The First Time I've Ever Felt Angry About Paying Taxes

[balantz]

The First Time I've Ever Felt Angry About Paying Taxes

by: David Sirota
Sun Feb 08, 2009 at 13:17
http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11452


I'm doing my taxes today, and I'm hopeful I can do them more diligently than the head of the American government's tax collection apparatus, Tim Geithner. This is the first year I can remember where I'm actually angry about paying taxes. Why? Because while I am a progressive and fundamentally believe in the importance of government, I believe our government right now is taking our money - my money - and handing it over to very rich people on Wall Street.

In that way, both parties that crafted that kleptocratic policy have colluded to buttress one of the conservative movement's foundational formulas: The more government overtly wastes cash, the more people will lose faith in government. And if I, a devout progressive, am losing faith in government, then it's a good bet that lots of other Americans will too as April 15th approaches.

I'd be happy paying my taxes - and indeed, happy paying higher taxes - if it was clear my government wasn't deliberately and overtly taking my money and handing it over to the political donor class that created this economic crisis. But the bipartisan kleptocracy in Washington is shoving its rip-off schemes in our face seemingly on a daily basis. That doesn't make me particularly psyched to scratch together my dwindling earnings and hand it over to that kleptocracy for them to then give to their rich friends.

- snip -

[bananas]

1. Good Morning, David

I'm glad you're waking up to things we've been dealing with for a very long time.
Your friend,
- bananas

[glowing]

2. Many of us don't have the option.. our pay checks come to us with taxes

withheld.... Must be nice to make so much that I would need a fancy accountant to fuck up my taxes.

[bluestateguy]

3. We should have checkoff boxes on our tax forms

That way we can direct to what department and agencies we wish to send our tax dollars. Conservatives can send all their tax money to the military, and liberals can send all of their money to the National Endowment for the Arts and social programs.

This might also have the effect of reducing bitching about taxes more generally if people know that their taxes are only going to the programs that they support.

[slackmaster]

4. I like that idea a lot

:hi:

[grilled onions]

5. It Does Rankle

On the one hand they say that we are the spenders,can't pay our bills,have the wrong priorities etc and then WE read the news and they should be looking at themselves as they lecture J.Q.Citizen about his saving,spending and investing habits.

[cascadiance]

6. For us with that should get tax refunds from California, our money is already getting stolen!

We're likely getting IOUs instead. And I just moved to Oregon, so I'm likely screwed if we have to go to court to get it too.

And this isn't even our TAX money that we would pay in normal times. It is OUR money that's been borrowed from us by withholding more than we owe and not given back to us on time. I wonder if WE can charge them exhorbitant fees for not paying their bills on time, or change the terms of our "credit agreement" the way that credit card companies are routinely doing to us now!

The little guy always gets screwed to feed the big guy. And the big guy changes the rules so that we can't call it S-T-E-A-L-I-N-G!!!

[nichomachus]

7. At least you're giving it to people who deserve it -- not those lazy poor people

:sarcasm:
:sarcasm:
:sarcasm:

[GeorgeGist]

8. Chump change I suspect ...

in relation to the amount you paid in profits.