was under the level of $250,000, but his boss (making about $500,000 per year at that time) made higher contributions to all the same interests. Do you seriously believe it would be right for government to decide to increase their taxes, in effect, mandating their charitable contributions, and what do you think would happen to all their voluntary contributions if that tax was levied?
When you and everyone else who believes as you do think to yourselves that the rich should give more, do you stop to consider how much so many of them already give? How do you think all of the private schools exist? Not on tuition alone, believe me. How do you think many libraries, research centers, and wings of hospitals are built? Who do you think funds many of the scholarship programs?
For a moment, let us set aside those with true wealth and concentrate on the $250,000 to $350,000 level. Many small business owners fall into this category. Have we forgotten the “American Dream” that we can rise up from nothing to stand on our own two feet and succeed and maybe even attain a higher socioeconomic status from that in which we were raised? Do you really believe that while we give their businesses certain tax breaks (because we know success of small businesses is part of the backbone of our country) we should turn around and tax their profits higher, probably leading them to downsize their workforce, pushing more people into the system that need handouts…. Does this make sense to you?
If you look further than the ads, surely you will see that it is not only in our nature to strive to succeed and to create for ourselves, but it is also in most of our nature to give to others and to help them help themselves. We do this in communities, on personal levels, but most importantly, we do it because we want to – not because our government requires it.
“The idea that ‘the public interest’ supersedes private interests and rights can have but one meaning: that the interests and rights of some individuals take precedence over the interests and rights of others.” ~Quote by Ayn Rand, philosopher and author
(P.S. Thomas, you have a good head on your shoulders. Kudos to you for employing your own reasoning capabilities.)
The plan to tax people making over $250,000 a year is unfair in many ways, but mainly because those are the people who are providing jobs for other members of society. If the employers are not making enough revenue by the new tax increase that may or may not come, then it's a given that there will be less jobs available because the owners will have less resources! I'm not sure if the candidates have overlooked this issue of it they just don't want to discuss it with the public but I'm sure everyone realizes this, right?
I don't opposes political ads, but I do despise those meant to attack the other running candidate. I myself am Pro-Obama, but I too feel hate when the Obama campaign runs attack ads on campaign. Why can't they advertise their own abilities instead of attacking their opponents incompetence? Ads such as the 30 minute Obama ad, which for the most part, only viewed the situation that we are in and what he proposes for us to get out of it.
I think we advertise selfishness because it connects to our nature to strive over others. Nationalism in are country has gone down termendously which allows us to think singularly when we should be thinking about the whole. Our country is obviously not doing so well and to advertise somthing that would greater increase the lower and middle class is obsured. If we do not strive for the best together we wont go anywere.
Before I began to refute this comment(as a Republican) I actually watched the video on youtube. I hadn't seen this ad before. When I first read the comment, I thought, "As much as it is difficult for families with an income lower than $250,000 to pay taxes, it would be unfair to punish those who worked hard by raising their taxes and lowering poorer people's taxes.Joe the plumber has a legitimate point. He actually wants to try to build a plumbing business. With Obama's tax raises, Joe the plumber will have a harder time trying to do exactly what other poorer people should be trying to do. (I'm not saying there aren't other lower class citizens trying to build their success.) By babying the lower class, giving them money and openly condemning those who have worked hard, the lower class will then be under the impression that they don't have to work as hard to get where they need to be.
On the Schnitt show, a caller condemned the rich man for being so successful, 'I work just as hard for my money,' the caller (George) said, 'and I have four kids... and I can't afford to send them to college. Barrack Obama is going to help me do that and if that means taking money from the disgustingly filthy rich to give to me, then I'm okay with that.' He goes on to say that Obama will be elected whether Schnitt likes it or not because most of America thinks like him (well, even according to what we've discussed in class, most of America doesn't think). The taxes that tax-paying people adhere to now are fine. What we have now is fairer. Lower class citizens already have the opportunity to pay less taxes than the rich. Obama's plan is a bit selfish actually."
After the watching the video, I'm still firm with that same defense. I do not live in a financial situation that is "better off" "even if i do live in Weston," so my judgement is not biased. The tax as it stands is a fine one. It's actually a stretch from the actually "sharing" notion.
the call can be heard on youtube under "George the Caller"
As far as hating political ads i feel the same way. While these ads are about the issues they only show the negative sides of an opponnent's ideas. The issue with selfishness is one that will always be there. The people who are making more than $250,000 will argue that they have worked hard to earn their money, and while this may be true for some its not for all. What these people dont realize is that the government isn't raising their taxes just to take their money and hold on to it. They're doing it to help out the people who may be unable to to earn money for food and shelter. These ads advocate selfishness which is unfortunately common in these times. Hopefully those who are wealthy will prove to be generous and help those less fortunate.
