Dogma-driven reality

It often amazes me the ability of the human mind to create its own reality. A set of beliefs, once established, rarely changes once an individual reaches an "adult" state. Every piece of information (for many) must be forced through the filter of dogma that takes the place of independent thought. Trying to convince such an individual that there may be different interpretation is a frustrating and futile exercise.

The other day I found myself "discussing" tax policy with the Gorn ("why?" you ask. Because I'm a fool). Now generally self-avowed "conservatives" dislike taxes. So I brought up the Earned-Income tax credit. Normally, you'd think that this is something conservatives would like; it's a tax break for a portion of the population. Well, as I learned, you'd be wrong.

See... Apparently tax breaks are a good thing, but only if they benefit the wealthy, whereas the EIC benefits the poorest segment of the population. I "learned" that this policy is bad because (according to the Gorn), "poor people will have more children to cheat on their taxes."

I decided (wisely, I think) to walk away and not engage this further, however I feel the need to deconstruct this concept. This classic form of doublethink can be understood in several ways.

First of all, you must make the assumption that all individuals act within pure self-interest. Secondly you must assume that all individuals are essentially the same in their approach to dealing with their finances.

For example, (according to this worldview) since the wealthy plan ahead with a keen eye on the bottom line, so must everyone else. In other words, because people are fully in command of themselves at all times, they will quickly figure out loopholes to take advantage of "giveaways." (After all, the wealthy do, why shouldn't those on the lower end of the income/wealth scale?)

This is a classic American conservative construction. All actions and consequences are tied directly to the individual. If rich people are rich because they choose to be, then poor people are also poor because they choose to be. This is a lifestyle they have apparently "chosen" with all the foresight and planning that all individuals have. If we return to the Earned Income Tax credit, then following these assumptions, the poor plan years ahead to get a discount on their taxes.

Why, then, since conservatives seem to have no trouble with tax cuts for the wealthy, do they dislike tax cuts for others? Quite simply, this is because they see the poor as a conscious criminal drain on society, and that the wealthy provide something for the rest of the population; wealth creates wealth. When you provide a tax cut to the wealthy, this (theoretically) provides them with more money to create more jobs, because they have so much spare cash lying around. The poor just soak it up like a sponge.

The patent absurdity of this idea (or the idea that the poor don't choose their poverty, much less plan for tax-cuts) is completely lost on dogma-driven apostles of the conservative belief-system (read: religion). Even if one accepts the conservative faith that social welfare programs encourage corruption and cheating amongst the poor, it certainly does not follow that taxes would be an issue to them. More likely than not, those at the poorest end of the population do not think of taxes at all... they live more of a cash-based lifestyle. In reality the EIC is one of the few tax relief programs that really make sense; it provides relief (if only a small amount) to those individuals who really need it the most.

What constitutes the doublethink is a complete lack of empathic ability, or the ability to see things through another's eyes. If the wealthy plan for their taxes, then so does everyone else. If you didn't make enough money to pay as much as they do, then you are resented because you do not contribute into the national coffers (which, of course, the conservatives don't believe in anyway). If you don't figure it out you're stupid... if you do, you're corrupt.

Unless you are wealthy.