Welcome to the Ignorant Historian! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
We’ve all heard, reheard, and heard again that famous JFK quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country,” right? Well, it seems like we’re all for quoting it, but not for putting it in action.
Given my job, I hear a lot of whining about taxes. The most common complaints is that the government just isn’t giving them enough money: whether they should have gotten more in the stimulus payment last year (one suggested $6,000 instead of $600), more back in their tax refund, tax breaks for veterinary bills (you’d be surprised how many times I’m asked about this one), or just another stimulus check.
I’m all for getting people the credits on their taxes that they deserve and the laws allow, but it seems like all people are interested in how they can benefit from the government. Isn’t that what all the congressional pork is about, getting the constituent what they want, not caring about if it is in the interest of the country as a whole?
I can’t say that I’m entirely innocent on this issue, but it does disgust me. I think the seagulls in Finding Nemo said it best when they said, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”
I think, generally, people feel that the government simply has too much of the money they worked hard for. And the government abuses that money and the constituents are angry about that. It seems that what Congress says and what they do are often contradictory and not what’s best for the people as a whole. So I’m not entirely sure the “pork” (for the people) is about getting what they WANT but more about getting what they feel they DESERVE because it’s money they worked hard for and put in, and the government is simply using it as an interest free loan.
Amen, agreed, and hallelujah! I was just thinking about all of this this morning and am feeling rather sick about it. Yes, the seagulls said it best.
I’m not really interested in getting MORE out of the government, just making sure I get back what is mine to begin with. I feel with every small tax and adjustment and levy and on and on and on, I am being nickled and dimed to death by one of the most inefficient systems out there. I am tired of playing by the rules and being dictated to by a system that doesn’t do the same.
Can you tell I”m just a BIT bitter :)…. Changing my status to ‘single’ this year was not very fun for my taxes…. so, yeah.
I believe that a lot of the people complaining about wanting more money think that the government is this ‘entity’ that produces an infinite source of money. What most fail to realize is that this money has to come from somewhere – usually us.
I am very much anti big government. I don’t believe any one group should have so much power, but I say – providing they came across their money legally and ethically – let the rich keep what’s theirs.
I believe that ours is one of the few countries in the world that actually rewards laziness.
Just for fun … When someone gets too whiny, you could say, “You can’t get a bigger refund because they needed the money to send to me.”
Of course, you might want to update your resume first. Just a thought …
By the way, I got your submission for the Christian Carnival. Thanks!
Thank you! I agree wholeheartedly! very nice post :)
I think Elizabeth said it best! Yep.
Happy 600! :0)
Finding Nemo… now there’s a good movie.
I think some people complain because it seems as though we don’t get a whole lot for our taxes these days. Having lived in Denmark, I saw evidence of where the government actually used their tax money for good.
For example, yes, they pay 35-45% income tax, which people here think is high. But look at what what they get for that…free health care, free college education up to PhD level if you so chose (PLUS money to live on while in school), an actual retirement you can live on when you retire, unemployment, six months of PAID maternity leave, etc.
But look at what we pay in taxes to both state and federal…PLUS here in the US we have to fund our own college education, our own health care, our own retirement, etc. When you add all that up, we are paying the same or more than in Denmark, but seem to get less in return. The government is really not working for the people these days.
The government wastes A LOT of our hard-earned money. So I believe that is why people want more of there taxes back. But if they actually saw evidence of the government using their money wisely, maybe they wouldn’t complain.
But seriously. A tax break for vet bills???
Pingback: Christian Carnival CCLXX « A True Believer’s Blog