I’m So Mad Right Now!
Right now I’m steaming mad. I want to throw things at the wall and cuss out the potted plant. I can’t believe how stupid some people in this world can be. It makes me so mad…
What caused this rage?
National Public Radio (NPR) has me absolutely livid. On Wednesday, I was driving into the office early. I was up at 4:00 am and enjoying the predawn, no traffic drive.
Then NPR did a piece on taxes. It makes sense. April 15th is forever tattooed on the American psyche as a day of taxes.
So of course this interview – as they’d say in the radio business – was relevant and timely.
NPR had dug up quite possibly two of the stupidest people in the world. They were individuals who grew up in wealthy families. Amazingly these individuals were also guilty over that wealth. They were ashamed of growing up in a financial situation many only dream about.
They were guilty of having wealth then and guilty of having wealth now.
Their solution?
They want to raise taxes.
I’m sorry, but this would be funny if it wasn’t so scary. These people were actually trying to get Congress to raise the tax rate. They were lobbying for HIGHER taxes. I’d like to believe it was a joke. Who wants to give more money to the government to be wasted?
I don’t… do you?
I wish NPR had called me for a response. I would have had a few choice comments like…
If you want to pay more taxes, go right ahead. Many people don’t realize this but you can donate money to the government. Really… no need to increase tax rates on others.
In 1961, the Feds passed a law allowing them to accept tax deductable donations to pay down the national debt. So I’d say to our “tax us more friends” on NPR… you don’t have to claim the deduction on your taxes.
Simply send a check to the U.S. Treasury Department…
Attn: Dept G
Bureau of the Public Debt
P. O. Box 2188
Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188
That’s right. Feeling guilty about your wealth? Don’t feel like you paid enough in taxes… then send the government a check. Hell, send in enough money and Obama himself might send you a thank you note!
To be honest, I’m like most Americans. I feel like I pay way more than my share of taxes. So when people start arguing anyone should pay even more, it makes me mad.
Their arguments for increasing taxes are weak.
One of them actually said since they make more money, they’re better able to pay taxes.
That’s just another pile of steamy, smelly bull****.
Look, just because you can afford to eat prime rib all day doesn’t mean you should. And just because someone makes more or less money doesn’t mean they should pay more or less in taxes.
Here’s why.
Like most Americans, I’m a big believer the government wastes billions of dollars. So instead of wasting money, why not put it to good use?
A friend of mine is starting a small business. He’s developing some amazing software. To get the business off the ground, he needs some funding. He’s certainly not getting it from a bank… and he’s already invested his time and life savings into the business.
So he approached a few investors. One agreed to put up the money he needed.
He could now go out and get an employee to really get things moving.
But just a few days ago, the investor cut back his promised investment. Why? He had a big tax bill and needed the cash to send to the government.
That’s a bit backwards if you ask me.
The government is trying to get people employed… but this small business can’t bring on a new employee… because the government is taxing their big investor.
I’d rather see that money go to the small business and see someone employed. It’s better than wasting tax dollars on federal bureaucrats.
As I step down from my soap box (thank you for letting me vent), let me leave you with a few thoughts. Since when did it become wrong to be wealthy? Since when did having money make people ashamed? What happened to the America dream? And more importantly, what happened to the ideas of smaller government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility?
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