(patriotstateman.com)
As the tax season is now upon us I’ve taken a special interest in reading article after article on our tax system and the results of the recent, supposed, fiscal cliff “save”. No side is really satisfied with the results and everyone, including those whom this sitting administration swore to that they WOULD NOT raise their taxes, have found that, in fact, everyone’s taxes were raised. Now some people may think that the 2% social security tax increase doesn’t amount to much. Clearly, those people simply have absolutely no understanding that for millions the 2% increase has had a devasting impact on their lives. Already struggling to make ends meet – now there is no meeting of the ends. But this doesn’t address what this posting is all about – and that is: IS TAXING THE WEALTHY REALLY "FAIR" FOR ANYONE (including the poor and less fortunate)?
Okay – to begin with, let's get a few things cleared up. This country was founded upon "individual" sovereign states. The "federal" government was established for the purpose to SERVE and PROTECT each of those sovereign states with a united military force (be it Marines, Army, Airforce). The federal government is to protect our shores and to represent the states abroad. It is to maintain a higher court to hear and determine disputes that cannot be resolved at the state level. As the country grew, the interstate highways fell under the federal government to maintain.
Senators, as they were first called, were appointed by the State’s governors to represent the state’s interests at the federal government level. Congressmen were elected by the people of a state and sent to the federal government to represent the people of each state.
So, how do we fund a federal government that is to protect all of the sovereign states with a military and to maintain our interstates and higher court? We support it through the payment of taxes. Those taxes are to provide salaries for the federal government officials, pay the military, pay the Supreme Court Justices and to purchase and maintain weaponery and bases, etc., as well as to build and maintain roads and bridges. And that's it.
We have state governments who are established to serve the people, maintain local roadways, bridges, establish public schools, establish local military and to provide "temporary" aid to those citizens who fall in need of aid. It also sends Senators to represent it at the federal government level and it sends Congressmen elected by the people to represent their interests. And, how do we fund this governmental body? Again - through taxes.
NO WHERE and I do mean NO WHERE is there any law or provision stating that the "federal" government is to provide any aid (financial or medical) to any U.S. citizen (let’s not even talk about illegals at this point. That’s open for a whole separate blog posting). That is NOT its purpose – nor has it ever been its purpose. The U.S. Constitution does not "guarantee" anyone to have financial aid, medical aid, college tuition, TV's, cellphones, housing, food, or anything else. NO ONE is ENTITLED to any of that. This American political system is what Obama detests. He has stated while he was still a Senator that he did not like the fact that the Constitution only told the government what it cannot do for the people. Instead, Obama wants the Constitution to spell out what the federal government can "do to" the people. The Founding Fathers purposefully made certain that the federal government couldn't ever "do to" the people. When a government does “to” the people – the government becomes corrupt with powers. Our federal government’s purpose, again, is to protect and serve the states - not rule over them and most certainly not to be their big brother.
People do experience hard times in their lives. Where do they get aid? Simply put, there are three places where an individual or family should turn to in times of trouble and hardships. First is to seek help from family (immediate and extended). When that cannot be obtained then you seek aid from your church - whatever church that may be. Lastly, you seek aid from your local and state government. This aid is only temporary - set up to help you get back on your own two feet. It was never meant to be a "life long career". Going to the federal government was not nor should it ever be an option.
So let's get back to taxes now. Taxes today have gotten unbelievably high for two reasons and two reasons alone – that being government overspending and "entitlement" programs.
Those people who are screaming against corporations and people who just happen to earn a good deal of money - calling those people selfish, greedy, etc., etc., etc., are, in truth, the ones who are actually the selfish and greedy ones. Listen up folks - you are NOT ENTITLED to a damned thing outside of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Pursuit means actively seeking - actively working for. Get off your butt and work for a living like the rest of us. I don't care if you have to sling hamburgers (which, by the way, there is nothing wrong with that) - at least it gives you dignity to work for what you have. Taxing the owner of the hamburger establishment will not help you with your salary, your benefits or anything else. You need to stop whining about “poor” me and get up and start working. I don't care if you have to work 2 or 3 jobs (I already do) - but stand up and take pride in yourself and your own accomplishments and stop crying like a baby, pointing a finger at those who do work and say, "BUT THAT's NOT FAIR. THEY NEED TO GIVE ME THEIR MONEY."
When some people shout that they think it is only “fair”, what this implies is that what is “fair” to one is “unfair” to another – so, is that really being fair? Kids constantly cry, "But that's not fair." What they are really saying is, "But I'm not getting MY way." People WANT undeserved "entitlements" and when they say it would be unfair to NOT tax the wealthy more, what they are saying is "But I'm not getting more of what I WANT. I might even lose the FREE stuff I'm getting." Of course nothing really is free because people like me are paying for everything you are getting for doing nothing - but you see that as being "fair". I make less than $50,000 a year for a family of 6 - so I hardly consider myself to be among the "wealthy" - but "entitlements" are killing me and taking food out of my kids’ mouths. (annonymous)
We all (rich, poor and everywhere in between) are responsible to help financially support our local, state and federal government in the roles that they were created and designed for, i.e., to serve the states and people and, therefore, some taxes are absolutely necessary. But again – just what is fair? What is truly fair? I believe it is a flat tax for everyone with NO loopholes for anyone or any corporation. If we had a 10% flat tax across the board, the revenue it would generate would be astonishing. If you made something like $1,000 a year, you would then have to pay $100. If you made $10,000 a year, you would have to pay $1,000. If you made $100,000 a year, you would have pay $10,000, and so on. It really is the only "FAIR" tax rate. Everyone, regardless of their income, would have to contribute 10% of that income to cover their local, state and federal obligations. (Church obligations would be a voluntary and individual contribution.) Under the flat tax there would be no need to file yearly income tax returns. There would be no refunds and there would be no one having to pay.
Until and unless a truly "fair" tax is imposed upon everyone, we will continue to have heated outbursts, friction and outright animosity towards our fellow man. However, if we would all step back and unbiasedly take a good look at our country, how it was founded, how the federal and state governments were established to act on OUR behalf, then only then could we take those results and, as a united people, vote into office those who would make the right choices for us all - not just interest groups.
Sounding Off,
Chris
