In honor of April 15, here's a populist classic from Johnny Paycheck: "Me and the IRS."
In the interest of fairness and equal time, I should acknowledge that the taxes Mr. Paycheck disdains are needed to pay for important government programs. Here's a song about one of those.
Tax Day Jukebox
Comments to "Tax Day Jukebox":
Dave Barry | April 15, 2008, 5:30pm | #
......are needed to pay for important government programsYour federal government needs your money so that it can perform vital services for you that you would not think up yourself in a million years.
I view the federal government the way my grandfather viewed modern convenience shopping: I've never seen so much stuff I don't need.
At least we can rest secure in the knowledge that our government is hard at work making sure drug dealers have high profit margins.
ktc2 | April 15, 2008, 6:24pm | #
No, I don't think the "stimulus" checks are a subsidy. I think Bush finally decided the only way he could improve his approval rating was to literally buy people off and write them all a check.Famous Mortimer | April 15, 2008, 6:43pm | #
Who wants to hear my impersonation of a Libertarian?"Taxes taxes taxes blah blah blah taxes blah taxes taxes blah blah taxes blah blah taxes taxes taxes blah blah blah."
Guy Montag | April 15, 2008, 7:16pm | #
When we get those stimulus checks, does that count as a subsidy?Speak for yourself mister lower 40%. And yes, we are subsidizing you.
OT: Can Ron Bailey post a story about the government corn holocost soon? This tax crap is making me bitter for some reason and I will have to clean my gun again if I clutch it.
Pig Mannix | April 15, 2008, 7:35pm | #
@Jesse WalkerHere's a song about one of those.
Wow. I haven't heard that one in decades. Thanks!
@Guy Montag
This tax crap is making me bitter for some reason and I will have to clean my gun again if I clutch it.
Why do you think the same people who love taxes hate guns?
Guy Montag | April 15, 2008, 8:04pm | #
Why do you think the same people who love taxes hate guns?Idunno, are you just trying to increase my bitterness?
Guy Montag | April 15, 2008, 8:30pm | #
On that flat tax nonsense (first time I have said it that way), why on earth are people talking about it being over 10% anyway? I mean if the people making under %85,000 are paying such a small volume of federal income tax and the people over $85,000 are paying just over 10% average (even I ended up with an effective percent of 11.1 for 2007), then what is all this nonsense of 16% or 20% or higher? Sounds like an effort to screw high earners, while stabbing the low earners just to get even in a silly class struggle.Guy Montag | April 15, 2008, 8:32pm | #
Wait! I know this one!Why do you think the same people who love taxes hate guns?
They invested in CLP!
Daniel Reeves | April 15, 2008, 8:35pm | #
God bless tax dollars: going to everything that a few select politicians want to have but nobody is willing to pay for.mediageek | April 15, 2008, 9:45pm | #
I'll note that Amy Goodman is interviewing a couple of tax protesters on her radio program tonight.So, evidently taxes are awesome and lead to a better world, except for when you don't agree with what they're funding (in this case, war).
Daniel Reeves | April 15, 2008, 10:20pm | #
So, evidently taxes are awesome and lead to a better world, except for when you don't agree with what they're funding (in this case, war).I wonder when the big gov people realize that big gov is why there is big gov corruption.
tim | April 15, 2008, 11:33pm | #
The typical working age household (a household led by a person between theages of 25 and 59) earned approximately $63,960 and paid $13,112 in federal
income and payroll taxes in 2007.* Below is a sample of exactly what that $13,112
paid for. See our attached spreadsheet for far greater detail.
• Social Security: $ 2,662.94
• Interest Payment on National Debt: $ 1,085.29
• War in Iraq: $ 593.48
• War in Afghanistan: $ 159.82
• All other Defense: $ 2,008.01
• Medicare: $ 1,697.96
• Veterans Benefits and Health Care: $ 355.03
Health care research (NIH): $ 132.70
• Aid to the public schools (No Child Left Behind): $ 107.55
• National Parks $ 12.25
• Roads and Bridges $ 77.15
• Renewable Energy Research $ 6.67
• International AIDS prevention $ 14.87
• The Space Program (NASA) $ 74.53
• Health Care of Low Income Families (Medicaid): $ 872.92
• Border Security Fencing $ .13
• Income Assistance for the Disabled (SSI): $ 164.95
• Agriculture Subsidies $ 98.80
• Environmental Protection (EPA) $ 34.50
• Heating Assistance for Low Income Families: $ 9.90
• School Lunch/Breakfast Program: $ 46.09
• FBI, DEA, and ATF: $ 41.46
• Pell Grants for Low Income College Students: $ 62.55
• The Post Office: $ 2.95
• Consumer Product Safety Commission: $ .29
• Members of Congress and Staff: $ 8.44
• The President and White House Staff: $ .18
• The IRS $ 48.53
• Pork Barrel Projects: $ 60.45
• CIA: $ ???.??+
BakedPenguin | April 15, 2008, 11:34pm | #
Who wants to hear my impersonation of a Libertarian?No one. Seriously.
The Wine Commonsewer | April 16, 2008, 1:26am | #
Oh, get bent Timmy! :-)Steve Goodman was a genius. But didn't he go to the same high school as Hillary?
Guy Montag | April 16, 2008, 6:02am | #
Just as someone predicted in another recent thread, we have an income tax thread and tim plops down the all federal taxes including FICA, attached to a low-wage worker evidence.BTW, look how inexpensive Iraq and Afghanistan are compared to all other defense!
Guy Montag | April 16, 2008, 6:41am | #
Today is the VATechaversary of the "gun free zone" shootings. Victims of bad gun laws, don't expect much of a voice outside of Reason, your opponents just want to make more of you.Guy Montag | April 16, 2008, 9:07am | #
Interesting Boston Globe story: "House Backs Bill To End Payroll Tax Dodging By Contractors"Sorry for not providing a link, google is your friend, I don't think the Early Bird from DoD (where I found it) lets many of you in.
The basics: some Congresscritters are all upset that KBR used a Cayman Island address to hire some employees.
There must be some missing information from the article. If Americans are working abroad, it really does not matter where the office that hired them is located, the individual is still responsible to pay income tax on all amounts over $82,400 (last I checked). The employer is required to do the proper witholding on SS/Medicare and amounts over the expatriot exemption, aka, 330 day rule.
IF what KBR, or the employees, did is actually illegal then the IRS should be prosecuting them. If it was LEGAL then why is the Congress trying to impose new taxes on these guys?
They just gotta put their fingers in everything don't they?
R C Dean | April 16, 2008, 9:53am | #
No, I don't think the "stimulus" checks are a subsidy.I do. They are a net transfer of wealth from some people to others.
Just as someone predicted in another recent thread, we have an income tax thread and tim plops down the all federal taxes including FICA, attached to a low-wage worker evidence.
Well, technically FICA and Medicare taxes are taxes on income. I don't see any reason to leave them out of the discussion.
JD | April 16, 2008, 7:04pm | #
Oh, come on, Famous Mortimer, that's a crappy and insulting impersonation of a libertarian. It goes more like "Taxes blah blah men with guns blah blah drugs blah blah sex with animals blah blah blah ferrets blah blah blue skin blah blah DEMAND KURVE blah blah statists!" Get it right.