The chairman of The Steamboat Institute, Jennifer Schubert-Akin, last week issued a statement that commendably called for civil discourse to help heal our national wounds.
Sadly, she then proceeded to ignore her own advice.
Her statement went on to cite “massive tax hikes” as an example of “socialist policies.”
Therein lies the problem discouraging civil discourse, which she seeks to correct. That problem is labeling.
Tax hikes, or tax reductions, are economic issues. There may be good reasons for both, depending on the nation’s needs at the time.
But Democrats who might propose a tax hike are not socialists. Republicans who might seek to reduce them are not fascists.
Jennifer should express her reasons for opposing any tax hike without characterizing them with a “label.” Discuss the issue — do not just label those on the other side of the argument. Make your case, which is not done by inflammatory name calling.
Oh, and currently there is no specific tax hike proposed, nor any tax legislation even introduced in the Congress.
So all the civility she advocated was lost with her “labeling” as socialists those who might take some future action. Such continued practice will not help us heal.
James DeFrancia
Steamboat Springs
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January 12, 2021 at 10:00PM
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Letter: Civil discourse and The Steamboat Institute - Steamboat Pilot and Today
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