Dear United States Government,
Yesterday marked the day when our taxes were due. Though I filed mine back in February, yesterday’s ominous date reminded me of the taxes that we all pay in order to keep this government operating.
I don’t mind paying taxes, really I don’t. Since I never see the money I give to you, I don’t really feel like I’m giving it at all. It’s more like I’m just getting paid less for the work that I do. I know that the government needs money to do important things like protect us and I don’t mind paying my share.
That said, I ask that you consider if you are spending the money taxpayers give you wisely. You have a job to do with this money. There are all sorts of stories about government waste. The fact that our national debt is growing exponentially is a burden we should all feel. I don’t care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, you have no right to spend money you do not have, thus passing the bill off on my generation and the ones that come after.
I look forward to the day where true tax reform will be discussed and debated. Though I don’t know that the Fair Tax is THE answer, I like it a lot. It at least should be an option when considering how to overhaul the collecting of tax dollars.
More imporantly, how tax dollars are spent needs to be overhauled. The federal government since the days of FDR has encroached more and more on the territory that should be left to the state and local governments. It’s time to reconsider what belongs to the central government and what belongs to the states. Though some might throw a fit if you cancel the funding of their special program, you have to encourage the states to take the fiscal responsibility for those programs if they really want them. If they are not willing to foot the bill, then maybe the program isn’t worth the money that is spent on it.
I truly thank those who serve the citizens of the United States government for what you do for us. I just ask that you consider anew the purposes to which you are serving.
Thankfully,
Ronnica
I don’t really think about taxes either because it just means I’m getting less back on my paycheck… but I never see that money anyways. I am very excited about my refund plus economy stimulus check coming in early May.
I have been wondering how many checks people write to the government for taxes bounce. I know this is very random but since the thought came into my head I haven’t been able to stop wondering.
Nice blog, very sweet.
But I would like to respectfully point out that if Fairtax — which Gov Huckabee likes — is ever passed, you would be taxed far higher than you are now.
You mentioned you work at Walmart, and pay taxes. Well you will probably pay a lot more tax under Fairtax.
Did you know Fairtax would instantly become the highest sales tax in the world? No other country charges 30% sales tax. Or even 23. The highest I can find is 19%.
But just cause its the worlds highest sales tax, doesn’t mean its bad.
But this high sales tax applies to things no other country even puts a sales tax on.
Like your rent. If you rent, you would pay this VHSL (very high sales tax) on your rent.
And on your car insurance — yes car insurance! I couldnt believe it myself — they are going to tax car insurance, health insurance, all insurance, even life insurance payments. I’m not making this up , this comes from offical fairtax web sites.
And if you think gasoline is high now!! Federal gas tax is 18 cents. But Fairtax would be about 1.00 a gallon.
And your utility bill does have some federal tax on it now. But your utility bill would go WAY up under Fairtax.
Working poor people would get clobbered under this Fairtax. It would be a nightmare worse than Obama’s hair.
But don’t worry. No one is really trying to pass the Fairtax. Even Huckabee isn’t trying.
Oh, there are some leaders that are PRETENDING to want it – but the KNOW its a farce. They KNOW people would be furious if Fairtax actually passed, and found out what it would really do.
Gov Huckabee is a smart man. I don’t think he is fooled by this Fairtax — but sadly, he seems to be willing to use it, even though he knows its pretty much BS.
Mark, thanks for stopping by.
Actually, I don’t work at Walmart (though I did). I work part-time at a small non-profit and I supplement my income by babysitting. Right now, I have to pay a self-employment tax on that, which is pain. Under the Fair Tax as it has been proposed, after the prebate I would pay less tax than I do now.
I like the idea of taxing spending rather than income. I love to give money away, and I would be more free to do that under the Fair Tax. Like I said, I don’t think it’s THE answer, but I think it’s something that should be considered in the necessary overhaul of the IRS.
Ronnica,
Well, that’s the rub — would working poor people pay more, or less taxes, under Fairtax?.
Yes — FICA tax is really oppressive, its a shame. I was hoping Fairtax would help working people get away from this highly regressive FICA taxes.
But Fairtax is ironically WORSE to many people, much worse, than any FICA.
See, Fairtax is even on your car insurance — amazingly, you will pay the worlds HIGHEST tales tax on your car insurance. It hardly computes to most people – that they would pay the worlds HIGHEST sales tax on all your insurance payments. All your rent.
All your utility bills.
Yes, its a common mistake, people think cause its called “Fairt” that is has to be fair.
Working class people pay far higher percentage of their money on things like car insurance, rent, gasoline. But these are the very things hit hardest by the “fairtax”
Working poor people are more likely to rent, for example. If you buy a million dollar “used” house — you wouldn’t pay a dime of Fairtax on it.
But if you rent an apartnment for 600 a month, you would pay 2000-4000 in sales tax, yearly, on your rent.
Four thousand in sales tax — just on your RENT? Thats more tax JUST on that, than many people pay in income tax for the whole year.
Add the sales tax on your utility bills. Add the sales tax on your gasoline.
Add the sales tax on your medical cost. Heaven forbid, but milions of us do have medical costs — sometimes quite high.
Fairtax would be apply the highest sales tax on earth — to your medical cost. Someone with cancer, for example, could easily pay 100,000 — just in sales tax! Becaue every surgery, every second opinion, every lab test, every stay in the hospital — would pay the worlds highest sales tax.
Fairtax sounds great, it sure does. But there is a “rest of the story” to Fairtax.
If you never had high medical cost — if you didn’t rent, if you didn’t want a new house or car, then possibly your taxes would go down.
But a lot of people DO rent, a lot of people DO have high medical cost, a lot of people would be clobbered with a high sales tax on their utility bills and gasoline.
If they called Fairtax what is really is — the worlds highest sales tax, which applies to rent, medical cost and gasoline, — people would hate it.
But they call it the fairtax.
But Fairtax isn’t about to pass — no one is really trying to pass it.
Thats the funny part — Fairtax leaders know people would revolt if they actually passed this tax, and suddenly people had to pay the worlds highest sales tax on their rent, gasoline, car insurance, medical cost.
They aren’t really trying to pass it. Its just a gimmick, and IM sad to see Gov Huckabee take part in this gimmick.
Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond, Mark. I’ve enjoyed avoiding the computer most of the weekend!
The thing is, I barely spend (or make) above the poverty level, so very little of my money would be taxed after the prebate. I don’t think that a tax system (or anything else) should be based on what is good for me, but what is right so this is a bit of a moot point anyway.
I think your figures are a bit skewed, unless you are not using the proposed 23%. Whether or not 23% is the right number is clearly a good question to ask, but my comments about the Fair Tax assume that that is the correct number. Those are two seperate discussions.
I don’t think that the Fair Tax is worth fighting for such as the protection life and religious freedom are. Besides, you clearly have your mind made up regardless of what I say, which is fine. It’s been nice talking to you, though, and I hope that you will continue to read and comment on my blog.