On Yahoo's homepage this morning and throughout last night’s debate we heard about Joe "the plumber". Joe said (I will paraphrase)...'if I work harder and earn more why should I be penalized.' Joe believes that taxes are a penalty. When did supporting an organization that allows you the freedom to do what you do become a penalty?
Let's say that one morning some of Joe's plumbing vans were stolen. What would Joe do? I bet Joe would call the police and have then resolve the issue; however, Joe that will cost you. Joe purports the same ignorant attitude that I hear over and over again...'give me something and I'll give nothing". Oh and I know your argument Joe creates jobs! Yes he does, but when the economy slows down whom do you think fires more people...Joe. The simple truth is we owe our government the funds necessary so that they can provide the services we need, so that they can provide an environment where Joe can make his money. In return, they owe it to us to be good stewards of those funds particular in many cases where those funds represent the widow’s mite.
Taxation is game theory at its finest. Because individuals feel that the government is going to misuse their funds, individuals decide not to give the funds. What makes this little dichotomy even better is that the same individuals who complain that "foreigners own America" i.e. "China owns all of our debt"....that is true in some regards but we should ask ourselves how did China become such a larger debtor? The answer is politicians misusing funds and individuals not paying (the Tax-Gap is est. $350 billion). Do you want to know how to fix the problem....honesty. Isn't it funny that the only way to fix the giant financial problem that looms over America has nothing to do the scarcity of funds but honesty; politicians not being honest and people not being honest. So before demand that Washington change, maybe we should change. And I would bet that once we change and when we then change our communities and our communities change our areas that we will elect in a natural process Rep. and Sen. whom like us have our best interests at heart even if we need to be penalized.
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3 comments:
No one said it better than Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes: “I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization.”
This is a great article discussing just what you are saying:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/opinion/08friedman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=friedman%20palin&st=cse&oref=slogin
I think we can solve tax issue. And I don't think that it is through lowering taxes. If people feel like they have more control over how that money is spent they will be more satisfied in giving it away. American's need more involvement in government. As long as we treat politicians as celebrities they will act like celebrities. They need to know and we, as voters, need to know that we can REALLY be a government OF the people, FOR the people. Politicians need to prove to their constituents that they are voting TRULY in their behalf. It's the old argument, taxation without representation. We have appointed reps, but they aren't representing us, but special interests, lobbies, corporations, etc.
If government is truly of the people (which I believe it can be), then what is the problem with bigger government?
p.s. I like this.
There is nothing wrong with bigger government so long as bigger government is controlled. Bigger government spread out the power which I think can be a great thing. My only concern about bigger government is that they shouldn't make our decision for us. And why do I say that because they haven't succeeded in doing it. Now going back to electing people for the people I would concur that if we could elect individuals in this manner then I might be for bigger government in some respects.
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