With an attitude like that, your blog might be removed from his sidebar.

I've been de-Blued for a long time.

What is this guy smoking? He should realize govt is first and foremost about serving govt - then the public.

In addition, with such a decisive batch of "leaders" like Sam, Kitz and Mr Obama, it doesn't really stir up a lot of confidence.

But Japan is asking for VOLUNTEERS. When the government raises taxes, even for causes you consider worthy, they don't give you the choice to say "Well, this time I don't think I can make that sacrifice."

If this guy wants to voluntarily contribute more money, there's nothing holding him back. But since I'm a mom with children and I need my money for them, I think I won't be making that sacrifice. Am I any more selfish than the Japanese who aren't volunteering to work on the reactor?

Based on the results of the last election, I think many in America would disagree with him.

The idea of sacrifice is anathema to Americans. In the culture of whine and blame we are taught by the liberals that we have a right to services and we are taught by the conservatives that we do not need to pay for them. Ask to pay more and people sqeal that they have paid enough! When services fall short or lack of regulation allows a nuclear or financial meltdown we yell "where was the government!". It is always the other guy who needs to pay more, not us. And of course we can always blame government employees as a fall back if we cannot think of a better excuse on why we have let our society and infrastructure sink further down.

Michelle: not entirely so, on the sacrifice part: there is a whole group of people who get to opt out of tax increases, or, in some cases, taxes altogether.

If you have to wonder who that class is, then you aren't a part of it. And as a single mom, you're probably paying either more taxes or having to endure fewer services so they can have it.

"And that people who are happy to sacrifice more of their disposable income for the sake of others are heroes."
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When the kicker wars were all in the news, many thousands and millions of Oregon school teachers all donated, voluntarily, their kicker refund checks back to the Oregon Treasury. Billions of dollars of tax refunds were returned by selfless teachers, so much so that the Oregon Treasury had to hire hundreds more public servants to process all the money rolling in.

I can't remember where I read that story.... oh yeah, here is the url: www.inyourdreams.org/neverhappenedstory.html

Samuel--no, I'm not a single mom; I just didn't want to lump my husband in with my opinions. We're middle class, and as such we pay more taxes and endure fewer services than most.