Republican Vs Democrat
February 28th, 2006 | by steve |A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and was very much in favor of the redistribution of wealth.
She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in and the occasional chat with her professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.
One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the addition of more government welfare programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.
He responded by asking how she was doing in school.
Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn’t even have time for a boyfriend and didn’t really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.
Her father listened and then asked, “How is your friend Audrey doing?”
She replied, “Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn’t even show up for classes because she is too hung over.”
Her wise father asked his daughter, “Why don’t you go to the Dean’s office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.”
The daughter, visibly shocked by her father’s suggestion, angrily fired back, “That wouldn’t be fair! I have worked really hard for my grades! I have invested a lot of time and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!
Her father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”
4 Responses to “Republican Vs Democrat”
By John Rogers on Mar 1, 2006 | Reply
I agree with the story until the last line: welcome the Republican Party.
In the modern Republican Party, Tom Delay would probably just put in earmark sying that Audrey’s grades should be considered just as good as the man’s daughter, and Audrey would get a cushy job with a consulting firm.
I can’t look at Republicans and say they represent fiscal conservatism anymore. Of course, the dems are even worse…
By icoman on Mar 1, 2006 | Reply
Thanks Steve but the example here doesn’t reflect reality. Sure, the wealthy pay more taxes than the poor and the middle class but are they paying an equal share of their income? The answer is, not even close. Those making between $30K and $150K a year, i.e. the majority of middle America, are paying 15% - 20% of their income in taxes. Those making over $500K a year are paying around 5% of their income. Actually, these percentages should be reversed when you consider the fact that the wealthy benefit more from the infrastructure that taxes serve to support.
A better example would be like ten people going to a restaurant to eat. One person eats practically all of the food and then claims that they should get a smaller check than everyone else. This is the inequality we see today because of the Republicans.
By steve on Mar 1, 2006 | Reply
$500,000 pays 5%? Where do you come up with that?
By Paul Watson, Cranky Brit on Mar 2, 2006 | Reply
Steve,
He probably means that those on high incomes typically hire accountats to prove that they’re not on high incomes. Legal tax avoidance through offshore trusts and payment in things other than cash is certainly a problem here in the UK. Cost us 2.5 billion last year.