四十歲後，你要是還投民主黨的票，你是沒腦筋！
你終於離開了父母，到大學過獨立生活啦。校園自由的學術氣氛，使你覺得自己應該有一番作為。在你的學習生活中，你學到很多新東西，也看到很多不公平。因為教科書裏多數提到的都是美國曆史上的大公司壟斷、各種利益集團遊說國會、金融危機、大蕭條、種族隔離、性別歧視，你看到有錢人一擲千金，窮人一貧如洗，朱門酒肉臭，路有凍死骨。你覺得你有責任改變這一切。你積極參加各種公益活動，為窮人送衣送食，聲援各行業勞工團體對抗他們的上司和老板，聲討各式財閥和窮奢極欲的守財奴。你覺得自己行俠仗義替天行道，正盡努力一步一步地改變著這個社會不合理的方方麵麵，你為你自己的理想和行動感到偉大和自豪。
你努力學習，也努力打零工掙錢養活自己，你終於畢業了，有了一份不錯的工作，你也找到了一位誌同道合的伴侶，你們都有美好的理想，良好的教育，專業的工作，你們成家了，你們努力掙錢、省吃儉用，終於，你們搬進了自己的房子，或是有新車了，或是有輛體麵的歐洲車了，物質生活比你年輕時大大提高了。後來，你們也有了兩個調皮但可愛的孩子。你忽然發覺你對麵的大房子裏搬來了一個帶著三個孩子的單身母親，他們每個月都搞兩三次燒烤和派對，來派對的人的車把整個街道的占滿了。你後來碰見那房子的房東（你原來的鄰居），原來她租住在你這鄰居家，說是這裏好學區，好讓孩子上好學校，原來她的房租是政府補貼的，她不用付錢，而且，她還有食物券，可以買肉和汽水開燒烤大會。她生活得輕鬆自在。
而你和你的配偶，很忙，很累，雖然兩人工資加起來超過十萬，但每個月還是捉襟見肘，很少有什麽娛樂和旅遊。你們倆十萬多點的收入，已經是美國平均家庭收入的兩倍，但你每年要付兩萬多讓人看倆孩子，五六千付汽油汽車保險維護，兩三萬利息付給銀行應付房貸和車貸，一萬多地稅保險和房子維護，兩三萬的聯邦稅，還有州所得稅，食物飲料、衣服鞋帽、水電煤氣、電視電話互聯網等等，一年下來，沒有盈餘。如果孩子有大的醫療支出，可能就得靠信用卡度日了。
不知不覺中，你已年過四十。你發現，政府職員的平均工資比地區平均工資高（西雅圖南的Tacoma市的政府職員平均工資是七萬多，當地平均家庭收入是五萬），更別提他們的福利可照顧全家的醫療和豐厚的退休金；你發現，因為不用付出（比如要定期義務勞動、不得擁有奢侈品等），很多領食品券和政府房租補貼的人寧願裝病扮窮也絕不去找工作；你發現，因為有政府補貼，那些單身媽媽不停地生孩子，而她們的男朋友像走馬燈似地換；你發現，很多行業勞工團體壟斷了其所在地區的行業（而不是資本家壟斷該行業）並隨時威脅罷工罷課罷市（芝加哥的教師剛舉行罷工，他們的待遇如何，你們都知道；西雅圖的垃圾工人工資連福利是九萬六，但他們還要罷工；多倫多的垃圾工會和公車工會讓當地居民人印象深刻）；你發現，雖然有很多人是非常需要政府或慈善機構的援助，但更多的人卻在濫用這些權益和福利，龐大的政府官僚機構和各種福利計劃正製造放縱和浪費。這些你年輕時非常同情並為之爭取權益的人，正在嗜食著你的收入，因為你相當一部分的工資都供養著他們。你年輕時非常痛恨老板和富人，認為他們傲慢貪婪、為富不仁。但你畢業後，兜兜轉轉工作過很多私人公司，你發現，大多數老板還是通情達理的，他們聰明、勤奮、節儉。正如你一樣，他們的財富的積累，很多都是勤勤懇懇兢兢業業一步一個腳印地慢慢積累起來的。
你發現，大多數生活富有的人，他們的生活態度是積極的，他們總是關注著世界的變化，不停地學習，勤懇地工作，更重要的是，他們有良好的自製力，非常知道自己該做什麽而不該做什麽，哪怕在他們最困難的時候，他們也從不抱怨，他們總是能找到改善自己和周圍環境的方法，最終脫離困境。而相當一部分人生活佶據的人，他們慵懶散漫，不思進取，放縱惡習。最突出的一點是，這些人總是抱怨這抱怨那，他們的生活態度永遠是這個世界為什麽總是讓他們不稱心。還有一點，當他們遇到困難時，總是希望有人立刻伸出援手而不是反省自身要多加努力。
你發現，北美這個以Anglo-Saxon文化為主導的社會，還是比較公平公正的，在這個地方，隻要你努力，還是有機會過上有尊嚴的生活的。你也是這樣從開著一輛三千圓的N手車上學，下課後趕忙到餐廳超市油站打工。到現在有一兩輛舒適的車子，一棟不大不小的房子，一個歡樂的家庭。這是你努力的結果。你在別人躺在沙發上吃著薯片喝著可樂看電視時，你或是在圖書館裏收集資料，你或是在餐廳超市油站忙活，你或是在辦公桌前絞盡腦汁 。你在別人千方百計想多領點政府福利時，你把精力投入在多找一份兼職，多掙一點外塊。
總之，你掙來的每一分錢，每一成就，都是你的心血、體能、智慧和時間的結晶。但現在有人不願意付出那麽多的努力來分享你這些辛辛苦苦積累而來的成果。他們憑什麽！因為他們有選票，但你和你的家人也有選票！那麽，用你自己的選票捍衛自己的財富吧！
Thanks for your comments, HCC.
