"Sacrifice" This!

Democrats may be posturing on proposed tax increases
By Steven Harmon
MercuryNews.com

In a letter, Democratic state Party Chairman John Burton thanked Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, and Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, for "pushing back against the governor's plans to eviscerate state programs that protect the poor, the elderly, people with disabilities and students," and he applauded their efforts to "share the sacrifice" with taxes.

Hillary Backs Rangel Tax, Calls For Sacrifice
From the transcript of last night’s Democrat debate (October 30), via MSNBC:
From Sweetness & Light

Russert: You went to Harlem with your husband, with Charlie Rangel. And the former president said, quote, “Charlie Rangel wants me to pay more taxes so you can pay less and I think that’s a good idea.”

Clinton: You know, we’ve not been asked to sacrifice anything. You know, young men and women wearing the uniform of our country are dying and being maimed. We have the average American family losing a thousand dollars in income, and George Bush and his cronies can’t figure out how they can give even more tax cuts to the wealthiest of Americans.

You know I can't stand Progressive's changing our vocabulary. (One would say calling socialists something like Progressive is changing it, but I believe that a Progressive is a precise way of saying someone who would progressively lead our country (bit by bit) into socialism). Many Progressives love to say that Americans need to sacrifice more in the way of taxes. People like Cindy Sheehan would say that Bush sacrificed her son for an immoral war. I think we need to clarify the difference between sacrifice and service.

Sacrifice can be most easily described and exhibited by Jesus Christ. He was the ultimate sacrifice. He loves everyone and was willing to die to make men free. Not only die in the face of adversity, but die willingly. He could have spoken against His accusers, He could have gotten a pardon from Pontius Pilate.

When someone ENLISTS in the Armed Forces, they do so willingly. We do not have a draft. Our forces are voluntary. And they SERVE our country honorably. I found something interesting (yet it does come from Wikipedia so it should be true) about Cindy Sheehan's son, Casey:
"Near the end of his active service, the U.S. invasion of Iraq began. Sheehan re-enlisted, knowing that his unit would be sent there.[4] Sheehan's division, the First Cavalry Division, was sent to Iraq. On March 19, 2004, Sheehan's Battery C, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, arrived at FOB War Eagle in Sadr City. On April 4, 2004, Sheehan was killed in action after volunteering to be part of a Quick Reaction Force to rescue American troops."

I would venture to say that nobody sacrifices their life for the President or the country or the military. A sacrifice means you are willing die for your country even if you can get out of dying. The military doesn't work if its soldiers die. The ultimate goal of the military is to accomplish the mission and keep everyone alive. Cindy Sheehan is wrong. Her son did not sacrifice his life because of Bush. He sacrificed his life for his brothers. He re-enlisted, and volunteered to save his brothers; he died so his brothers could live. Cindy Sheehan does not get it. Her son didn't have to do what he did; but he did it anyway.

My favorite movie is Glory. I admit it, I get teary-eyed when I watch it. Captain Shaw didn't have to lead his regiment on a frontal assault of Fort Wagner, in fact he was told that his men were tired and shouldn't do it...his men were behind him all the way.

It is the sacrifice of one's life for his brother/friend that we honor.

So when Progressives call for us to "sacrifice" by paying more taxes I laugh. Because maybe they are truly talking about real sacrifice. If paying more taxes to give to the government plantation is me giving something up with control.... nope, taxes are not sacrifice. If they were we would have the option of paying them or not. Just like Jesus had the option of dying or not, like Casey Sheehan had the option of re-enlisting or not.

So...are paying taxes a sacrifice if it's forced? NO! Paying or donating time to a charity out of the kindness of our hearts IS. We need more of that and less government in our lives.

Socialism will come with a happy face :)