My rambling thoughts on Super Tuesday

My friends might describe me as a left wing, bleeding heart liberal. But unlike most of our elected democratic officials I don't think we should shrink from the word liberal and I certainly don't think that we should let conservatives turn it into a four letter word. Rather, I think we should embrace our proud liberal heritage because it is what makes this country great.

By liberalism I don't mean to say that we should squander money but I also do not buy into cliché conservative catch phrases like "Entitlement". We, as a country need and should take care of our own and if conservatives want to call this "entitlement" or any other hollow sound bite then go right ahead.

It has become very fashionable over the past decade to embrace Reaganomics and trickle-down theory as the only way to run this country. Time and time again we are told that the only way to help this country is to let the rich get even richer and then if we are lucky some of their loose coins may fall our way. Listen, I'm not saying I don't want to strike it rich too someday but whether I'm rich or poor it's my duty to help those around me and for that matter to participate in helping this country run by paying some taxes.

Do I like paying a large chunk of my hard earned money to Uncle Sam? No not really, but then again I don't care to be mugged while walking down the street, or to have my house burn down because there aren't any police or fire services available. The infrastructure of this country is what gives us the stability to pursue our dreams on a daily basis.

Conservatives seem to have forgotten this fact as they whine and moan about cutting taxes. It is exactly this form of rhetoric which has contributed to the deterioration of the physical infrastructure of this country. With our roads, bridges, telecommunications and power grid literally falling apart around us, how safe are we right here at home? It wouldn't take much effort for the "evil doers" to give us a one, two punch right where it hurts and this country would be up a creek without a paddle or bridge or anything else.

What might we have done with the money spent on Bush's war? We, as a country could have rebuilt our entire highway system, nationwide power grid and all the crumbling bridges across the country without any new taxes. Instead we have dug ourselves a mighty big hole and to be honest I'm not sure if that much will change once the democrats take back the White house. But I suppose anything has got to better than the current administration.

How depressing.