Freedom: Responsibilities & Costs

As 2011 ends and the War in Iraq draws to a close, I am reminded of the cost of freedom.


Many of us, fortunate enough to be US citizens,  have had relatives (grandfathers, fathers, uncles, siblings, children, or grandchildren)  who have paid the ultimate price to preserve the freedoms we inherited from our Founding Fathers. We stand in Arlington Cemetery, the United States Cemetery in Normandy, Gettysburg, the Memorial at Pearl Harbor, or facing the Vietnam War Memorial Wall, and we are overwhelmed by the the sacrifices made by our brothers and sisters to protect our freedoms.


Many of us who enjoy the freedoms of being U.S. citizens would like to think that we also would posses the honor and courage to put our lives on the line to protect those freedoms. And perhaps we would - let's hope so. On the other hand, most of us are not called upon to make that ultimate sacrifice; we are called on to make many smaller sacrifices. We are asked to:


1) preserve freedom by voting.
2) inform ourselves to vote intelligently.
3) "promote the general Welfare" (U.S. Constitution)
4) abide by the "rule of law" unless it contravenes our conscience. 
5) and, yes, pay our fair share of taxes!


Granted, it might be appealing to take all the benefits afforded by the United States of America, disappear into the wilderness of Montana, refuse to  pay taxes and hope that the rest of the country continues to make the sacrifices that freedom requires. But, as is apparent to most, freedom is not cheap. Somebody has to pay, and it would be best if we all paid our fair share. Unfortunately, there is a disturbing and predatory  attitude that says: "Screw the general welfare, I'm all about my welfare."


And that problem was exacerbated by the Edwards' Supreme Court ruling that multi-national corporations are persons, and they can use their wealth to influence the democratic process, while abdicating the corresponding responsibilities, and leaving the rest of us "persons" to carry the load to protect the freedoms for which so many of our relatives have sacrificed  their lives.


No matter how the oligarchs and their puppets in Congress try to frame the debate, there is no excuse for the super-wealthy and huge corporations to take advantage of the benefits of this country and not pay their fair share. In fact their behavior is despicable in light of all the blood that has been spilled to provide these very benefits.  


It's time for those who claim to be patriots to step forward and demand, as Warren Buffet has,  that his secretary does not have to pay a proportionally higher tax than he does.