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| Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, who met his Maker on this day in 1924 |
Anyway, I noticed in the local morning paper (Southern Illinoisan) that today is the anniversary of the enactment of the 16th Amendment to the United States' Constitution which, among other things, supposedly buoyed our national confidence and helped fund our involvement in the War to End All Wars (World War I). Yes, indeed, folks, we now (still!) have the privilege of annually (or quarterly, as the case may be) enriching the U.S. Treasury with our hard-earned dollars, or in other words, paying our federal income tax. Thank you, W.W. and your fellow Progressives, for this privilege. We shall forever be indebted to you (and your successors). May God have mercy on your soul(s)!
To be honest, I am one of those wacky people who consider it an honor and privilege to pay income taxes! So, I'll raise a glass in toast to the anniversary. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
ReplyDeleteYou've had a lot of stress in your life recently. I hope things smooth out for you in the coming year.
Hi, Ms. Dorothy. Thanks for commenting. I didn't think I would get much in the way of response. It's not that I mind paying taxes. It's a necessary thing. Income tax, though, because of the way it's structured, is punishing to the people who work for a living and even for those who are retired. It's a disincentive to invest and succeed. The more you make, the more you get taxed. Why not a flat tax? Everyone pays the same amount. No loopholes, write-offs, etc., allowed. It will never happen, though, because the current system is so entrenched. When I worked at a state university years ago, I got to see firsthand what the "system" is all about. The office I worked in had a certain budget for the year, with various projects receiving varying amounts of funding from the budget. At the end of the fiscal year, if there was any money left over that wasn't spent, I was told to create an expense for it. "Send so-and-so to such-and-such seminar; buy some more office equipment; doesn't matter if we need it or not; important thing is to spend, spend, spend! If we don't use it (money in account) this year, we lose it next year!" Is it any wonder that our federal government has racked up trillions of dollars in debt and state governments like Illinois aren't able to sustain the programs they've conjured up over the years? Attitudes and methods need to change and quickly or this country is doomed.
ReplyDeleteIncome taxes are necessary to keep us safe and free but I will admit, income taxes also fund a whole lot of stuff that I don't like or want. We need more accountability.
ReplyDeleteHow right you are, Marnie. And you would know, being an accountant. Glad to see you out and about among the blogs. Of course, lately I've not been much in the "pooblic" eye myself. Nothing like a visit from an old blogger friend to kick-start me. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate income tax time each year, I don't mind paying my fair share to keep our country and state running smoothly...notice I said "fair share." It's when I read about some multi-billionaire who didn't pay any taxes or paid less than I did that I get infuriated. That and how that tax money is often spent.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back to Illinois! Sounds like you have had a rough couple of months, but congratulations on the new grandbaby-to-be!
Thanks for the congrats, Rose. We are pretty excited about it and hoping for a girl this time. Should know pretty soon.
ReplyDeleteI think that most Americans believe that taxes are necessary, though I'm not convinced that the federal income tax is, considering that we pay property taxes (boy, do we ever in Illinois!) directly or indirectly (owners and renters alike pay it), taxes on consumer goods, and countless other taxes for utilities and services such as telephone and Internet access. Plus, most states levy their own income tax. When it's all said and done, most working Americans probably pay 60% or more of their income in taxes. And what's disturbing is that the politicians seem to think that it's still not enough! Most people I know have to learn to live on a budget. Why then, can't our government and its agencies do the same? They must be living in fantasy-land.
I'm glad to see you settled in your new home with a new grandchild on the way, but such sad news about your mother-in-law.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah. I'm glad we were able to be here for making the funeral arrangements and hosting a family reunion of sorts at our new home. It was definitely a mixed-emotion event, sharing the mourning of one family member's passing from this world as well as the joy of expecting another one's arrival into it.
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