This email floors me. How do I respond--respectfully?

[raccoon]

My older sister, whom I knew was Republican but also has a conscience, sent me the following email:

"Well, the democrats are in power so get ready for tax and spend. Let's hope they don't take away OUR tax free dividends and don't raise capital gains."

So far, this is my response, which I haven't yet sent:

"I’m glad the Democrats control Congress now. The way it’s been for the past 6 years, the Bush administration has gotten everything they wanted. Now Congress can put the brakes on some of that.

I don’t see how you can say the Democrats are tax & spend. The Bush administration has beat every previous administration for their spending."

Maybe I'll just let it go at that.

[TNDemo]

1. You can tell her that because of the Repubs spending like

drunken sailors (McCain's words, I think) that her kids will be saddled with the worst taxes in history to try to pay our way out of it.

[NewJeffCT]

4. They don't spend like drunken sailors!

Sailors spend their own money! Bush & the Republicans spend our money.

[blue cat]

2. Ok

But you have to respond.

[Vox Acerbus]

3. I usually don't respond to immature baiting by sore losers...

Which is why my brother and I don't talk anymore, that's all he ever sends me. So now I spam filter his email.

[Nimrod2005]

5. Dividends are NOT tax free....Tax rate is at 15%.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. At least DEMS

try to pay for their spending.

I'd rather pay taxes, then give it to the Oil Companies.

[bigscott]

7. you're a better person than me

Ask her if she pays her bills or if she is just writing the phone company, the cable company, the mortgage company etc etc IOUs that her kids can pay off in 25-30 years. Ask her that. Ask he why it is better to get things and not pay for them, to borrow from people so you can have another TV or another pair of shoes, or kill 150,000 more iraqis.

Like I said, you're a better person than I am - I have no patience for these people who spew Puke talking points and refuse to think for themselves

[thoughtanarchist]

30. Not to mention...

the long term effects this insane deficit spending and corporate favoritism has on our economy, the value of the dollar, and wages.

[IdaBriggs]

8. Five million *MORE* people in poverty in the US since her party

took over, and *THIS* is her biggest concern? Your sister is a piece of shit, and you can tell her I said so.

You might respond something like this -- "I didn't know you cared so little for entry into heaven; its good to know that we can talk about how nice your dividends were at your funeral, and how you are so comfortable going to a place where you can work on your tan."

Matthew 19:24 (Whole Chapter)
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Mark 10:25 (Whole Chapter)
"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Luke 18:25 (Whole Chapter)
"Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

[raccoon]

22. Thanks, but she's not very religious.

That's interesting that 3 of the gospels have that quote.

[tanyev]

9. She prefers borrow and spend?

[blue sky at night]

10. When Bush took office there were.........

1500 pet "projects" we were funding, now there are 150,000....but we are the tax and spenders!! Folks like your sister, frankly need to get their facts straight. Send her three links: Democratic Underground, Buzzflash and Huffington Post, ask her to start learning the truth and get back to you in a few months. Oh, and by the way, a link to Air America Radio wouldn't hurt either. Ignorance is no excuse, so suggest she turn off the Television and Rush Limbaugh.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/

http://www.buzzflash.com/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

http://www.airamerica.com/

[pwb]

11. tell her its better than borrow and spend republicans

she probably thinks tax cuts are fair? so ask her if tax increases are fair?

[dipsydoodle]

12. Best just keep it

short 'n sweet. I think that otherwise you'll reach the point of a "what else did the Romans do for us" type of argument. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyDdwVsrZQA

[gully]

13. Does she prefer borrow and spend? An invasion of Syria?

I can't believe this is her most serious concern?

[NewJeffCT]

14. Is tax & spend worse than borrow & spend?

Um, Bush does have veto power, and the Democrats have nowhere close to a veto-proof majority. These Republicans seem to forget that piece of the Constitution... or, maybe they forgot most of it and just remember a few hazy things from their high school history classes?

