Oct 18, 2004 By Susan Uhazie Camele 5 min read

Act One: The Rally As I drink my cup of coffee and read the Herald-Standard’s story about the Democratic gathering featuring actress Sharon Stone, I can’t help but be both amused and horrified. The politics of shame, embarrassment and exploitation is so in our faces. Here we have an accomplished Hollywood actress sharing her deepest feelings about the tax cut she received. It’s as if her dirty little secret is consuming her very being. Poor Sharon Stone – Not! Public confession is made of the stuff of reality television.

As she cleanses her soul, male lawmakers stand by and praise her efforts. Congressman Murtha even referenced her IQ score (controversial as that label is in some circles) as if to imply “See, she’s smart. If you want to be like her, vote like her.” When I read that Congressman Murtha paraded children on stage to emphasize a point, I couldn’t help but think, “Did these kids really understand and get it?” The answer is: Of course not. Another exploitation of the vulnerability of groups whose issues pull at the heartstrings of voters. And lawmakers know it. Believe me, this was carefully crafted.

To me, it is yet another emotional and somewhat predictable appeal to exploit women and children in exchange for votes. Sensational and desperate efforts here in Pennsylvania are further indication things are going to be interesting and emotional up to, including, and after Election Day.

Intermission: Break from drama

Here are the facts: Not only did Sharon Stone benefit from the 2003 federal income tax cut but so did many other Americans, possibly you, your family and friends. The tax cut was across the board. No one was means tested in or out.

The qualifier here is that those who paid federal income taxes got the break. According to The Tax Foundation’s June 5, 2003 report entitled “40 Million Filers Pay No Income Taxes, Many Get Generous Refunds,” 40 million filers paid no federal income tax. That’s nearly 30 percent of all tax filers. Furthermore, these same filers received a benefit under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

In short, this was not an attempt to squander from our fellow citizens. It was an attempt to put money back into the homes of those who earned it for use as they saw fit. Everyone who paid federal income taxes benefited from the cut no matter the income level. In its April 14, 2004 article entitled, “The Growing Class of Americans Who Pay No Federal Income Taxes,” The Tax Foundation estimated large numbers of low-income filers would pay no federal income taxes this year. Most of these low-income filers are young women with children who need food, clothing, shelter and reliable transportation. How could this be a bad and shameful thing?

Ask any mother and she will tell you caring for kids requires money. Ms. Stone and others would like you to believe this tax return was sinister and that this act ranks right up there with the shenanigans of the so-called “Axes of Evil.”

Before making your final assessment, gather more information from The Tax Foundation website at www.taxfoundation.org. Go to fiscal facts for a number of articles regarding the taxes you pay. The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan group that has been in existence since 1937. Here, statistical information is presented for you to draw your own conclusions. If that is not enough, ask around to the people closest to you. If the guys in your football club or the gals at your gym paid federal income taxes, ask them if they were ashamed to receive a refund. Grandparents, ask your adult children if the day they received their money back was miserable. It’s a no-brainer. They were glad and they put it to good use.

Some political events can fire us up to believe there is some master plan to bring us all down. It is in your interest and in the interest of your family that you know the facts and that you can think and act beyond the rhetoric and emotion.

Act Two: Conclusion

A note to the women who attended the rally: It is fine to identify with a successful actress like Ms. Stone. She deserves credit for her accomplishments. I happen to think she is great on screen. But if you think she is like “us,” that is, like “the girls,” I recommend staying away from reality TV programs for a while.

Here’s my take: This is a case of the “intellectual elite” telling us what we should think, say and do while tapping into basic fears. Information is presented on the basis of emotion, not fact and disguised as a message of hope. This is happening across the presidential campaign.

It seems to be the style of political rhetoric adopted to impose fear and hate rather than to inspire confidence and motivation. Be careful. Make your decision on your terms. After all, I can’t remember seeing Sharon Stone at our county fair last summer or anywhere in southwestern Pennsylvania for that matter. As I recall, the last time she was here was for her movie and this time for her politics. So much for getting back to her roots.

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Susan Uhazie Camele is a resident of South Union Township.