Friday, November 12, 2010
Phillips Rep. Curry Todd: Who's the Real Rat Here?
Posted by Betsy Phillips on Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Lind has this choice quote from Collierville Rep. Curry Todd up at Post Politics:
Todd goes on to say the issue remains, saying, “I don’t want to see any child not have care, but I feel they are abusing our system here because they know they can get these kids services, and the taxpayers in Tennessee are the ones having to pay for this, it's not them.” (emphasis mine)
Now, I realize this whole incident — starting with his remarks earlier this week comparing undocumented immigrant mothers-to-be to multiplying vermin — has proven that Todd's not a very thoughtful guy. But he's in the state legislature. Shouldn't he have some basic understanding of how our state works?
Does he not know we don't have an income tax?
If you buy things here in Tennessee, you are a taxpayer in Tennessee, regardless of your legal status. This idea that there are two discrete groups — taxpayers of Tennessee, and people whose residency gives them access to our services — is breathtakingly false.
Regardless of how you feel about the immigration issues, there's no need to lie. If you live here and you buy things, you are a taxpayer at the state level. And so you are indeed having to pay for programs.
To say otherwise either reveals a politician as incredibly stupid or a liar.
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