I am neither a die hard Democrat nor a die hard Republican. As NightRider said, the two parties "do not differ that much". I only vote people who can bring more interest to me, my family, the region I live, the company I work...etc.
I am a die hard fan of John Locke and Adam Smith, I believe in "Social Contract" and "Invisible Hand". Actually, I am a swing voter, After I vote one party in the administration, I vote another party to congress. I prefer "Checks and Balances" because I, as an individual,am too weak to face "Majority Tyranny".
I hope everybody votes for their interest in stead of for their ideologies.
The data you show are interesting but I also concern other things when I vote. Thank you.
No, the stock market is not the sole reason, but as you pointed out -- it is a bench mark that shows how the economy is doing. Just when the blog owner spent so much time writing in generalities about how great the Republicans are, I would humbly point out that the Democrats have done a better job, at least since the last century, on economy. If you want to believe that the Democrats just happen to have hitchhiked from the Republicans' legacy, then, hey, I have some ocean front property in Arizona that I'd like to sell you (along with some "trickle down economics" textbooks on sale).
Oh and, the Democrats care about the average joe too, as the above article seems to have conceded. If those are not enough to convince an average voter that the blog owner's remarks are invalid, then, what can I say? Gullibility is what got the last Republican president elected.
謝謝指正，我已把卷該成券了。
Besides even if the stock market represent the sole reason for voting for someone, this is such a poor argument for favoring Democrats. Since there is a long lag between the effect of a policy being manifested and the establishment of the policy, your data may well support the very opposite of your intended thesis, that the Democrats always enjoy the fruit of good policies then wreck the economy and after the Republicans have corrected the Democrats follies and restored the economy .
If stock market is all the reason or the bench mark that is needed to decide your vote, maybe we should just let all the exchanges do the voting. It would have been so much more efficient and saved all that effort from the voters and saved all that campaign money.
If the stock market would be the bench mark, any stock market bubble would have been a great affirmation of the policies that are responsible for its occurrence. Is that what you are saying?
I agree with triStar's objection against the first half of the title. I did not get to say something similar. I never liked the first half of Churchill's original remark. It reads as if youths' hormone always wreaks havoc on their brains, and their passion always gets better of their rationality.
Unfortunately most American college humanities education tends to foster that tendency. It would be sad to wait till ones 40's to gain a brain. As for the main land Chinese education, one should count himself lucky in that system not having a brain at all.
...
標準普爾將民主黨與共和黨總統領導下股市行情、企業盈利以及經濟狀況進行了比較，並發現在民主黨總統入主白宮時，股市、企業與經濟都表現良好。自1901年以來，在民主黨總統任職期間，標準普爾500指數平均每年上漲12.1%，在共和黨總統任期，標準普爾500指數每年上漲5.1%。自1949年以來，民主黨總統領導下經濟增長速度每年為4.2%，共和黨為2.6%。自1936年以來，民主黨總統領導下企業盈利每年增長10.5%，共和黨為8.9%。
在奧巴馬任職期間，美國經濟狀況欠佳，但股市與企業盈利狀況很好，GDP增速僅為1%，但企業盈利每年增長51.8%，標準普爾每年上漲12.3%。
Zuckerman表示，“你可以將股市與經濟的穩定歸因於奧巴馬。對沖基金又開始賺錢了。”
see http://finance.sina.com/bg/economy/marketwatch/su/20121011/1616611671.html
Just as I commended enjoywater for his tolerance and generosity, I laude you for your courage to apologize for your mistake and take responsibility for your action. If I may make a suggestion, next time please do not heap scorn on somebody else' look as you did to the author even if you oppose his view. What does ones look have to do with his opinion or yours?
