Today is a miserable day for millions of Americans who have to pay their taxes to the federal government. Americans have to fund a government that wastes billions of dollars and grows with abandon each year. This country faces a national debt of $9 trillion and an annual budget deficit that exceeds $263 billion in the first five months of this fiscal year.In short, despite the $2.57 trillion in taxes that we annually pay the federal government, our insatiable politicians in WashingtonD.C. spend more than the U.S. Treasury collects.
According to the Tax Foundation, Americans work until April 23 to pay for their federal, state and local taxes. We spend more on taxes than we do on food, housing, and clothing combined. Obviously something is very wrong in this country. Filling out the cumbersome tax forms takes billions of hours for Americans to prepare. This is time that should be spent on more productive activities that will promote our economy. So, not only are our taxes too high, but also the forms are too complicated to complete.
I think it is past time for tax relief and tax simplification. Personally, I believe that the flat tax is the best solution, but many others believe in the fair tax proposal. Both ideas are a major improvement over the current system. Unfortunately, if either Obama or Clinton is elected President, taxes will increase as the Bush tax cuts will be rescinded.
In contrast, the presumptive GOP nominee U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) understands that Americans face an unfair tax burden. Today, McCain made a very attractive proposal. He is advocating that the federal government eliminate federal gasoline taxes for the summer months. This will provide short term relief to Americans who have faced rising gasoline prices and soaring inflation.
Motorists pay 18.4 cents in federal gas tax and 24.4 cents in diesel fuel taxes. Currently, gasoline prices are in record territory, averaging close to $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded. According to McCain, “The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus…and because the cost of gas affects the price of food, packaging, and just about everything else, these immediate steps will help to spread relief across the American economy.”
McCain also wants to make the Bush tax cuts permanent and to phase out the Alternative Minimum Tax, which shows that he understands that taxes are too high and Americans need relief. Polls show McCain leading both Obama and Clinton by slim margins. The prospect of McCain being our next president provides at some the prospect of some economic comfort in the future for Americans stung by an unduly high tax burden and severe economic hardship.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
And perhaps that is 50% or so of the problem............ We are based on a "tax driven" system... We debased ourselves from agriculture, manufacturing, and I am afraid there is only so much need for information based technology (ever seen a knife that needs a computor chip to work?) and so now we are opting into a 'service based' economy. Service? Isn't that a fancy word for garbage men, or slaves, or toilet cleaners or something or other like that????? Where's the beef..... Wait a sec....... I just ait a sandwhich, not hungry right now... O.K!!!!!! Where's the PRODUCTION!!!!!!!! This all is sounding more and more like communist-socialist-fascism every day................................. Written by Oh happy epiphanies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
on 4/15/2008
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But I will agree with you on this TW, the media does seem to be propaganda based as it spoon feeds the public with disengenuous information.... Written by And as an afterthought, because I know you try
on 4/15/2008
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You still don't get it TW.............. Rich people DON'T pay taxes, Poor people DO. And it is not really the amount of tax that is in question but rather the value recieved back as renumeration for their investment into the tax driven system... Once you get that concept you may be able to get onto the next lilly pad as you jump around like a chicken with its head cut off...... You sort of sound like a government employee..... So just like the rich person, an increase in tax doesn't affect you much either, you will just band together, go on strike, or vote yourself another pay raise. Tanks a-lot........................ Written by Go figure as you dribble on.......................
