The Most "Taxing" Day Of The Year...
Yes, friends, it's April 15th (and Caesar was warned to beware the Ides of MARCH...pshaw).
And aside from this being the anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Titanic (bit of DEJA VU mixed with IRONY there with matters of today's economics, hmm?), it's the day where we poor, overburdened, overworked (and often underpaid and under appreciated) masses across the nation (all FIFTY-THREE PERCENT of us) file our INCOME TAXES.
I used that 53% number, because, if you recall, the other day I mentioned that FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT of America DO NOT PAY ANY income taxes.
This is ASIDE from those that either "zero-out" (honestly) OR have a refund coming (due to withholding at higher rates).
Those "in the know" claim that the "average" tax refund is around $3000...(ahem)...really?
REALLY?
Could have fooled me.
I have NEVER received ANY refund even close to TWO-thousand (in all the years I broke a sweat), and neither has my wife.
Having worked for the IRS (rolls eyes) in decades past, I can tell you that we've WAY too many "loopholes" that people can use to defer taxation, or even eliminate it altogether.
Being able to PROTECT your earnings (to save for the kids or your own retirement) is ONE thing. Blatantly being able to HIDE it from the government is quite the other.
Trouble with that line of "logic" is that it's flawed from the start.
If you happen to be a multi-millionaire (top 5 % of the populace) there are a myriad of ways to "divert" your income so as to avoid paying taxes on it. A few follow the entrepreneurial path and that's OK...it's putting something BACK into our economy.
A few more do the CHARITABLE gig, and that helps a lot of people, but it DOES require an outlay of that rich guy's money.
Some rich folks see money as a tool...to be used properly, and not the alpha & omega of their lives. They can always make more.
But what about the REST of that 47% that pays NO taxes?
(good question, Bob)
Many are able to "break even" when it comes to paying and deductions, and that's perfectly fine by me.
NUMBERS don't lie...PEOPLE do...!
(always remember that)
Trouble is, a growing group of people simply do not WANT to be productive members of the "working class", BUT...they DO want all (if not more) of all the "benefits" associated with those that ARE gainfully employed.
These are all those "lazy-asses" I talk about here (like most all of my African't-American "neighbors")
Curiously enough, this mindset starts at a very young age. It doesn't just "come on them" (like diabetes) when they hit adulthood.
They are usually under-achievers in school, into trouble at a young age, and eventually becomes "guests" of the local hoosegow at some point. They not only ARE on the welfare roll (perpetually)...they LIVE for it.They see it as an ENTITLEMENT, instead of a "stop-gap" measure between employment situations.
They also have kids...Lord DO they ever....LOTS of them.
Think about it...when you have all day to do nothing, what better way to pass the time than by screwing around.
(sheeeiit, lookin' fo a job be too much like work, anyways)
You see, people like this get real MONEY for "having" kids, thanks to YOU, the taxpayers of this nation.
YOU pay for them...ALL of them. Every new generation of welfare leeches have YOU to thank for their being able to have damn near everything YOU work YOUR ass off for...nice, huh?
Once upon a time, I was one of those people that thought a FLAT RATE TAX was ridiculous....NOT anymore.
Having such a thing in place would eliminate a LOT of the economic woes we're seeing.
If you charge everyone a mere TWELVE PERCENT across the board, the first thing you'd notice is that it's a LOT more FAIR...to everyone.
Right now, if you look at your last paycheck (go ahead...take a look...I'll wait...), I'll "splain" something to you.
(...plays the JEOPARDY song...)
Okay, take a look at your LARGEST deduction...(used to be called FICA - that's "da Feds")...the percentage of THAT tax usually used to run in the low-mid TWENTIES percentile. Add to that the STATE tax (typically below TEN PERCENT), along with other CITY, COUNTY, or BOROUGH taxes (they use to run about TWICE the state taxes in PA), and then add them ALL up.
A nice chunk of that work week toil MISSING, isn't there?
Now, take your base pay and DEDUCT that 12% I mentioned, and take that state tax and reduce that to FIVE percent, and the city et al tax to another FIVE percent.
WOW...you 've got MORE money in YOUR pocket now, don'cha?
More money to SAVE...or to BUY stuff.
Not to mention, everyone ELSE is being taxed at the same rate...imagine that!
No more whipping the wealthy into tax evasiveness. No more bilking the working class into a poverty class.
Now, what about those who've been riding this tax -abative gravy train?
Sorry, folks...the train's reached the END OF THE LINE!
(And ELVIS has left the building, people)

Time to get off and get busy finding employment...or get busy dying...your choice.
If you carry the SAME (fair) tax rates into the SMALL BUSINESS realm, THEY will be able to GROW, hire more people, and shore back up this foundering economy.
Of course, this will mean doing away with "Obamacare"...s'OK...no big loss. People WILL be able to AFFORD health care with a fair rate of taxation, would they not?
I mean this type of scenario sure beats the hell out of what we got goin' on NOW.
But hey, it's not like I used to work for the Treasury Dept....(oh wait, I DID...LOL)
Now, I also spoke about PROPERTY TAXES earlier in the week, and what do I see in this morning's paper?
EXISTING housing prices have gone UP about NINE PERCENT!
Also, FORECLOSURES have ALSO risen...AGAIN.
Anyone ELSE seeing a "pattern" here?
The median price of existing houses went UP from about $95K to $105K.
Nice to know OUR house is WELL BELOW the median...(and getting lower by the minute)
Still, it makes a case for not summarily tossing aside neighborhoods that CAN be reclaimed.
It's better to have WORKING people in houses they can afford, than taking some borderline dwellings and turning them into half-way houses for the schizos, drunks and druggies of the city, right?
And it sure beats having to place generationally-endowed welfare baby-mamas in them "fo free".
The current D.C. "regime" is HELPING those with homes, allowing them massive deductions...
All well and good, I suppose, but hell, WE can't even get some of "dem Obama-bucks" to get a new roof...or to have our steps fixed. We (working class) have to do it all...(all together gang)...OURSELVES!
We don't "qualify"...simple as that.
If I didn't know better, I'd swear (cause I know all the words) that THIS is a form of BIAS.
But we'll drive down THAT street on another day, fair enough? For now...it's all about getting YOUR taxes filed TODAY.
Fret not, if you "miss" the date.
You can always file for an extension until 15 AUGUST...or even 15 OCTOBER.
After all, the IRS is ALWAYS happy to get YOUR money (as they turn around and hand it all back out to those with no desire to do anything but take it anyway). Redistribution of wealth, baby...gotta love it...(not).
Just don't make the Feds wait too long for it...they might come out in riot gear, kick down your door, and force you to commit suicide because of THEIR constant harassment as was the case of one wife in INDIANA (of all places):
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100414/LOCAL03/304149966/1002/LOCAL Nah...we're just one BIG (read grossly huge) Federal government, and we ONLY want to "help".
We're not here to hurt or main....trust us...
Funny thing, the FEDS wiil charge YOU interest on monies owed, but YOU can't get ANY interest on money due YOU...go figure.
Another "double-standard" perhaps?
SO many things to ponder...so little time, eh?
Well, in ANY event, may YOUR tax day be as painless as possible.
And if it isn't, there is always a bottle of Chivas Regal on a store shelf waiting patiently.
Be well, make a difference today to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.