I apologize if you were looking forward to more 'commenting on this here article' blogs and less 'crazy pissed-off old lady rantings' but if it's any consolation, todays is neither.
Because I had an idea. One of those 'just popped into my head and seemed so brilliant I'd never forget it but typed a few hints into my phone...just in case' ideas.
So many ideological discussions go South (or worse)over 'things I'm willing to pay for'. Things I want MY tax dollars to be put towards. Those kinds of things. Some people don't want to pay for anyone else's health care, or schools or roads, or bombs to send overseas to screw with other people's health and schools and roads.
In general, we're told that we all pay taxes for all the stuff we all need and we can't pick and choose.
But why couldn't we?
It's not like the tax forms aren't already confusing enough- just add another section. Right up there at the top they already ask if we want to donate to the campaign fund or some such (I dunno- I just skim over that, giggling).
So here's what we need to do- we need a section on the regular old 1040 EZ tax form, right under where it says 'taxes you paid last year and taxes you still owe' that breaks it down so we can choose.
Please denote what percent of your taxes you'd like to go to each of the following-
Universal Healthcare for all Americans
Infrastructure repair (roads, bridges, etc.)
Your local public schools
Elderly services
Veterans' services
Alternative energy investments
Community and public colleges
Put towards the national debt
Military spending
NASA
School lunch programs
Homeless relief
National parks and wildlife areas
Corporate incentives and subsidies
Please be sure the total is 100. TOTAL AMOUNT MAY NOT BE ZERO.
See? It wouldn't be that difficult and then everyone could give according to their own consciences. Everyone who wrings their hands about the national debt can work to pay that off, everyone who wants us to bomb the shit out of all those 'backwards sand-filled places' can give to that, all us bleeding heart liberals can give to universal health care and national parks, and so on.
Wonder how much would be raised for 'corporate incentives and subsidies' considering Americans now pay an average of $36 towards the food stamp program and over $6,000 towards corporate subsidies. Per year. Every single one of us. See?
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19844-food-stamps-are-affordable-corporate-welfare-is-not
Fine. I did end up bringing an article in here.
And all this time you thought the bad guys taking all YOUR hard earned dollars were those lazy-ass poor people. Oops.
The point is, WE should be deciding where our tax money goes. And obviously, our elected representatives just up and lose their damn minds once they hit the Beltway.
This could fix that. And my guess is that at the end of the day, the military and corporations would have a lot smaller budget than they do now- and what a shame THAT would be...
PS- Day before yesterday Alec and I ate lunch at a table outside What About Kabob's (a gyro place) and I had to take off my sweater because it was sunny and 71 in January. It was 21 last night. Fifty degree drop in 24 hours. The only saving grace is that it'll come up again just as quickly. Here in Texas winter lasts about a month or so...but just a few days at a time.
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