So I check out some Yoga instructors at my club and find a new one who has retweeted a link to a post by Matthew Remski on his elephantjournal blog (click through on the photo for a direct link). How on earth I wonder, is Yoga tied to the essential nature of Obama’s reelection.
Matthew makes a long argument for why the Yoga community MUST step out of its comfort zone and endorse Obama/Biden. It’s a moral imperative. The crux of the argument is summarized in this excerpt which lays out the mandate: “preventing a hateful, mendacious plutocrat who evades taxes to tithe to a racist jabberwocky church from seizing the reins of power.”
Now anyone who has studied tax law knows that there is tax evasion (go to jail) and tax avoidance (pay what is required and use the rules to minimize tax liability.) Hollywood elite, Congressmen, Senators, men and women of all parties and politics “generally” pay what is due and don’t go out of their way to pay more. But, if Romney plays by the rules it’s suddenly evasion.
And, while I am not a particular fan of the Mormon Church, Romney and any Mormon or any person for that fact has a perfect right to tithe to the limit to that entity without explaining themselves to me or Matthew. Apparently, what he really may mean is that it is unfair that Romney, and not the Federal Government, had a say in some portion of his income that was tithed down the drain to the Church rather than put into Washington’s hands for politicians (who must know better) to make use of.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a partial sentence that so eloquently spelled out the divide in this country between personal responsibility vs a Federal/State Centered solution. Clearly, Matthew views highly successful individuals who dare put their money to charitable use that he deems inappropriate to be dangerous to the societal needs as better determined by others. I wonder where Catholic Charities, The Salvation Army, World Vision, Direct Relief and too many other organizations to mention that put Billions of Dollars to work and feet on the ground all over the world fall. Surely they are depriving the government of taxable income that could be better used by Washington.
I love Yoga as it restores my body, allows me to clear my mind, puts me in contact with some really cool people for an hour a day, and has helped my flexibility tremendously. I’m probably missing the boat here on the rest and may offend some of my more serious friends. Matthew refers to the ”Republican flunkies who enjoy backbends are a small and self-absorbed minority in contemporary yoga.” Count me in. I’m one them. I have a Savior. He died 2000 years ago but still walks the earth. I don’t need Yoga to fill that void.
sextoncomp 
I’m shocked by such small thinking (Mathew Remski), Newportironman. However, it seems to be trending dramatically. Next up for the Washington knows best folks: a new tax structure to 1) tax wealth and 2) tax each person or business according to it’s carbon footprint. Never mind that whatever wealth one has involved paying taxes, first. And then accumulating it (that’s an old fashioned concept: saving money for your later years.) I trust that the rule of unintended consequences is going to bite back at these fools. So be it. They got their man elected and re-elected. Watch out, below.