Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Paying Taxes

For years I've said that I don't mind paying taxes; I just want to make sure that my money is going to good use.
I am astounded that the rich rulers of the republican party have managed to convince the average republican citizen that taxes are a bad thing, and that somehow they are paying for someone to "slack off"--someone who's taking advantage of welfare or beating the system in some way. While the reality is that someone on Wallstreet or heading a big corporation is the person who is really getting away with something. I've never tried to live off of welfare money, but it certainly can't be easy or enough to have a life filled with material prosperity! It might be enough to just get by.
I just laugh when I hear these party rulers in Congress cautioning citizens that paying more taxes is a bad thing. If we get better public transportation, green energy, healthcare, and other services, how in the hell can it be a waste of money??? Those will save me, my children, or our planet somewhere down the line. It sounds like a smart investment to me.
I want to pay taxes and I want the taxes to go to benefit us all. Maybe I'm a socialist, but I don't have a problem with that. I don't see socialism as something threatening (I guess because I'm against the excesses of Capitalism.) I see socialism as a smart way for a country to take care of all its people instead of just monetarily rewarding those at the top, providing a few meager services for those at the bottom, and leaving the rest in the middle to fend for themselves.
So go ahead President Obama - increase my taxes -- I just ask that you make sure they are spent wisely and tell me what I'm getting for my money!

(Of course, with three kids and a meager middle class income, I probably never pay any taxes anyway....but I would be willing! :) )

2 comments:

The Chretien Family said...

Well said! I agree! As long as our money isn't wasted, we're all in this together, so we might as well have better roads and schools.

Cherri Porter said...

I've always had the idea that when we fill our our tax forms we should also "vote" for what we'd like our tax money to go for. That would be an eye opener, but probably in a bad way. Maybe we'd have more people want their money to go to Reagan Star Wars programs and corporate welfare than renewable energy and education. I'm feeling cynical right now. We elected Obama, yes, but how the money numbers would play out if people were really being honest, that one scares me.