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Kerry, that is a classic example of the rich duping you into thinking something that helps them actually helps you. Calling it a "fair tax" is an absolute lie as it is totally regressive. TW Written by Tee Dub
on 4/15/2008
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The "Fair Tax" (a national sales tax which replaces all other federal taxes) is interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FairTax
Written by kpf
on 4/15/2008
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A polluted environment? Really now TW.......... Obviously you do not travel very much, very far, or with any understanding of what you see once you arrive on the scene. Scene, ahhhh............. scenery............... You should see China if you want to see pollution. The rich are disproportionally taxed? NEWSFLASH!!!! Rich people do not pay taxes, poor people do……. I hate to put it so bluntly, but the fact of the matter is, raise the tax on the rich 10% and they will raise the cost of goods 21% to cover the additional costs they are subjected to. Or do you hate or are envious of ‘rich people’ flying around in Lear Jets? NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!! The folks that build those things need jobs too!!!! You are not going to stop folks from flying around, (or flying off at the handle) it is a fact in this lifetime. But if the fuel costs keep soaring, our airliners may stop (pun intended, nayuck-nuck-nuck-nuck). Taxes? Taxes are necessary, it is the way they are squandered that is the real ‘taxing’ issue. (Gee, a pun? No, just an understanding of words and their meanings.) Now this is a big subject, I love contemplation on economic paradigms….. But consider this……… Among the largest stumbling blocks is the fight over the dollars, and the binge mentality to spend every dime allotted even if it means tossing it out the window by bucketfuls. Taxes directed towards projects or functions should be set, and if there is funds left over at the end of the fiscal quarter or year in their accounts, they should be able to return it, without the fear of funding being lessened or ‘cut’ the following year. This would be an incentive to be more efficient with the funding….. But………………………………….. Why does the Gvmnt contemplate increasing minimum wage? The exterior argument is “So the worker can make more” but the ulterior motive behind that stance is “So the revenues generated from the taxable percentages increase incrementally. In other words, we will see to it that you get a buck more if we can get another .20 cents more out of the deal for each buck you get. People think jobs are going overseas because of cheap labor. WRONG!!!!!!! Jobs are going overseas because corporations don’t have contend with taxes that would contribute to a comparable infrastructure such as we maintain here in the United States…… You know,,, Schools, roads, bridges, dams, nuclear missiles, high tech aircraft, aircraft carriers, medical centers, health care plans, pollution and environmental regulation/regulatory needs commissions, coast guards, fire stations, national parks, forest rangers, fish and game wardens, food stamps, etc., etc., etc., etc., the list is probably a thousand pages or longer……………………………. And there me compadre is why NAFTA SUCKS…………………………. Import duty fees are missed out upon, manufacturing processes are not competitive because you have to haul in the DEQ to get rid of a gallon of oil, or process farts to put in a can for energy purposes……. And the list of Governmental agencies with the legion after legion of government employees on the taxpayer’s dime just goes on and on and on and on……. It is no small wonder nothing is working here in America. For every great or good idea an average American may have as a solution to a problem, there are probably 30 to 60 people directly or indirectly involved with governmental processes that are sitting in the dark halls waiting to kick its legs out from under it. They have nothing better to do as they twiddle their thumbs behind and office desk. In fact, back to taxes…….. The RICHEST MAN IN AMERICA could not fund this countries governmental processes for more than about 20 or 30 minutes…….. So wonder you wonderful wonderer, what does being RICH have to do with anything. Well, as for myself, I think everyone in America should be rich. What is rich? Safe, clean, comfortable homes. Safe, clean comfortable neighborhoods, schools, parks, cities, towns, states, etc. Good jobs, lower costs for products, good health care access, freedom of speech, freedom to vote, freedom to move from one place to another without hindrances or worry. The list can go on and on and on……… Volume after volume can be written on the subject. It is time to promote American ideals, empower the average American to achieve what it believes is achievable. For Americans to come to America’s aid. Brother helping brother, sister helping sister, sister helping brother and brother helping sister, in whatever capacity is available or tenable. Yeah TW, you sound like a real genius. Written by Does anybody know what time it is?????
on 4/15/2008
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Americans are not as taxed as our friends in Western Europe, Canada, or Australia/NZ, and those folks get healthcare out of the deal. What do we get? A polluted environment, "Heckuva Job" Brownie, no-bid contracts for KBR, and a business-friendly FAA. Jeff is right about one thing - average-income and working-class Americans pay too much in taxes because we have way too many regressive taxes (sales taxes being the most egregious example). The "flat tax" Jeff hawks here is yet another regressive tax that the rich and the powerful are pushing because they are perhaps the greediest people this planet has ever known. And sadly, the American electorate, undereducated, tired, and overworked, having been spoon-fed conservative tripe by the multimillionaires running the corporate media, are probably going to fall for the elites' bait-and-switch. We don't just need to get rid of the Bush tax cuts - we need to significantly raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, back to pre-Reagan levels. I've posted on this before, and I can provide the link if anyone's interested. The rich have been engaging in class warfare since Reagan, and they're winning, y'all! TW Written by Tee Dub
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Today is a miserable day for millions of Americans who have to pay their taxes to the federal government. Americans have to fund a government that wastes billions of dollars and grows with abandon each year. This country faces a national debt of $9 trillion and an annual budget deficit that exceeds $263 billion in the first five months of this fiscal year.
