Weeks 88: Taxation With Representation
Someday I'm more gone in here
Some days I like to just sit and drink beer.
And some days I can't wait until I get home
All I like to do is play music and golf
The money I make pays the IRS off
Without you, Susan, I'd simply be a rolling stone
All I know is you gotta keep trying
You gotta laugh now and then to keep from crying
The only sure thing is taxes and dying
And your lovin makes the living worth while
“Lovin Makes Livin Worthwhile”, Jerry Jeff Walker
“No taxation without representation” was one of the most fervent battle cries of the American Revolution. King George’s taxes on tea and ultimately the Stamp Act, which essentially levied a tax on every piece of printed documentation in the Colonies, were the catalyst that finally compelled our Founding Fathers to take up arms and show the British Empire what for.
Two hundred and thirty-five years later the same Country founded on a rebellion against oppressive taxation has imposed more taxes than white on rice. Cradle to grave, backward and forward, Uncle Sammy gets a piece of the action every step of the way.
With an over abundance of representation at every level of government, County; City; State; Federal, all of us poor dumb pilgrims mindlessly fork over thousands of dollars every year for all manner of taxes our founding fathers would have considered abhorrent. Slowly but surely like sheeps to slaughter we have been conditioned / brainwashed to view this thievery as necessary and acceptable.
Not only are most of these taxes unnecessary and unacceptable their also unconstitutional, illegal and to some extent immoral. If the church only expects ten percent why do we tolerate a government that’s suppose to be “of, by, and for the people” confiscating north of fifty percent of our income.
We sure enough ain’t got anybody to blame but our own trusting, uninformed and apathetic happy asses for allowing the Government to steal us blind. That being said, by no means are all of the corrupt addicted to other people’s money County Commissions; City Councils; State Legislatures; The US Congress; and all the bleeding heart liberal Democrats and a few misguided Republicans occupying the Oval Office off of the hook for to the extent possible secretly / under the radar imposing hundreds of new oppressive taxes that would make most any Marxist/Socialists right proud.
Following is a list of representative taxes our representatives have created to fund our Government that is spreading faster than kudzu into every facet of our lives. Sad to say this is a partial list that includes only a fraction of the taxes we are subjected to by Uncle Sammy and friends:
• Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)
• U.S. capital gains tax
• Corporate income tax
• U.S. estate tax
• U.S. excise tax (includes taxes on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages)
• U.S. federal income tax
Federal unemployment tax (FUTA)
• FICA tax (includes Social Security tax and related programs)
• Gasoline tax
• Generation Skipping Tax
• Gift tax
• IRS penalties
• Luxury taxes
• Property tax
• Real estate tax
• Recreational vehicle tax
• Rental car tax
• Resort tax (also known as Hotel/Motel tax, occupancy tax)
• Road usage taxes (Commercial Vehicle Operators)
• School tax
• State unemployment tax (SUTA)
• Tariffs
• Telephone federal excise tax
• Vehicle sales tax
• Workers compensation tax
It sure enough is hard to imagine ole Tommy Jefferson, John Boy Adams, Bennie Franklin, the G Man Washington and Al Hamilton sitting around Ye Old Tavern knocking back a few cold pints of grog after a long day of nation building and rebellious conspiracy discussing the merits of the Alternative Minimum or Generation Skipping Taxes. Even income taxes would have been viewed as intrusive, oppressive and tyrannical by these patriots.
In stark contrast our current Big Time Spender-In-Chief has never seen a tax he didn’t greet with a warm embrace and sloppy wet kiss. The Obama Administration has been imposing new and growth choking taxes faster than a scalded dog running home to Mama.
During the last 88 weeks President Obama and his Congressional Democrat comrades have imposed tax increases totaling more than $670 billion. These tax increases include at least 20 violations of the President’s pledge not to raise taxes even a penny on anyone earning less than $250,000.
As bad as this thieving is the real insanity doesn’t start till January 1, 2011 when the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect. Following is a summary of the pending financial disaster headed our way compliments of Obama, Pelosi and Reid.
• Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief
• Personal income tax rates will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed).
• The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent.
• Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same effect as higher marginal tax rates.
• The "marriage penalty" will return from the first dollar of income.
• The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child.
• The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.
• Return of the Death Tax.
• The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011. • The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011.
• There are over twenty new or higher taxes in the new Obamacare.
• Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines.
• The "Special Needs Kids Tax" This provision of the new healthcare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit). There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children.
• The HSA (Health Savings Account) Withdrawal Tax Hike. This provision of the healthcare plan increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.
• According to the Tax Policy Center, Congress' failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families-rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million. These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level.
• Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear.
• Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced.
• The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.
• Tax credits for education will be limited.
• Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.
• Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.
• Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed.
• Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed.
• With Obama your insurance will be INCOME on your W2's!
• Starting in 2011 your W-2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body of some sort.
• For many, it also puts you into a new higher bracket.
In the grand scheme of things “Taxation With Representation” hasn’t exactly been an improvement over “No Taxation Without Representation”. Word from the Capital this week from Obama, Pelosi and Reid no vote to extend the W era tax cuts which means trillions in wealth are about to be redistributed.
Instead of dumping tea in Boston Harbor maybe it’s high time we threw Madam Speaker Pelosi off the Golden Gate bridge into the bay, tossed Majority Leader Reid off Hoover Damn, and sent President Obama on a long walk off a short peer into the Potomac. After all it was Thomas Jefferson who said “Every generation needs a new revolution.”
I am, “American by Birth and Southern by the Grace of God”
Ron W. Garikes
Alabama, (4-0) 24 – Arkansas, 20
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