Why Pay Taxes?

Now our new President is in place and after two years of campaigning on a promise of change coming to Washington, I’m wondering what does ‘change’ really mean?

President Obama promised bringing change and hope to Washington. I know it’s early in his term but where is change? A stimulus package, that should be called a spending frenzy instead, stuffed with pork barrel items that don’t provide stimulus to an economy on life support. I’m not an economist but how do the following items ‘stimulate’ the economy: $3.4 BILLION towards repair, restoration and improvements at Public Parks/facilities ; $9 BILLION to improve access to broadband. In my opinion these are budgetary items and can not stimulate the economy for anything other than giving out temporary jobs with little or no long term return on the investment. The public parks are notorius for not being profitable. Improving broadband access?? To what end and who is going to profit? The companies that provide broadband service are not going to lower prices to the consumer. The individual companies will profit, not the taxpayer footing the bill to improve the access and then pay every month to actually USE it.

Originally the stimulus bill included ridiculous items from ‘our’ representatives that included such things as millions towards supplying condoms. Although, I’d rather pay for the condom now for teens to keep them from getting pregnant and the taxpayer supporting the child till they turn 18… if they aren’t using condoms now, are they going to use one because it might be free and stamped ‘government approved’? Thankfully once that item came to light, it was shortly after dropped from the proposal.

The requests from individual cities for their pet projects tp receve money from the stimulus bill is also absurd. Here are a couple brilliant ideas for your amusement. Las Vegas- $2 million for neon signs. They don’t have enough already?? Boynton Beach, FL- $4.5 million for an ‘eco’ park and butterfly garden. Chula Vista, CA- a mere half million for a dog park so they can run without a leash. Unbelievable. What are these people thinking. To me, this isn’t bringing change to Washington but business as usual. Government being run like a politicians personal ATM. ATM- ALL TAXPAYERS MONEY. To what end… ours.

What about the wonderful appointees? The new head of the Treasury/IRS didn’t pay $40,000 in taxes. Not because he made a mistake. He was audited in 2006 and paid the 2003-04 but not 2001-02 because it was after the statute of limitations ran out so he wasn’t going to pay. Only after he was appointed was it a ‘mistake’ that he corrected and paid. The measure of an individual is what you do when no one’s looking. He got audited and knew , he didn’t care to make it right then. It was made public and may impact his career and only then he paid. If it was you or me… we’d still be paying the penalties or in prison. The credibility of the tax system is shot. I won’t even start on those who pay zero in taxes getting thousands back. Maybe a future blog but once I get started on that, look out! Now more than ever the country needs to do away with the current tax code and implement the Fair Tax. President Obama, PLEASE PLEASE bring real change to Washington and renew my faith. Change in Washington right now is just the party in charge and it’s a party only the insiders continue to benefit from.

Why pay taxes? I will because it’s the law but I wouldn’t spend my money the way the government does. Would you?