Taxes

I've just finished doing my taxes. I don't mind paying them; that's the cost of living where we do and how we do. What I mind is the deadline pressure and the complexity of the forms. I know that this is all old hat, but perhaps if it is said enough times in enough different ways, the Universe will see fit to rearrange reality into something more suited to the lifestyles that we lead. Now, if I were an anal-retentive record keeper and one that made all sorts of money that could be used a) to hire someone to do the paper work for me and b) to shelter big chunks of cash so that I might not have to pay as much, it might be different.

The rich seem to complain about the percentage of taxes that they are required to pay. Are they using that money, or is it just sitting around drawing interest in some bank account someplace? Do they live from pay check to pay check as many of us do? What kind of cash surplus do they have at the end of each month? I know that I'm down to a few dollars by the 29th of any given month, and if I've got extra, do you think that I squander it? No! I generally put it into a savings account that is used for emergencies, like the one yesterday when the video card on my home PC gave out only days after the warranty was up. Sound familiar? Let's not even think about paying for such things as medical care, food, or buying some nice clothes so that you have a chance at getting that better job that might make you more money so you don't have to live in fear of poverty! I think that it is more common than not, despite the images of financial security that are piped into our brains by television and movies.

Again, it would be easier for many people to accept the amount of money they pay in taxes if it went to social programs that could save them money in the long run, like HEALTH CARE and EDUCATION and PUBLIC WORKS. But then, there are those that would disagree, and it is a representative democracy. The voices of the people have been raised up and our elected officials have heard. Of course, they are the ones who can afford to buy really big megaphones to drown out the voices of the majority. Ah, so many words, so few with loud voices to read them.