Shame and Loathing

I got my property tax bill a couple of weeks ago, and today I realized I have been simmering, subconsciously, about it.  It was lower than last year's bill.

That's right folks, government services are dying in South Carolina.  Government jobs frozen, salaries, ridiculously low to begin with, cut by forced furlough days and COLA a thing of the past.  Schools, libraries, police and fire fighters, roads and bridges (except for improvements paid for by federal stimulus money, which South Carolina's governor tried to refuse), all dying.

And my property taxes on my $125,000 home, WENT DOWN.

I am embarrassed, feel ashamed, want to send a check to at least make up the difference from last year.  But I am one of those government workers whose wages are lower than the legal definition of poverty.  And I wonder how it must feel to have a truly secure income, health care and a car with less than 100,000 miles, iPods and iPads, vacations without agonizing over cost, a tidy retirement savings...

How does it feel to have more than what you need, and see your property tax go down???

And then there are the middle income people, who have what they need, but don't feel too secure about it.  Capitalism unfettered, and republicans espousing Reagan's trickle-down fantasy have led us all to feel insecure and afraid.  So even though we still have what we need, maybe even a little more, we are the Tea Party society, demanding more for less, a government that should spend money on keeping others out of the country and law breakers in prison but NOT MY MONEY.  And not for your kids to go to school.  And not for your retirement.  And DEFINITELY not for your family's health care.

If you have a secure job, secure income, affordable health care, and you look at your tax bill and feel good that your republican leaders have cut your taxes, shame on you.