I hate my home state

[kellinator]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/07/01/tennessee.budget.ap/index.html

The people affected include several of my friends who attend Tennessee colleges, high-school classmates who were laid off from their teaching jobs this past spring, and my mother, a secretary for the Department of Children's Service, who has been laid off this week.

I am so livid. Tennesseans in general are too fucking stupid to understand that they're paying one of the highest sales taxes in the nation, sales taxes are hardest on lower-income people, and an income tax, with a resulting reduction in the income tax, would probably save 90% of the rock-throwing horn-honking protesters outside the state capitol money. I was especially infuriated to hear they were screaming at college students demonstrating in favor of the income tax to "go get a job." Indicative of Tennessee's general attitude -- why work to improve yourself when you can drop out of high school, get a shitty job, and drink beer and watch UT thugball on the weekends?

Even worse, they're talking about booting the sales tax up to 9.25% (including food)until November, when voters will apparently vote on an income tax. Look, I believe in democracy, but it's obvious the voters are living in a never-never-land and don't understand what is necessary or even fair. Sometimes what's the best thing to do isn't the popular thing. Should we have had a referendum in the '60s to let the voters decide on integration? I think fucking not.

But then again, what do you expect from a state that spends millions to attract pro sports teams but next to nothing on education?

It's no fucking wonder Tennessee's such a joke -- and well on track to replacing Mississippi and Arkansas as the national laughingstock.

Comments

Re: GRRRR

[dawneywawney.livejournal.com]

My husband works 2 jobs and goes to school full time. I work, go to school, and take care of the baby. We still can't afford the insurance for ourselves. I only posted about us going to school to better ourselves because so many people want to cut us down thinking the only people that take government assistance are the people sitting on their asses. And we most certainly are not. I don't have a problem funding everyone's education - it's just that they're not wanting to fund ANY education. My classes are shut down effective Tuesday night.



Nope, you didn't know the whole situation.

Re: GRRRR

[noctifer.livejournal.com]

Ah, you're right, I appologise. You and your husband are very impressive in what you are doing, I wish you the best of luck - hopefully your state will try to support you through this (though that is very doubtful). :)