I have always been strong. Even though I am out of shape at the moment and a lot older than I used to be, I am still strong. It may be sexist of me to say this but I have always considered it my duty as a man to look out for those weaker than me. In any emergency I have ever been involved with, I have always considered it my responsibility to carry more than my share of the load. Maybe it is my way of showing gratitude for being blessed with the strength to do it or maybe it if my upbringing or maybe it is just a sense of fairness but I always try to carry more than my fair share of the load. I am proud of that. I think men in general are proud of that and I think society pressures men to take on that roll through the entertainment industry and social rewards and punishments. It is our custom and it is as American as baseball and apple pie.
What I do not understand is why there does not seem to be the same social pressure on the rich to take on more of the burdon in much the same way. Why is there all of this talk of shared sacrifice when over the last thirty years only one side (our side) has had to burdon the majority of the sacrifice?
Think about this, when everyone is talking about shared sacrifice and compromise... compare what they are offering to 1998. The worst case anyone is talking about for the republicans is going back to 1998's tax policy after twelve years of the biggest tax give-away in history. Compare that to the cuts in social security they want the poor and middle class to take. They get to have all of that money for twelve years that they swore would bring an economic jobs explosion (which actually lead to the greatest jobs implosion in history) and get to significantly alter social security, which they contribute a paltry percent of their income to, a benefits cut for the lower classes. Where are the mighty stewards of our country stepping up and saying they are (financially) stronger so they should bear the heavier load (Warren Buffet aside)? Where are all of those gun toting, misogynistic manly men who feel they are powerful enough to tell women what to do? They should be the first to step forward and say, "I got this, give me more burden to carry. I'm strong enough to handle more". Where are the financially strong who "Love America" and want to do everything in their power to help her be financially strong again?
I may not be financially as strong as many out there but I am strong enough to make a difference and I will accept more responsibility because that is what a real man does... Where are the republican "Real Men"? If there are any of them out there, I invite them to step up and start helping. I'll be the guy whose is out there bustin' my ass trying to get something done... feel free to join me.