But, it has been a Republic Congress that has taken record surpluses and turned them into gigantic deficits. Bush did not veto one spending bill in his first six years in office - including the bill that contained the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere."

It was a Republic Congress that passed Corporate Welfare bills for Big Oil, despite Big Oil turning record profits each of the last few years. Not to mention more Corporate Welfare for banking companies with the Bankruptcy Act. And, Big Pharma and Big Insurance got their Corporate Welfare (to the tune of over $100 billion) in the Medicare prescription drug plan. Meanwhile, millions have been dropped from the rolls of the insured while medical costs are skyrocketing.

Oh, and they passed the Millionaire's Welfare bill when they repealed the estate tax for those who had estates worth over $1 million.

[mrcheerful]

24. Facts like this do not work with the kool aid drinkers or libertarians for that matter

They believe that the rich earned the money and those that inherited their money are being double taxed by the estate tax. Your dealing with a mind set that made myth's a belief. Ever notice everyone of them believe the myth that everyone through hard work can become a member of the top 1% club? They also believe that they are self made people, they pulled themselves up out of poverty by their own boot straps. Nobody helped them get what they got, never mind the fact that somebody give them a break by hiring them in the first place, they believe they did their own hiring and got the job on their merits. They believe america is the land of opportunity and only the lazy don't make it out of the life they were born into.

Same with the tax and spend myth, they don't mind having to pay more taxes to give tax breaks to the rich because some day when their ship comes in they will reap those tax breaks too. Your dealing with the 49ers type thinking, they too will strike it rich in the gold Fields. I been dealing with one of these types, she's a self made gal who's husband started a water drilling business before she married him, so now shes important because she is raking in the dough. Never mind the fact that the only reason she's in the business is because she slept with the boss. It was through her hard work that she got out of poverty.

These people bought the Reagan lie hook, line and sinker. If it sounds reasonable they will believe anything anyone tells them until it goes against them.

[NewJeffCT]

28. There was a survey a few years back

That was posted here on DU that almost 20% of Americans think they are among the wealthiest 1%.

And, I'm sure she thinks her hard work got her where she is - though, it was seemingly her work in the bedroom that did it.

[kentuck]

15. $4 trillion more in debt in just 6 short years...

Our national debt doubled! Does she think that will never have to be paid back? That it will have no impact on future generations? That there is a free lunch? That money grows on trees?

[mondo joe]

16. "Tax and spend is no different than how you'd carry out your own finances

responsibly. It's called paying as you go, rather than building up a massive debt. You wouldn't tell anyone you know to handle their own finances by spending more than they earn, would you?"

[Coexist]

17. Here is my response to that drivel:

"Well, the democrats are in power so get ready for tax and spend. Let's hope they don't take away OUR tax free dividends and don't raise capital gains."

Tax-and-Spend sure seems better than Spend-and-Spend at this point. But face it, as much as we all love to support our troops, SOMEONE has to pay for this trillion-dollar war and the obscene profits made by Halli burton and their subsidiaries. Since the poor have gotten poorer, and their ranks have swelled, that leaves only four places to get the money:

1. Make the billionaires pay their fair share (and, btw, as millions were slipping below the poverty level, multi-millionaires fast became billionaires - so there are lots more of them to share the burden.)

2. Ignore it, just pay the interest, and let your children and grandchildren figure it out.

3. Cut our biggest expense, military spending - not a good idea, since Rumsfeld "streamlined" our military into a shell of its former self - we need to rebuild this - STAT!

4. Cut benefits for the elderly and needy children.

The Democrats plan will increase tax cuts for the middle class, and your property taxes will go down below heart-attack range.

I vote for requiring those who have more money than they could possibly spend in their lifetimes to ante up.

What is YOUR choice??

[silverlib]

18. I would use this that was posted here on DU by "The Wtich".

Dear dismayed conservatives:

I hereby make these promises to you.

We will protect your lives and livelihoods.

We will listen to and respect your beliefs.

