a man without a party
by Ari Holtz
Published: March 31, 2008
April is the cruelest month. So said T.S. Eliot, and so say those who receive a harsh bill from the tax man. Discovering that you owe large treasure to the IRS despite the diligent payment of quarterly estimated taxes throughout the year can rattle you to your very foundations. I speak of the pain of writing a large check to the government to settle an unforeseen debt, the grudging acceptance of a much depleted savings, and the anger at yet another bill to add to the pile in a grueling and treacherous economic environment.
What is such a soul to do, aside from finding a new accountant?
Vote Republican? Align himself with the party of low taxes and (supposedly) low government spending?
What, though, about other issues? What about abortion, stem cell research and moderate judges? What about the war, a new direction in foreign policy, and the promise of ethics and honesty within the executive branch? Can a man, should a man, value his wallet over his ideals, his bank account over national issues of great import?
The easy answer is no. Don’t be selfish. Value the good of the collective, the good of the nation, over the good of the individual. But, what if doing so leads to the inability to put a down payment on a first home? What if it makes you unable to contribute adequately to a retirement account? What if it means taking a second job in order to financially prepare for having children?
Thinking of such matters makes it far less easy to vote with your ideals than your wallet. Big picture issues, whether they be war, good governance or social policy, rarely affect our lives in daily, moment-to-moment ways. One’s bank account balance, however, affects just about every single significant life decision of every day.
But what if choosing a party that sides with the oil companies on global warming and the creationists against the scientists goes against all you hold dear?
So, okay, the solution to all of this shouldn’t be that complicated. Simply find a candidate who is moderate, represents the best, or at least the middle, of all worlds. Perhaps some combination of conservative fiscal policy and liberal social policy, or maybe just someone who can find common ground across many domains - taxes, social, foreign.
Which party, however, represents such a perspective? The foreign policy and social liberals are also the high tax, high spending liberals. Those who are conservative on Iraq, Iran and a woman’s right to choose are those who offer low tax rates.
Why? Why, why, why, why, why?
In this political dichotomy, where for some reason where you stand on the environment must be tied to where you stand on taxes, an individual of varied beliefs is left without a political homeland.
Sacrifice your financial security or sacrifice your soul.
Those are the choices.
And what awful ones they are.
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