In my book, a measure of the decline of our country is the relentless denigration of the word tax and by extension, taxes of any sort for any purpose. It has resulted, among other things, in the gradual hobbling of the capacity of the IRS, which has been cut 17% over the last five years, and is earmarked to lose an additional 5% in resources this year. This ideology-based decision, not one made out of any economic or budgetary sense, loses $6 in revenue for every $1 in cuts according to the Treasury Department. Add in the cowardice of our indentured elected officials in not going after the $100s of billions of tax dollars avoided by their corporate masters due to loopholes, and we get a failure to make necessary investments in education, workforce development, and infrastructure, to name just a few. This is happening at the same time that our global competitors, most notably China, are doing the exact opposite. I can criticize governments wastefulness with the best of them, but I am with the Founding Fathers in their wisdom for the need for a strong, energetic government. Alexander Hamilton in The Federalist # 1 writes: “On the other hand, it will be forgotten, that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty.” Hamilton, Madison, and Jay were not naïve about the propensity of “men” to act in their self-interest rather than the common good. Madison says: “Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” A prophetic understatement given the last 40 years! Specifically on taxes, Madison in The Federalist # 10 writes: The apportionment of taxes….is an act which seems to require the most exact impartiality; yet there is perhaps no legislative act in which greater opportunity and temptation are given to a predominant party, to trample on the rules of justice. Every shilling with which they over-burden the inferior (in terms of power) number, is a shilling saved to their own pockets.” So as we continue to cede control of our government to corporations we are led blindly to war with the concept of taxes whilst they literally “laugh all the way to the bank.
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:53:00 +0000
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