The Tea Party and the no-new-taxes Republicans are just a bunch of freeloaders.
I see photos of these people at rallies in Washington, or on the steps of a state capital, or on the sidewalk waving their signs about how this country is being sold down the river and they shouldn't have to pay taxes and I think: GTFO my sidewalk you lazy bastards.
My taxes paid for that sidewalk. Those capital steps. That park you're having your rally in. If you don't want to pay your taxes, if you don't want to pay for the benefits of civilization, fine. Move the hell out of my city and go live in the woods or on a mountain. If you're not paying your share of taxes like I am then you don't get to use my police, fire, streets, transit, garbage, water, sewer, parks, hospitals, schools, colleges, museums, bridges, stadiums, etc.
Go live in your shack in the woods. Shit in an outhouse. Gather wood for a fire, because you need to boil that stream water before you drink it. You'll get to keep all your money. Live the tax-free life. And if you freeze to death in the winter because nobody is around to help you - well at least you didn't have to pay taxes to the evil government.
I'm a moderate. I appreciate taking a hard look at the programs the government provides and making sure we're getting the best bang for our buck. If something's not working, or overrunning it's budget then you fix it or get rid of it. But I also believe in my responsibility to provide that buck. And in tough times, maybe two bucks if I can afford it and someone else can't. And in return I expect to live a long, happy, comfortable, hard-working life in a functioning society because me and the other people of my city/state/country have collectively shared our wealth to build a better place to live. And if other people from other places in the world want to come here and contribute the same then they're welcome to. That was what my ancestors did and it worked out for their children.
The rest of you who want all the benefits of civilization, but don't want to pay for it, can get the hell out. Go freeload somewhere else.
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ReplyDeleteI have a similar thought when elderly people rail against socialized medicine, and turn around and say, “Don’t take away my Medicare!” I feel like people get so wrapped up in the slogans and rhetoric that they fail to think about the issues in any depth. There are words that one can say that stop rational thought like Socialism, Taxes, Welfare, Economy, Wall Street, and Bailout. What people fail to see is that the majority of our taxes go to things we take for granted, like police, road plowing, and sidewalks. I don’t understand this ignorance. If I cared enough about an issue to picket, I would look up some information first. The internet is everywhere, and makes this fact finding so simple. Here are some links to where all of my taxes go. It took me like 10 minutes to look it up. I wonder how long it takes to make a sign that says “don’t tax me.”
ReplyDeleteMinneapolis 2011 Expenditures
Minnesota State Expenditures
US Federal Expenditures 2009