Letters to the Editor
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@Taliesan
"In the end nobody likes taxes, but then nobody likes any kind of a bill - and it is no good doing away with taxes if it means you end up paying someone else more for the same service."
There is another way for a government -- something that I have always practiced in my personal life as you may be able to glean from my Salon posts on other subjects:
- Stop spending so much damn money!
- Spend only what you have!
And also, something that I have been pounding into my daughter's heads from day one:
You can't just ask for it -- you have to earn it!!!
And that goes for _all_ politicians. And for all those people who believe that government spending is the way to cure all ills.
It's great for you because you're not the one paying for it. How much was your last tax return, Taliesan? I bet you received a nice refund, right? Well, I had to fork over an additional 6G's to the government _on_top_of_ what they already take from my salary. And I can't escape it with the fancy accounting of those with private practices (doctors, lawyers, etc.), small businesses or high-powered accountants because I'm a _salaried_ employee. So the government gets _everything_they_want_.
Have you ever heard the fable of the Goose that laid the golden eggs? Well, guess what, mister. These politicians -- enabled by people like you -- will kill that Goose. Then there will be no more golden eggs. Then what?
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red_gti2000
So you support minimal government -- or you would cut defense spending by $400 billion or so? Or both?
It's a serious question. What kind of society would you like to see, assuming that we aren't going to have a whole lot of money in the future (at least not spread around in a vibrant middle class)? I'm not trying to corner you, just curious.
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@Reality
Thanks for the reasoned post. For starters, here's what I support:
- 100% accountability on all government spending, verified by independent accountants. Absolutely no pork (e.g., "earmarks") allowed.
- Scrap the tax code, remove _all_ special deductions for everyone.
- All government-funded projects cannot be initiated without a "business plan" that is verified by independent accountants.
- Ban all lobbyists (not directly related, but a major cause of government inefficiency).
- No private fund-raising for elections. Only goverment funding to be used.
In general, the government should be made to run efficiently and transparently, with an absolute minimum of waste. Government efforts to help the poor, the aged, the infirm, etc. should be treated as independent programs -- not integrated into the tax system or any other government system -- with very strict oversight by independent accountants. These groups are treated the same way as the rest of us (e.g., they will probably end up _paying_ tax instead of getting a refund), but they get assistance from the programs.
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red_gti2000
Admittedly, I got a small refund.
One of the big things you must do if you are a salaried employee is get ahold of some tax tables and check the calculation of your taxes.
You would be surprised how often it turns out that you are paying more than you really owe, simply because the salaries clerk is a moron.
My first job involved a lot of checking that sort of thing and you would be surprised how often it happens.
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@Taliesan
Lol. At least you're honest. You're ok :).
I've looked into everything, really. I've done my taxes manually, I've consulted with accountants and now I do them with Quicken software. The only way I can lower them is if I go through an accountant who -- I know -- will fake many parts of the return to lower my payment. And they'll get away with it because the IRS is too swamped. Oh, I know, it's what everybody does. So am I a fool for continuing to do it my way? Probably. But I am at peace with my conscience -- and I don't live in fear of an IRS audit.
Oh, and BTW. Another thing I support is beefing up the IRS so it can actually go after all those tax evaders. Oh, yeah. That would be sweeeeet. And I know a few, lol.
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My approach would be as follows (Just to start.)
Full audits of every government department, with particular reference to...
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/most-awful/government-waste-1.php
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/most-awful/worst-government-waste.php
Those articles are more accurate than them being on a comedy website would lead one to think.
I would exit Iraq as quickly as possible, and socialise the military.
I would also cut the fake aid.
For example: Aid to Africa has historically been given in the form of loans nobody expects to get back, to dictators who use the funds in order to repress their people. Bush's AIDS aid was given without Bush even so much as setting up a system to ensure the money was accounted for. It isn't doing any good anyway, so stop giving it.
I would then raise corporate taxes in the short term in order to pay down the debt faster, reducing the burder posed by the interest on that debt. Income taxes would be raised only after corporate taxes, because while corporate taxes only really effect companies making a taxable profit, income taxes hit everyone.
I would cut all funding to religion based institutions and remove all exceptions made for those institutions within the tax code.
Corporate welfare would be phased out. If America's biggest companies can't run at a profit, then they need new CEOs.
A clean sweep of government departments would need to occur too. No more political lackies in the place of competent professionals. If the public is expected to pay for a service that service must be delivered.
Alphonso Jackson (Look the name up) and his ilk will be tarred, feathered and thrown in jail. Government contracts will be based on who has the best bid (Not always the lowest bid, but the bid which combines the best price for the best quality) not on who the bidders voted into the Whitehouse.
Once it is clear that the government is running at its top effeciency, enough money is coming in to cover what the government does, as well as pay off some of the debt, only then would I consider reducing and getting rid of taxes.
The education system will be revised. Children will be expected to understand, by the time they are out of school, basic maths, science, law, accounting and tax.
At the same time school administration will be revised, with an emphasis on reducing its top heavy structure. To ensure a reduction in wastage, organisations striving to bring creationism into America will be held liable for the legal fees involved every failed attempt on this.
The same standard will be applied to other people who repeatedly bring frivolous cases to court that have failed repeatedly for the last sixty years.
And yes, I know I am unelectable.