Islamic terrorists are not the only terrorists

Submitted by Joe Erwin (United States), Feb 28, 2008 at 07:49

I generally agree with Bruce, with a couple of quibbles.

Muslim extremists are not the only extremists who engage in violence,
including suicidal attacks. Christians, including both Catholics and
Protestants, have done so as well, and Christian-Muslim conflict
continues to rage in parts of Indonesia, for example, where extremists
engage in hateful and destructive practices. And think back on Northern
Ireland, the Balkans, and many other places.

While I'm sure you, Bruce, are a good steward of your income, and would
cheerfully contribute voluntarily to the common good, I do not share your
apparent faith that everyone is sufficiently altruisitic to make that work.
Not everyone is as fair minded as you and I. I would like to see the
government held accountable for its expenditures; for example, the
extraordinarily enormous borrowing and expenditure, much of it horrendously
wasteful and self-serving, on the current Iraq war. And what of the oil companies?
Should the oil companies not be fairly taxed on the enormous and unprecedented
profits they have made recently?

And if people pay into Social Security only on their first $100,000 of annual
income, how is that fair and equitable? Why should a public retirement
asfety net be jeopardized by a bunch of whining rich people? If the CEOs
and sports stars who have incomes over $500,000 per year paid their
fair share, the Social Security system tax rate could be reduced.

Oh well, why can we not all insist that the government work FOR US
and for the common good? Wasting trillions on unnecessary wars is
not good economic policy....

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