Joseph, Clinton, Keynes and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat.

[whyverne]

The right wing hated President Clinton. He raised taxes! Why would he do such a thing? Where would he get such an idea?

Well he may have thought that it was a good idea to raise taxes when the economy was strong. We could build up a surplus for when the economy wasn't strong. Then you could cut taxes and use the surplus.

Where did he get such an idea? Some might say from Keynes. Or you could say he got it from the Bible. When Joseph told Pharaoh, "Hey dude, what you should do is save grain from the good harvests so that you can use it during the bad harvests".

Pharaoh thought that was a good idea and put Joseph in charge of implementing it. The conservatives of that time probably hated it. They probably called it "a huge new government bureaucracy" and "governmental theft, stealing our grain for people who don't deserve it".

Maybe the right wing should read their bible instead of thumping it.

[ljm2002]

1. The word "liberal" appears in the Bible...

...always in a good sense, while the word "conservative" appears not at all. So -- assuming they actually do read the Bible -- the literalists should take heed:

(1) Proverbs 11: 24-26

24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

(2) Isaiah 32: 4-6

4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

(3) Isaiah 32: 7-9

7 The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.
9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.