Income Tax Reality

Ah, the income tax. Albert Einstein once said: "The hardest thing to understand in the world is the income tax."

If a genius like Einstein believed that, then what chance do we who possess ordinary brains have? I swear, I just can't understand why they can't levy a flat percentage tax on every American.

That would raise more taxes, balance the budget, etc. and do away with all the problems of the wealthy paying little, relatively speaking, and poor slobs like me feeling as if I'm carrying the brunt of the tax burden. I mean 1% of
$100.00 of earned income or 1% of $10 million in earned income seems fair to everyone. Everyone pays.


As you can guess, I just finished filling out my income tax forms.At least I got it done before April 15. Now, I have a beef with President Obama who said: "I can make a firm pledge, under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes."

I'm disappointed. That isn't true. I've talked to a lot of people who make less than $250K -- a lot less -- and without exception their taxes went up.

I normally don't make any statement here that can be construed as political, but I'm tired of elected officials saying something just to get elected and then not staying true to their words. Reminds me of George H.W. Bush saying in his first term, "Read my lips. No new taxes."

He didn't follow through so he didn't get a second term. Our current president got his second term, but he's not following through either. I guess since this is his last term, he feels as if voters have no recourse. It's not as if we can vote him off the island like on the TV reality show Survivor.

Takeaway Truth

Let me leave you with these words of wisdom from the brilliant mind of Dave Barry: "It's income tax time again, Americans: time to gather up those receipts, get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself in the aorta."