Mar 15 2009
When is, Enough, Enough?
Okay, everyone loves being taxed—I get it. I get it.
Full disclosure: I personally feel like I ALREADY pay too much in TAXES!
Question for the rest of you tax lovers: At what point is it too much—what aren’t you willing to give the Government, when do you say uncle?
I pay tax on: (Obvious taxes)
- My Earnings
- Food
- Clothes
- New and old cars
- Electric, Heating, Water, Garbage, TV, Internet
- Entertainment
Tax on: (Un-Obvious taxes)
- Vehicle Registrations
- Vehicle violations including feeding meters—tax and more tax.
- Co-payments—Health care benefits
- Hands Free devices for driving cars
- The price of cigarettes
- Bottle deposit
- Private School/Education (because public school is already being levied regardless)
- Death Tax—the Final Nail in the Coffin…
“—Taxation without representation…” We all know how that worked out…
The question you need to answer for yourself:
Is it the government’s job to tax the people in order to give it to other people? What I mean to say, should the Government be able to take money from certain people and give it to people they don’t know because the Government has decided so? (buzzword: Redistribution of Wealth)
If your answer is yes, then the answer to the Title question is—it will never be Enough…
The difference of the Government COMPELLING US pay versus letting US voluntarily contribute—is the point of contention.
Additional points:
Okay, COLD-HEARTED-BASTARD! How will the poor or unfortunate ever get: schooling, medical treatment, a roof (NOT A HOUSE) over their head, food, room to breathe in order to get to their feet, etc.
Maybe all the VOLUNTARY money spent on elections for the different causes or charities can be used. Maybe Churches could be allowed to do the work they used to do. Maybe different clubs and groups could do the heavy lifting. Maybe people could donate money to whatever they want. It’s simply and statistically untrue that people need to be compelled to give versus voluntarily contributing. The USA is the most charitable country in the world (AP story via USA Today)—both the country collectively and the people individually. And it’s really not about being the most—the bottom line is WE GIVE! (and this is on top of the %22 percent of funds to United Nations) We help people all over the world and we help each other. The problem is that the compeller’s don’t just want to help they want to FORCE others to do the same—whether you like it or not, whether you benefit or not—INCLUDING death do us part…
Instead of spending the money electing people who will MAKE or NOT MAKE the Proletariat pay for services, use that money with the intention it has. Seems like you would be able to get the same amount of votes from the people receiving the benefits—after all isn’t that one of the SMALL reasons…
I understand the Government needing taxes for the roads and bridges, the military
Wikipedia: Taxation in the United States
Clause 1:
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
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Other Voices:
“Administration Is Open to Taxing Health Benefits” By Michelle Malkin
That’s the headline in the NYTimes today:
“Administration Is Open to Taxing Health Benefits.”
To which one naturally responds: What isn’t the Administration Open to Taxing?
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Medieval Brits didn’t particularly like wealth redistribution
Popular representations of Robin Hood invariably portray him as a hero of the common man, fighting the rich and restoring what they stole from the populace through tyranny. According to a newly-discovered reference, the people of his own time didn’t have quite so much affection for him — not even the community from which Friar Tuck would have come:
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U.S. More Charitable Than Any Other Country
According to an AP story via USA Today, Americans gave nearly $300 billion to charity in 2006, setting a record that even topped giving in 2005, which saw a surge in aid to victims of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the Asian tsunami.
Our freedoms are being eroded and this post does a great job summing up the list of insidious taxes that face any mover and shaker. What is most disturbing is the entitlement attitude resurfacing in our nation.
Entrepreneurs are the engines of capital and the more constrained they are the less affluent our society will be. Is any one, Democrat or Republican, in Washington listening?
Bottom line, advanced tax planning is critical for BIG (Bold, Innovative and Generous) people going forward.
Please keep fighting the good fight with terrific posts like this. I’ll refer as many folks as possible to your blog. Thanks.
Jeff Smith, Founder
GenerationBIG.com