There are a lot of folks out there working jobs you or I wouldn’t work for five times what they make. They’re earning seven, eight, nine dollars an hour knee high in chicken guts or something, in some nasty hot plant somewhere, so we can buy chicken at the grocery store for $.50 a pound or whatever. God bless them for that. I’m not going to whine that they aren’t paying enough taxes. They’re barely earning enough to pay their rent.
The only ones that really tick me off are those that just abuse the system, collecting all the government benefits they can collect without putting back into the system, either in taxes paid or even just in blood and sweat.
I agree that every American who earns an income, regardless of the source, ought to be paying a share of the income taxes collected, but I don’t think that in real life that doing that makes people more responsible with their votes. Those at the lowest end of the earnings scale, probably more than anyone else, feel entitled to great deeds by the government because of the fact that they pay taxes. They can pay $25 a year in taxes and they’ll jump up and down if they aren’t getting everything they expect from the government, because in their minds the government owes them big for all that tax money they’re paying. They’ll do that even if they are getting a refund that is greater than the entire amount that they actually paid in. “Working poor” receiving lots of government benefits don’t tend to be any more responsible with their votes just because they have to pay some taxes. And the poorest folks, those who are working and those who are just mooches (or are legitimately disabled) are much less likely to vote than people earning better incomes anyway. “Welfare queens” may complain a lot about politicians, but they don’t tend to get off their lazy butts and actually go out and register and vote.
Believe it or not, those who actually elect these politicians who want to give away the farm are for the most part going to be people not receiving the biggest part of the government handouts. Look at old Warren Buffett here. He never was one to rake in a bunch of welfare benefits, and neither are the vast majority of those voting for Democrats at the polls. Maybe people do this because they might need the “safety net” someday. Maybe they do it because they think it’s government’s job to take care of the less fortunate. I don’t know, but every election the majority of those voting for Democrats are going to be people who make enough money that they aren’t going to be getting government handouts.
Thanks for your detailed, thoughtful post. I agree with your contention that a flat tax, while nice, is impractical at this point. That was wishful thinking on my part. ;o)
I think the rich who vote Democratic do it partly because it relieves them of the duty of directly caring for the less fortunate. I work with the people of my church who are down and out and it is frustrating, heartbreaking work. Many of the rich, I think, want to enjoy their trips and jewels and pool and filet mignon without guilt so they justify it with charitable contributions of money and with tax programs for which they are largely exempt from paying. I don’t put down those who contribute money but actually getting your hands dirty and helping these people face to face is what really educates you on the plight of the poor and the best ways to help them escape their situation.
I do, however, get frustrated with seeing people who pay no taxes whatsoever have as much vote as do I on how much in taxes I must pay to support them. Can’t recall the author (perhaps DeTocqueville) but a wise man once noted that once the people discovered they could vote themselves entitlements, the nation was on its way to being lost.