We will never try to force you to change your religion, sexual orientation, or first language.

We will do our best to reduce the number of abortions in our country.

We will have no tolerance for corruption and cronyism, even in our own party.

ESPECIALLY in our own party.

We will never tell you that you are unpatriotic.

We will never tell you that your opinion doesn't count.

We will never waste your lives for power.

We will hold our leaders to a high ethical standard and when they succumb to lust for power, WE WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

If we forget this, please, please, please, remind us.

We need you to do this. You are America as much as we are.
Let's go.

[peaches2003]

19. She wants a response- DON'T give it to her

The BEST thing you can do is NOT to answer her at all. It will drive her crazy. You'll never change her mind anyway, so let her stew in her own venom and ignorance. Ignoring someone is the most hurtful thing one can do. Shows them they are not worth your time or effort.

We have learned this the hard way from our experience here in Georgia.

[lonestarnot]

20. bbbbbbbbbbwwwwwwwwwwa!

:rofl:

[baldguy]

21. Dividends & capitol gains are income you get from OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK

We should strive to make our tax system fair & moral. Eliminating capital gains taxes is neither.

[FormerDittoHead]

26. But don't you see that's double taxation?

Those working people already PAID taxes on THEIR labor!

It's not fair that OUR dividends and capital gains should be taxed too!

:sarcasm:

[koopie57]

23. tell her that the

dems will raise taxes to pay off our massive debt. I don't want your kids or mine paying it off and having it like an albatross for their entire lives. I don't like being in debt to China, Japan, Korea .. pretty near everyone. I'm not all that confident that I will not lose my job, become sick or injured. I mind that this country has become so money and greed oriented that we no longer see the poor, hungry, needy and we no longer feel compassion for them and feel the need to help them.

It is good that the dems raise taxes on the extremely wealthy and give more cuts to the middle class and poor. The wealthy are wealthy because of the working middle class. If everyone quite working, how long would the wealthy stay wealthy? It is time they realize they are not that great of a person, but a very lucky person to live in America with its hard working working class.

[Chorophyll]

25. I know she's your sister...

...but maybe there's a nice way that you can say, "sorry hon, but it's not all about YOU." Then you can point out some highlights from the long list of horrors the Bush Admin. has inflicted on humanity. Katrina comes to mind immediately -- the people on the Gulf Coast are Americans, right? What if some natural disaster happened in your sister's town?

[Dorian Gray]

27. Just tell her

that at least the Democrats have been known to raise the money that they spend, as opposed to Bush, who spends what he doesn't have.

[Kashka-Kat]

29. Does she understand that republicans still own the executive branch?

Veto power & all that?

Anyway I liked the way you phrased it, in terms of putting the brakes on... some republicans respond well to the concept of checks & balances, although some Ive known obviously mustve slept thru civics class.

[Lasher]

31. Republicans are the big spenders, not Democrats

The notion that Democrats spend more than Republicans is a myth. In your place I would reassure her with the facts that can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2671353&mesg_id=2671550

[DawgHouse]

32. I would just respond with what you've already written.

I have found it pointless to engage family members in serious debate about issues. They've been brainwashed. Your energy is better spent somewhere else.

[Minnesota_Lib]

33. People who can't afford to invest have to physically work for their income....

..dear sister, do you really believe that money that requires no real work (just lots of desposable income) should be tax free or taxed at a lower rate than wages that are actually earned through one's labor? Doesn't that cheapen American's work ethic as well as put the tax burden on those who can least afford it?

[lapfog_1]

34. better "tax and spend" rather than "borrow and spend"

don't you agree, sis?

anyway, that whole "tax and spend" hasn't been true for a generation... it's an old saw. Dems are for responsible fiscal policy. It may mean that taxes on those that make more than $400,000 a year will go up. But it will likely mean that thing like college tuition will become tax deductible. Your taxes, sis, are likely to stay the same or go down under a Democratic government.

------

That's what I would send her.