Quote Of The Day

From WSJ Letters:

"Regarding your editorial "Censors on Campus" (Jan. 18): Writing from the epicenter of progressive thought, San Francisco, I would call attention to the parallels of fascist Nazi Germany to its war on its "one percent," namely its Jews, to the progressive war on the American one percent, namely the "rich."

From the Occupy movement to the demonization of the rich embedded in virtually every word of our local newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, I perceive a rising tide of hatred of the successful one percent. There is outraged public reaction to the Google buses carrying technology workers from the city to the peninsula high-tech companies which employ them. We have outrage over the rising real-estate prices which these "techno geeks" can pay. We have, for example, libelous and cruel attacks in the Chronicle on our number-one celebrity, the author Danielle Steel, alleging that she is a "snob" despite the millions she has spent on our city's homeless and mentally ill over the past decades.

This is a very dangerous drift in our American thinking. Kristallnacht was unthinkable in 1930; is its descendent "progressive" radicalism unthinkable now?"

Venture investor Tom Perkins.

While I may disagree in parts (an organized killing spree similar to Kristallnacht is highly unlikely), I concur with the overall sentiment.

There is a disturbing trend and have been blogging about it from sometime. There's no question it comes more from the left and the likelihood of violence still more so to come from that side of the ideological equation. It has always been the case and won't likely change.

The problem is the President isn't helping matters at all with this constant and consistent divisive rhetoric. It will be interesting to hear his State of the Union Address tomorrow. Liberals are calling for a more muscular progressive agenda. It's already been intimated he will talk about moving "forward" with or without Congressional approval. Apparently roughly half the population that votes Republican or thinks along conservative lines means jack shit to him.

Not good.

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Quote from CNN article linked above:

"Moreover, through its tax policies, the US government picks winners and losers. For instance mortgage interest is deductible, rent is not. Hence the government gives preferential treatment to home owners. Investment income is taxed less than bank interest. The government gives preferential treatment to stock holders over savings accounts. Because the Government determines winners and losers in the tax game, a sense of fair play is lost.

A low flat tax without deductions would make a level playing field. At least all Americans would know that citizens and corporations are paying the same low rate. The government doesn't get to give preferential treatment to one group and everyone is contributing to rebuilding America."