Tax time chuckles

In a free society or a dictatorial society, taxes are inevitable. The main difference is that in the dictatorial society taxes are mandatory. Hey, wait a minute, I guess that's where I get confused.

I get amused when I watch the news on TV or listen to it on the radio or read it in the paper. Especially when it comes to tax supported agencies. Lots of lip service is being given to reducing federal government spending and waste. Or are those the same thing? Anyway, those in charge of those agencies speak in circles and double talk to hide their agenda's which are mainly to make sure they spend every dollar allotted to them so they will get at least that much and hopefully more the next year. That is the common wisdom of government subsidization. The joke goes like: "I don't care what you spend it on, just make sure it's spent by the end of the year! And, spend it wisely!" What a chuckle huh?

Today, as I tied my shoes before going out the door to go to work so I could earn a living and pay taxes, the superintendent of a school was making the case for hiring 6 more teachers. "If we don't hire the additional 6 teachers we will have to lay off 6 other teachers already on the payroll to make up for the loss in revenue." Now I am sure there is far more to that reasoning than my small window of information provides but on the face it sound rather amusing to me. The joke goes like: "Pay now or pay later, if they don't get enough money all the teachers will quit."

I guess the part I find so laughable is where anyone involved in budgeting tax money talks about that money as if it wasn't ours. By voting we provide a group of elected folks that disperse our "voluntary" tax payments according to our wishes. That's what the Boston Tea Party was all about, oh so many years ago. The hilarious part is that those that actually spend those taxes on specific items or services are not elected. And, in most cases they are not held very accountable for those expenditures. The joke goes like: "No taxes without representation!"

Then there is the part that is so funny I darn near fall off my chair thinking about it. Certain people receiving government aid because they are looking for just the right job to match their goals whine because they have to make do with so little instead of being grateful for the helping hand that was provided for them by others that work hard to earn money and regularly do without so they have enough to provide for their own families. The joke goes like: "Did you hear about Greece? Everyone retired and now there isn't anyone left to pay the taxes!" Now that's funny isn't it?

A smile always comes to my face when I hear of how the oil companies would face financial ruin if they were denied government subsidies and tax breaks. I can hardly contain my joviality or restrain my infectious giggling when I hear that. The joke goes: "Did you hear about the oil company that went broke selling oil and gas?" Hard to top that one isn't it?