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Economy
In reply to the discussion: STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Friday, 10 August 2012 [View all]Demeter
(85,373 posts)53. Happy 151st Birthday, Federal Income Tax! By Richard (RJ) Eskow
http://www.nationofchange.org/happy-151st-birthday-federal-income-tax-1344257860
...August 5, the Federal income tax turned 151 years old. Now that's a big birthday. Bring out the balloons and party hats...I can hear people saying, "Is this guy crazy? Doesn't he pay taxes? Who likes giving up a big chunk of money?"
Yes, I pay my taxes, and there are lots of other bills on the family table. Among other things I'm a small business owner, and our ongoing "invisible recession" has taken a toll on my income. Under the circumstances I can't say I like paying taxes. Or, more precisely, I don't enjoy the process. But then I think about what it would cost us, financially and otherwise, not to have the Federal income tax.
It could cost seniors $30,000, $40,000 or more to buy health insurance, for example - that is, if they could afford it at all. And what would it cost to use the public highways if they'd been built for profit - $500 per year? $5,000? Then there are those things the private sector wouldn't bother with at all, like disease prevention. I'd guess we'd just get sick more often.
When I think about that I become downright grateful. So Happy 151st Birthday, Federal income tax! May you have many more to come...
HISTORY AND PRESENT DETAIL AT LINK
...August 5, the Federal income tax turned 151 years old. Now that's a big birthday. Bring out the balloons and party hats...I can hear people saying, "Is this guy crazy? Doesn't he pay taxes? Who likes giving up a big chunk of money?"
Yes, I pay my taxes, and there are lots of other bills on the family table. Among other things I'm a small business owner, and our ongoing "invisible recession" has taken a toll on my income. Under the circumstances I can't say I like paying taxes. Or, more precisely, I don't enjoy the process. But then I think about what it would cost us, financially and otherwise, not to have the Federal income tax.
It could cost seniors $30,000, $40,000 or more to buy health insurance, for example - that is, if they could afford it at all. And what would it cost to use the public highways if they'd been built for profit - $500 per year? $5,000? Then there are those things the private sector wouldn't bother with at all, like disease prevention. I'd guess we'd just get sick more often.
When I think about that I become downright grateful. So Happy 151st Birthday, Federal income tax! May you have many more to come...
HISTORY AND PRESENT DETAIL AT LINK
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