Paying taxes is obligation and privilege in our society

[Larkspur]

http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/thisday/opinion.20041001-sbt-MICH-B4-Paying_taxes_is_obli.sto

Recently a friend of mine said that he would be willing to pay more taxes in order to receive more services. He especially wanted to see more money spent on his children's school. He is a man out of step with the times, and I guess I am out of step too.

When I hear President Bush brag about how he has reduced taxes, I feel uneasy. Bush talks about taxes as if they are the domestic axis of evil.

Yes, the United States was founded on rugged individualism, and we're proud to continue the individualistic tradition. But this country also talks about the values of community and caring. I fear the pendulum is swinging too far towards individualism and too far away from community and caring.

We are being told that cutting taxes allows more money for consumption and entrepreneurship. Consumption and entrepreneurship create one path. But we are in danger of focusing too much on creating markets and not enough on creating a country.
<SNIP>

Paying taxes is a creative act. I want a president who, as a patriot, reminds us from time to time that paying taxes is not only a legal obligation, it is a privilege.

This person gets it! Wonder how many Repuke letters will respond to this well written op ed?

[GeorgeBushytail]

1. Bush has raised taxes, for the wrong purposes

Why do people still buy the line about Bush cutting taxes? Someone has to pay for Bush's stupid war and his deficit.

I'd rather be a responsible tax-and-spend liberal that a borrow-and-spend Repug.

[ixion]

4. the myth of the tax and spend liberal is just that

a myth.

Look back at who has done a better job managing our money over the last 50 years. You'll see that it's the progressives. The conservatives might claim to be fiscally tight, but they're certainly not afraid to raid the treasury for their cronies.

[bemildred]

2. One of the things that led to the fall of the Roman Empire

was the loss of the old republican virtue of support for the
res publica, what we call the "commons", the domain of
public services and infrastructure. A dog-eat-dog society is
no society at all.

[ixion]

3. okay, I have to say that I don't consider paying taxes a 'privilege'

I think it would be possible to cut taxes and still have a cadillac health and human services and education system by simply cutting out the tremendous amount of money wasted on public servant pork barrel projects, and the military.

Sorry, no tax fan here.

[eridani]

5. The public sphere is not JUST about paying taxes--

--it is about constant public oversight of how the money is spent.