Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Taxes


So I posted this on facebook the other day. It's a sign from the Rally to Restore Sanity, and it really says a lot of what I feel about this anti-tax sentiment. Yes, isn't it a bummer to part with money you earned. I get my (small) paycheck, a lot of it goes to taxes. I particularly love the cranky old people who treat me like I am less of a human while my hard work slowly funnels thousands of dollars into their social security checks. However, I understand this is PART OF THE DEAL.

As a child, you worry very little, if at all, about taxes. You may hear your parents grumbling about it, but you probably take for granted all the things in your life that are tax dollars at work. You probably ride public transportation on a public road to a public school. If something bad happens to you, you call 9-1-1. House catches on fire? Need an ambulance? All those who would assist you are paid by taxes. Countless other things we have come to depend on, are all financed by us taxpaying citizens. So, pat yourself on the back taxpayer, we live in the richest society in the world.

Only, people aren't satisfied. They want it all, but don't want to pay for it. They vote down legistlation to tax, and bitch when things aren't good enough for them. Which brings me to the most recent election. Locally we had a few things on the ballot that would've provided a better standard of life for Washington residents. And a few that ties the state's hands. Guess how things turned out?

Initiative 1052: another shit-tastic piece of work from the biggest asshole in WA, Tim Eyman. The passing of 1052 means that now the state legistlature must have a 2/3 majority to change any tax law. With the political climate how it is now, this means NOTHING will be able to be done. Combine this with 1107, which repealed taxes on candy and bottled water (otherwise known as shit you don't need), puts the state in a 4.8 BILLION DOLLAR SHORTFALL for next year. REALLY? You guys can't afford to pay the extra 8 cents on your candy bar?

Add that little greed to the failing of 1098, which would've set aside millions for education and only taxed people making over 200k a year. But oh, can't do that. No. Who needs better education? Not WA students. For the record, if I were making that much a year, I'd willinglingly kick in a few extra bucks here and there to support our kids.

I don't understand where this greed comes from. I feel like it comes from those who have already "got theirs" and just don't care about the rest of the nation. And they paint those who do care for others as "socialists" (which is somehow a bad word these days)

I'm willing to pay more taxes to improve my quality of life and of those around me. And if that makes me a bleeding-heart liberal, well...alrighty then.

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