It's OK，take care and have a nice weekend.
If you're entitled to vote, it means you're an American and you should know something about American spirit. If you're not dumb, you should know how this country came into being -to guard people from a government that controls and grabs people.
隻讀你的標題，誤解了你，Sorry!同意你的新理解
I commend you for your tolerance and courage. Yes, I agree the environment of a person grew up in influences his judgement and behavior. However a person, brought up whether in Chinese or Anglo-Saxon culture, with not just a brain, but a normally developed prefrontal cortex which most other species either lack or underdevelop, should be responsible for his own actions and the concomitant consequences. The existence of big even tyrannical governments is exactly the product of large number of individuals surrendering their own judgement and power to other who they think are benevolent and of higher intelligence.
Moreover, there are many bullies on this site. They should be dealt with forcefully and put in their proper places not unlike how the bullies in school yards should be dealt with.
Thank you for your generous invitation. I sure will take up your offer and ring you up when I chance to visit Seattle, which I am embarrassed to admit that I have never set foot in. I would love nothing more than to traipse through the paradise!
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate!
As you know, the title of this essay is a U.S. version of the Churchill quote: If you are not a liberal at twenty you have no heart, if you are not a conservative at forty you have no brain.
For those people who did verbal insult, I do not blame them, because they grew up under a tyrannical government. They were educated, disciplined and trained by dictatorship, me too. Fortunately, I have gotten another education in the U.S. I learn both the best side of Chinese culture and Anglo-Saxon culture. Let us share another Winston Churchill quote:
Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
By the way, if you visit Seattle next time, call me, and I will show you the natural beauty of Pacific Northwest. It has snow mountains, glaciers, falls, lakes, islands, beaches…and even desert. Living here, you feel you are living in a paradise.
What's wrong with being selfish? Is that not basic characteristic of not only human but all living creatures? You are not selfish. Describe how you are not. Let's see what it looks like.
As for "shallow" and "narrow minded", can you elaborate?
Interesting comment. Your proposition is that the bigger the government is the better, and the more the government controls the better. Correct?
連這麽老生常談的一句話都不知道，還好意思攻擊別人。
寫點顯示你有腦子或者有良心的東西出來讓大家看看？別裝傻啊！
這是借鑒猶太人的經驗，72-78%的猶太人如今投民主黨，不僅僅是因為受教育程度高，而是從曆史的教訓著眼。
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_660b781001016x62.html
在如今的美國政治環境下，華人投共和黨本質上是被人賣了還幫忙數錢的性質。
Hahahaa, my God, you make me laugh. Perhaps you are not despicable, you are merely desperate and paranoid. I don't know what to say to you. Do you really not understand the author's "you" refers to himself? It looks like you need some remedial lessons in general verbal comprehension, not just in Chinese. Also author is paraphrasing Winston Churchill's remark 'If you are not a liberal at 20, you have no heart. If you are not Conservative by 40, you have no brain'. Surely it's too much to ask of you to know this, as you are already having trouble reading plain sentences. Maybe you really are brainless --- albeit not completely since at least you are so touchily self-conscious. :-D
Verbal insult is apparently the only thing you are capable of, as that is the only thing that comprises your comments. By the way, "despicable" is a word I used, and you parroted twice. Can't you at least show some creativity when you try to show off your only skill?
Bless you, have you been robbed recently?
...
or more precisely, in the last 4 years?
回複nightrider的評論:
你有眼無珠？不會讀樓主的題目是什麽？他開題就罵他人沒良心沒頭腦，他最少根筋，他最Despicable！！
你閉住你的Despicable嘴！
你有眼無珠？不會讀樓主的題目是什麽？他開題就罵他人沒良心沒頭腦，他最少根筋，他最Despicable！！
你閉住你的Despicable嘴！
What's your problem? What's your 德行 like, personal attacks? Despicable!
Obama did not start section 8 or food stamp. He magnified them.Worse, he started ObamaCare, another huge wealth redistribution scheme, government sponsored free lunch.Do you need anything worse?
Wait a minute, does Obama start section 8 and food stamp?
樓主長這德行，一看就是既沒良心又沒大腦的那種。