April 12, 2010

Progressive Math

I got this forward in my email box today:

FW: Cash for Clunker Math

Our government at work.

A clunker that travels 12,000 miles a year at 15 mpg uses 800 gallons of gas a year.

A vehicle that travels 12,000 miles a year at 25 mpg uses 480 gallons a year.

So, the average Cash for Clunkers transaction will reduce an individual’s gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.

They claim the program turned 700,000 vehicles so that's 224 million gallons saved per year.

That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil.

5 million barrels is about 5 hours worth of US consumption.

More importantly, 5 million barrels of oil at $70 per barrel costs about $350 million dollars.

So, the government paid $3 billion of our tax dollars to save $350 million.

Which means they spent $8.57 for every dollar saved.

I'm pretty sure they’ll do a great job with health care though...


Progressive Logic: Don't question us. The government knows best.

April 09, 2010

Work Ethic

Last night Keith Olbermann was ranting the usual rant about Glenn Beck being dangerous and fake. The usual Beck-doesn't-believe-anything-he-says-he-just-cares-about-making-more-money tirade. Olbermann then said that if Glenn Beck was such a capitalist and really thought Obama was such a socialist, then why would Beck continue to do what he's doing and make all that money if the government is going to take such a high percentage of what he earns?

Progressive Logic: Personal integrity means nothing. There is no point in working hard if you don't have to. The rich should be taxed, and if they don't like it, then they shouldn't work so hard.

April 07, 2010

Love Thy Neighbor.

Progressive: "Don't you describe yourself as Christian?"

Me: "Yes"

Progressive: "Didn't Jesus say 'Love thy neighbor'? How can you be against taxing the rich to give to the people that need it, if you are supposed to 'love thy neighbor'?

Me: "'Love thy neighbor' does not mean force one neighbor to give up their money to a government, so a government can decide where to put that money. Love thy neighbor means helping your neighbor, be it with love, support, food, money, charity, prayer, strength, a shoulder to lean on, etc. Taxing me does not equal my love."

Progressive: "Well, I'd pay more taxes for you. Wouldn't you pay more taxes for me?"

Me: "I'd help you if you needed it, but I would not give money to the government to give to you, no. If you want to pay more taxes for people you think need it, send more money to the government voluntarily every year on April 15th. No one is stopping you from sending more money."

Progressive: "How can you be so harsh? How did you get like this at such a young age?"

Me: "I'm not harsh, I'm realistic. Loving thy neighbor does not mean force me to pay more money so a third party can figure out if and how much my neighbor needs."

Progressive logic: Paying taxes is the good and humane thing to do. You do not care about others if you don't want to pay taxes. Giving help and/or money directly to your neighbor isn't as good as giving it to the government to give to your neighbor.

April 02, 2010

Force vs. Freedom

From a Progressive Logic reader in California:

Have you ever noticed how certain words seem to circulate when a liberal speaks? The same thing happens when a conservative speaks, but the words are different. When a liberal speaks, pretty soon you will hear the words "force" and "allow". When a conservative speaks, pretty soon you will hear the words "freedom" and "responsibility". And, have you ever noticed that pretty soon after you hear the words "force" and "allow", you will hear words involving money and "sacrifice"?

Progressive Logic: Freedom and Liberty only apply to the minorities, poor, sick, mentally ill, handicapped and undocumented portions of the population. Those who are not minorities, poor, sick, mentally ill, handicapped or undocumented should be forced to sacrifice and give their money to the people progressives think should have it. It's about weakening the strong, not about strengthening the weak.

April 01, 2010

It's about winning and losing.

The night Obama got elected an old friend of mine was going on and on about how America was now saved. All the jobs are going to magically come back, because Obama was going to repeal the evil Bush tax cuts for businesses going overseas, and instead was going to raise their taxes so those awful businesses will be forced to bring jobs back here. I said that the reason jobs are going overseas is because of the cost of labor, and Obama said that he wanted to raise the minimum wage. My progressive friend said "Well, this is a time to come together and be one country and support each other. Some people are such sore losers, its unbelievable."

Progressive Logic: Elections in America are about winning and losing, not about the Constitution or freedom or liberty or what is good for the country. When you realize you are wrong, quickly change the subject to how insensitive and heartless the other person is. If that doesn't work, make sure they know that they lost and you won in the last election.

March 31, 2010

The Government is Health Care Houdini

From Anonymous, California:

About a year ago, friend of mine got something stuck in her eye that kept getting worse so she went to the emergency room. After complaining that she was late for work, she said "It took six hours to get my eye looked at in the ER. We need some serious health care reform in this country people!"

Progressive Logic: Government intrusion in the heath care system means no more waiting to see a doctor.

March 30, 2010

Gender Equality

From Anonymous, California:

I was talking to a woman who claims to be an Independent. As we talked, I told her all the reasons why I was against a certain female Senator being re-elected in our state. She agreed with all of my reasons. Then she voted for the woman because, "I voted for a man in another office so I had to vote for her to balance things a little."

Progressive Logic: Gender equality trumps policy.