I don't even want to get started with the topic of political ads and debates. To me, it's all ridiculous. Every morning I wake up to a new ad on the television telling how this president will do this and this president will do that. Both McCain and Obama have their pros and cons and will bring good and bad to this country.
I think it is wrong for Obama to make the higher class citizens pay more taxes then the middle and lower class. The higher class have worked extremely hard to get to where they are in the banks, and should not be punished because they have more money then most of us. Everyone should be treated equally, and have the same laws and rights as everyone else, no matter who you are.
I totally agree! OMG! I view these political ads (especially McCain's) way to offensive towards the other candidates. I too get upset after viewing several of these a day. I always thought that presidents were supposed to brag and boast about what they can and will do in their term, not go into attack mode with these ads and belittle the other candidates with blasphemous material. Presidents should stick to their own campeign from now on, unless you're McCain who should already feel like he's lost and is using evreything in hiss arsenal to sway voters.
True that, Mrs. Stoklosa. I totally agree with you on this. My parents watch a show on TV every night at 9 o'clock at night and every single commercial has to do with the elections. They drive me insane, I always complain to my parents about them and they always say "oh, it's because the election are coming up." Obviously it's because the elections are coming up! I do think that the McCaine commercial is selfish though and every time I see it I scream.
cchoulat,
I understand how much the wealthy give to our nation and I am thankful for it. I also understand how many tax breaks they receive with each donation. While some give because it is their desire to make the world a better place, others give because, in the long run, it is in their best financial interest.
As for the decline in "voluntary charitable contributions" that you feel will occur, if the contributions are in fact voluntary, the individuals that are contributing will continue to give, regardless of their tax increases. Yes, they will have to live with less, but if they truly feel passionate about giving to their cause, additional taxes are not going to stop them. And believe me, if I can comfortably live off of my measly salary, they will be able to live off of their depleted but still relatively large one.
I applaud your positive outlook of the world. But, I must disagree that it is not in most of our natures to give to others. Should it be? Of course. Which is my original point. Giving should not be reliant on how much you have or how much you don't have. The real problem is that many people do not choose to give at all.
It is interesting that you choose Rand's words in your post. Let me add more of her words:
"Man-every man-is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others; he must live for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself; he must work for his rational self-interest, with the achievement of his own happiness as the highest moral purpose of his life."
Very altruistic.
I have to completely agree with you on this topic. I think those ads do nothing for the way I am going to vote because I just view them as attacks on the opposing candidate. I wish that they wouldn't go to this level to make themselves look good, and in my eyes, these commercials just make themselves look bad as well since they are saying such negative things about someone else.
I will never understand the logic of people like him. Obama’s plan would lower his taxes…he would pay less taxes with Obama as president than he would with McCain. Anyways, this election brings out the ugly of people. As an American, I am extremely disappointed how selfish many people are. Instead of helping the majority, the rest just look upon themselves. I guess that shows why it is so great to be an American :(
I have to say that I to hate political ads with a passion. The way they twist words and actions of politicians make me sick. They think that these ads, while hurting the other candidate, somehow make them appear brighter. Honestly it makes me sick. Especially pertaining to the one you were talking about, I can't believe that peoplehave a problem with helping the poor in their own homeland. Anyways, Im just happy the election is over and no more political ads for another 4 years.
Many people think that just because everyone else is being selfish it would be totally acceptable for them to be blatently rude to others and not give them the time of day. This mindset is definitely corrupt. I could never understand how one person could want to win an election so badly that they would go to such measures as to utter slander against their opponent, many of things which are not even true. Words are twisted and people are humiliated and I think that as Americans we should be more civil with each other. If we want to grow and prosper as a country we are going to need to learn to work together and to be elected fairly, not by putting down the other candidate.
Society itself has become more selfish as a whole. I myself don’t enjoy the ads that they display especially because they are extremely bias and are usually only ten percent true. Unfortunately, people are extremely selfish and as the latest ad shows, people only care about protecting and increasing their own money at the expense of others. It is only fair for people that make more money to pay more taxes. Although, fairness is hardly in anyone’s vocabulary anymore. Taxes are the only way to help the general public and people must understand that the world does not revolve around them.
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