Is It Taxation -- Or Theft?
By Thomas D. Segel
March 3, 2009
There is a saying that when one person steals your money, he is a thief. When Congress does the same thing, it is taxation. I would argue what Congress does is still the work of 535 thieves.
Just think about it for a minute. You not only are required to pay your Federal Income Tax, if you do not work where they automatically deduct that tax from your paycheck, you must estimate your income and even pay in advance. If you under estimate your annual income, there are additional penalties.
But, that doesn't even come close to how much your pocketbook is attacked on a regular basis. The late humorist Will Rogers once said, and I loosely quote, "If you have a pocketful of money, the government tosses you in a creek...and you get to keep everything that doesn't get wet."
If you spend any time on the Internet you may have received a printing on the different taxes our various governments demand we pay. There are building permit taxes, cigarette taxes, corporate income taxes, excise taxes, federal unemployment taxes, gasoline taxes, telephone line taxes, cable taxes, liquor taxes, luxury taxes, property taxes and personal property taxes.
There are real estate taxes, sales taxes, Social Security taxes, school taxes, state income taxes, state unemployment taxes, computer line taxes, utility taxes, vehicle license taxes, vehicle sales taxes, watercraft taxes, workers compensation taxes, inventory taxes, service charge taxes, marriage license taxes, hunting license taxes, fuel oil taxes, fishing license taxes, and don't forget the death tax. There are many more, but in boggles the mind attempting to recall each and every way that working peoples pockets are picked.
Now we hear that the massive bailouts, pig outs, and "investments" are all going to be paid for by more taxation on the top two percent of people filing income tax. Somebody in Washington needs to take a course in remedial mathematics, because the figures just don't add up.
When the banking bailout was passed under the Bush administration, we were told it would cost us $6,500 for each American family. That figure applied if there were only 3.5 people in your family. If more, the debt was $2,000 a person.
We have been given bailouts, spending plans, stimulus packages and budgets ad noisome. With a population estimated to be in the neighborhood of 309 million people, your personal tax debt has now grown to $35,500 and still counting every hour. Do you seriously believe the top two percent of wage earners in the United States can cover that obligation? Remember too, that $35,500 personal slice of the national debt is based on all 309 million people picking up their share of the tab... and guess what, half of the population in this country doesn't even pay income taxes.
But, Ali Obama and the 535 Thieves are still trying to figure out how to dig even deeper in everyone's pocket. There is talk of taxing the Internet based upon usage. That will hit our text messaging teens very hard. There is talk of taxing your driving by the mile. But, then if you drive less, they will need to tax you for the time your automobile is idle.
However, one of their far-out proposals may have some merit. Someone in Washington is talking about taxing adult movies, nightclub strippers and all pornography. Since there are claims that pornography is the most sought service on the Internet, that tax alone might reduce the national debt.
It matters not what those bandits in Washington spend or "invest", the American taxpayer still pays for all their fiscal abuses. It won't get any better until everyone gets mad enough to take action against the offenders. Until then you must be the one to decide...is it taxation, or theft?
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.
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