By now all of us have either paid our taxes or filed for extensions. If you have not done either and it is Monday, stop reading this article and do it. If it is Tuesday, I have bad news: the IRS man cometh.
I did my taxes last week and I have to admit it was not in the least bit painful, thanks to the 32nd President. I find that fact very disturbing. F.D.R. had the most brilliant idea of all the Presidents to painlessly extort taxes from Americans: he called it “withholding.”
Before you receive a paycheck, your employer – at the demands of the government – removes a portion for taxes. Each quarter your employer mails your money to Washington, D.C. It is convenient for you – and as I said, painless – but it is the worst thing to happen to our pocketbooks since the advent of the infomercial.
Just think if you had to personally write a check of your earnings to the state and federal governments every quarter. How many needless government programs would remain? How many needless politicians would remain, for that matter?
After mailing 30% of their paycheck to the government, the American people would personally visit Washington with other presents of the tar and feather variety. Oh yes, and someone would bring a rail. Then there would either be change or the bureaucrats would get an all expense paid trip back to their district courtesy of the American taxpayer. Let us just say the ride would be a little more painful than F.D.R’s Ponzi Scheme.
When it was time to elect our leadership, the citizenry would give a colder welcome to each fantastic government program a candidate touted. Not only that, we would demand welfare programs not be a lifetime benefit, we would insist food stamps cover the barest of necessities, and we would scrutinize government spending and insure efficiency.
Many times when politicians gain office, they have the fiscal discretion of a mall-bound 13-year-old with a credit card. They opine over the grandness of programs that helps people too lazy to do anything for themselves stay that way while money leaves our paychecks faster than you can say “overpriced designer clothes on aisle five.” Who can blame them?
If I were king for a day, not only would I end withholding, I would have elections on April 16th. That way you could pay your taxes, stew over it for 24 hours and then vote in the man or woman who would ease the pain the most.
The truth is we are kings and our day is Election Day. As long as we have the power to vote, we have the power to institute change. The next time a politician unveils a new program, ask him how much it will cost. If you do not like the answer, exercise your kingly power: banish him to live in the real world for a while.
This photo was taken while I was writing the article.
I am joined by my dogs, Jeb and Lemony Snicket (L to R).
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© Copyright 1999-2007 William Stewart. All rights reserved.
Comments
William-
Come on now. Having to pay taxes means we made money! That’s a good thing, isn’t it? However, I like your idea of having election day on the 16th of April. Brilliant! Throw the bums out!
Senator Barnes
I’ve often told my friends that health insurance causes a disconnect between health care and its cost for most people, and that, in turn, helps to increase the cost of healthcare immensely. It’s never really occurred to me that the same thing happens with the “convenience” of withholding.
Excellent post.
The problem is that congressional republicans are just as big of spenders as the democrats are.
If folks had to keep back money, and then right a big whopping check each year to the government, there would certainly be change. There would definitely be reductions in spending. I hear so many times that we can’t cut this or that, or some other must need program. We can’t be that cruel. BUT, if the person who said that had to write a lump sump check each year for their taxes, I am quite sure we could most definitely do without that “must-have” program, and it would most certainly not be cruel to do so.
Great article! Looks like a great view in the photo too.
Senator Barnes: I don’t have a problem with paying taxes (it is what allows us to pave roads and name them after Robert C. Byrd). But that’s the whole point! I want to pay them instead of the employer.
Robin: You have a great point about health care. I have an interesting story that I’ll share sometime.
Holywriter: I agree 100%! Since Reagan has left the scene, Republicans have forgotten that they are supposed to be fiscally conservative as well as conservative in other areas.
Stacey: Thanks for the encouragement! You are quite right: funding to research the mating habits of flies and other such nonsense has to stop.
[…] But the one-dollar check I wrote to the state (using three dollars worth of postage) is not an accurate picture of what I truly contributed. Last year I wrote an article on the scam of withholding taxes. Seeing as the boondoggle is still alive and kicking, I thought it would be good to post it again: […]
I have believed for a long time, and advocated, that elections should be the day after taxes are due. It would make both citizens and politicians more accountable and responsible, and I believe it would be a big reform in government. Fat chance of that ever happening, though. I have often wondered if it is more than a coincidence that elections are held about as far away from tax payment day as possible.
You may not be aware of a test case with Coors a long time ago, where Coors gave its employees a full check, then made them cash it on the spot, and took the taxes out of it and submitted the taxes to the government. The idea was to make employees aware how much they were paying in taxes as compared to how much Coors was paying them. The federal goverment brought legal action against Coors, and the federal court held that Coors could not withhold the taxes in this manner–that it had to withhold them before issuing the check to the employees. So much for full disclosure and full information from our government. As with social security, the government does not believe in a fully informed citizenry when it comes to taxes.
[…] But the one-dollar check I wrote to the state (using three dollars worth of postage) is not an accurate picture of what I truly contributed. Last year I wrote an article on the scam of withholding taxes. Seeing as the boondoggle is still alive and kicking, I thought it would be good to post it again: […]