The Alabama Legislature, or more correctly, the Republicans in the Alabama House of Representatives, could not have been more clear.
Fairness is only for the wealthy.
About an hour ago the Alabama House Republicans, voting as a block, prevented the bill abolishing the sales tax on groceries from coming up for debate. That killed it. By one damn vote.
But don't worry. Those who make more than a couple of hundred thousand a year are safe. Their taxes won't be increased. They won't have to settle for a cheaper vacation destination, or a less prestigious college for their child, or a sensible vehicle.
And the poor? They have been having to deal with choices for years. Medicine or food. Rent or car payment. Child care or no care.
No one will have to change.
The Alabama Statehouse, where the legislature meets, is historically known as "Goat Hill."
And today they lived up to the name.
How perfect. See Matthew 25:31.
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How horribly sad and uncalled for. For those of us struggling to have health insurance, orange juice, laundry detergent and less-bald tires simultaneously, this is totally politics and selfishness on the part of our lawmakers. Tell them to live for ONE month on what I make in 6 months and they'll rethink their heartless decision.
ReplyDeleteActually, now that I think about it -- they probably wouldn't be able to afford their current grocery/food spending with what I make. Maybe then they'd want the tax abolished.
I wish they had passed this bill, but I do wonder why the authors of the bill didn't simply drop the tax increase on the wealthy out of the bill? If they had dropped that and focused only on trying to get the grocery tax eliminated it would have passed unanimously.
ReplyDeleteI hope they will rewrite the bill and make it only about eliminating the grocery tax.
Yes, it would be nice if we could do only what needs to be done. But the loss of revenue from doing away with the sales tax on groceries would affect the education trust fund, as well as other big interests. Sadly, any measure that crosses that line is doomed to certain failure, unless it provides a means to make up the loss of revenue.
ReplyDeleteThe present bill that was defeated is a compromise resulting from last year's effort. The tax deduction is still fully effective for individual's making less than one hundred thousand, and for households making less than two hundred thousand. Above that it is phased out.
I don't think it can be disputed that taxing food, especially for the poor, is immoral, wrong, evil.
And I don't like the idea of removing the deduction either.
But comparatively, which is the greater wrong?
I think the tax on food for the poor.
But who won the day?
The wealthy.
There is nothing new under the sun.
I think that the larger problem (bigger than any bill) is that no one in this state has ANY faith in state government right now. It is no secret that I am no fan of the federal government, but they are a shining example compared to the Alabama State government.
ReplyDeleteIt's gotten to the point where all of our first instincts are to say NO at the state level because of the incredible about of waste and corruption.
I think that the reality of what happened yesterday, at least for me, is that I don't want a tax increase on any group of people when I know that with correct management there is already enough money. Its really hard for me to feel like anyone needs to send more when we have Representatives giving themselves raises.
The State of Alabama is a shining example of government trying to live beyond its means. We steal from every trust fund we have to operate things that should be in the general fund and we give away incredible amounts of money to prop up a politician that 80% of his/her constituency can't even name.
I agree completely about the grocery tax and I think that it should have been eliminated. That said, when we make something a priority and name it as "evil" then we have to be prepared to accept what it means to live without it. It shouldn't mean that we simply shift it to another demographic. I don't accept the idea that this bill must be budget neutral. I'm great with putting the legislators in a room and telling them to hang tight in there until the can cut enough pork to make this work.
I probably should have just made this my own entry, but I got fired up :)
Thanks for your blog and tolerating my opinion. I enjoy reading it.
I feel your pain there Matt, and on your birthday to boot. I agree with your point that we have no confidence in state government. I really think that is why they get away with what they do. We have long ago lost any expectation, so we just let them be. A big mistake.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with leaving everything in the status quo is that the far greater injustice institutionalized by current law is the tax the poor pay on food. So in leaving things as they are we are saying its okay to continue an oppressive tax on the poor, but not okay to take a deduction away from the wealthy. I don't think I have ever seen a more clear example of doing the opposite of the literal words of Jesus. It is okay to continue to be unfair to the poor, but not okay to be unfair to the wealthy?
And where was the church? Even if one doesn't like the particular legislation, shouldn't the general principle of taxing food be a matter of concern for a follower of Jesus? The North Alabama Conference of the UMC was silent as far as I could tell.
Ours is supposed to be a participatory democracy, so Bob has a point. The government is us.
ReplyDelete