Mike writes:

> I would prefer to take care of my own family, rather than pay outrageous
>   taxes to the government and then expect for them to take care of my
> family in return.
>

Outrageous is, of course, subjective, but that's besides the point.  I am
not expecting the government to take care of my family, and I am certainly
not expecting it to take care of my family "in return" for my paying taxes.

I pay into Social Security, but expect to receive little or nothing when I
retire.  Due the mismanagement of the government's finances to which every
administration in the past 30 years has contributed, I'm pretty sure there
won't be much of anything left in that pile in another 30 years.

What I do expect is that my taxes will be spent filling potholes in the
roads, building and maintaining public parks and libraries, educating the
children in my community who will then join me in the work force, and
providing all the various and sundry health and human services and
governmental administrivia of which we all speak so vaguely.  Anyway, the
theme here is that I expect my tax dollars to pay for things from which I
may benefit no more or less than any other citizen, be they taxpayers or
not.  For example, I do not have children yet, but want my tax dollars to
pay for an education system that will provide a solid education for everyone
else's children.  I am not (at last check) a waterfowl, but want some of my
tax dollars to pay for the public ownership and protection of wetlands and
forests.  And I really don't care if most of "my pothole dollars" pay for
repairs in parts of my city I never visit.  The point is I'm paying taxes so
that economies of scale can be used to provide services and benefits to the
entire community.  It all equals out.

> I want a government that rewards the hard-working, rather than a
> government that punishes them.  There is no sin in being wealthy, but it
> bugs the hell out of so many people that these "wealthy" (i.e., produce
> more than they consume) might be allowed to reap the fruits of their own
> labors.  Any money that isn't handed to you directly by a government
> program apparently is ill-gotten and must be confiscated.

This one brought a whole slew of thoughts.  Rather than provide a nice
paragraph form:

a) do you really believe that the people in this country with the top 2%
income levels are the hardest working?  Or is it more likely ROI on an
investment of dollars inherited from their great grandfather who was a hard
worker.
b) there is no sin in being wealthy, and being wealthy is not was is being
taxed disproportionately.  If I work two jobs to make my house payment, I
pay the same property taxes on it as the dotcommer who paid cash for his
five years ago.
c) it doesn't bug me that these "wealthy" might be allowed to reap the
fruits of their own labors.  it bugs me that the tax law is being changed to
decrease the amount of taxes being paid by people who can afford to pay
taxes and regardless of the hype are not being asked to pay more than anyone
else, when those who have little or nothing are being denied services, or
turned out of their homes, and told to go another year without even a cost
of living increase, and forget job security or an opportunity to rise.
d) "money that isn't handed to me directly by a government program".
Hmmmmm.  I live in California and work two jobs.  Between state and federal
income taxes, I pay more than many people in the U.S. make.  Also,
California is one of the states that is a net loser in the federal tax and
service system: per capita we pay more than we receive; and yet, I still
defend the concept of allowing my tax dollars to pay for services for
someone who is not my blood kin, and thinking that others should pay into
that same pile.  [Godless, pinko, communist bastard, that I am.]


Rs~

Russ Smith
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