What Taxes Are For

[Plaid Adder]

I just want to point this out to the tax cut lovers:

You know all this disaster relief that's being mobilized for the poor people in New Orleans and vicinity who have been caught up by this appalling thing?

THAT'S WHAT TAXES ARE FOR.

You pay taxes so that when shit like this happens, there is *someone* out there who is ready and able to respond with assistance. You pay taxes so that at a time like this you can turn to an organization dedicated to this purpose which is *not* trying to make a profit off your misery and which is not dependent on private contributions to remain solvent.

You want to pay no federal taxes? That's fine, but if we do get down to that point, then the next time there's a hurricane in your town, you're either going to fork over $10,000 for a seat in one of HurricaneReliefCorp's rowboats, or you're going to drown.

No amount of money or relief is going to put the poor place back the way it was or bring those people back to life, of course. But this is a situation where it does actually matter that we have a federal government with agencies that are funded by tax money.

I merely mention it.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[rockymountaindem]

1. No, there's a big difference...

Everybody has to pay taxes.

Nobody has to give charity; they can assume that other people are giving, and then complain when there isn't enough to go around.

[newsguyatl]

2. someone made a similar

point in a post here a couple of days ago, talking about how many of the red staters vote against the policies they're now in such desperate need of, and that person was flamed merclessly...

but you, and that person, are absolutely right.

the irony is palpable... and yet 90% of them will never see it.

[3waygeek]

3. In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes...

"Taxes are the price we pay for civilization" -- that quote is posted at the main entrance to the IRS building in DC.

[Lindacooks]

4. You're absolutely right.

This needs to be forced down the throat of every whining tax crybaby, usually the wealthy, who think they're having such a hard time of it because they have to choose Corian countertops over granite because of the cost.

[rzemanfl]

6. I bet there are plenty of granite and corian countertops one

could salvage along the Gulf Coast.

[DIKB]

5. They have demonized taxes

yet that's the life's blood of government. When we run a credit economy, we accrue HUGE deficits, we don't have money to spend when we NEED it, like now. Because of the credit economy we're looking at an eventual fiscal collapse. Freepers shouldn't be surprised when they get a smug "I told you so" from people who KNOW this.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

9. It's neocon economics...

The basic, bottom-line principle of EVERY economics class--No Free Lunch. You can't get something for nothing. No taxes? No services. Which is fine for the rich, because they hire their own services. But I don't understand how they sold this crap to the other 99% of us.

[ReadTomPaine]

7. Thank you. n/t

[Binka]

8. What Goes Around Comes Around

:wtf: They just do not care. End. Of. Story.

[cornermouse]

10. You're right.

[Nikki Stone 1]

11. You get no argument from me. (Nominated.)

:kick:

[Cleita]

12. Except when Republicans are in charge, then the tax

fund becomes their own personal piggy bank for them and their large contributors.

[warrior1]

13. kick