Let me explain here and now the condescending and insulting nature of "tax credits" and why you should be insulted by the term.
Originally, those evil white males of 1770's yore, set out to make a rare and original society wherein the people governed themselves. Those evil bastards, how dare they.
This meant those in the government were not the ones in charge, but rather it was the people who voted them in to take care of various public service affairs so that the rest of society may go on and pursue life, liberty and happiness.
But if one were to really take themselves out of the political mire and muck and look at the US today, you would see not a government serving the people and letting them go about their own affairs, but a very intrusive government that "ordains" or "blesses" or "determines" who should do what and why and when and where and how.
But what is most insulting of all of these and really angers me is this condescending tone democrats have about "giving business tax CREDITS to set up shop here and there."
The reason it angers me so is that it shows you the reality of the situation. It is no longer the people or the private sector that is determining their own destinies. It is the government that "grants" you the privilege, nay, the "honor" of having a little bit of extra bread by "charitably" granting you a "credit." Originally, it was the government that we "credited" by paying taxes into the coffers to manage the public administration affairs. And when it came to conducting business or private affairs, the government was to largely butt out and get back to building roads and defending us against foreign invaders. But no, now it is US that is at the behest of the "almighty government" to the point we actually accept "credits" as a little doggy treat for behaving "correctly."
Understand, the whole idea of a "credit" implies, by default that the government is the authority and you are the peasant. That the government is the one in charge, with the wisdom and will determine if you've been a good boy or a bad boy and will reward you with "credits" and "breaks" and "incentives."
Did you hire minorities?
Good wittle boy. You get a scooby snack tax credit!
Did you buy a new green, efficient furnace?
Oooo! Whoz da wittle American? Whoz da wittle American? Yez zats you. Yez zats you! You get a wittle tax cwedit!"
Did you recycle?
Awww! Da wittle, WITTLE Amerwican. Look at da cuuuuute wittle American. Yes youz a good recycler aren't you? Herez a wittle tax credit.
Just recently such a vomit-inducing incident occurred when both democrats AND republicans in Minnesota tried vainly to bribe Ford into not shutting down it's St. Paul Ranger plant.
"Oooo! Gee Whillikers Mr. Pawlenty and Socialist Minnesota State Legislature! You'll grant us dumb corporate car-manufacturing yokels a tax "break?" Why gee whillikers massa, that sure is gracious of you."
Thankfully Ford (as it did with the bailout money) passed and maintained some level of dignity and morality.
Regardless, the larger point I'm trying to make is that (like many of my points) NOBODY ELSE IS MAKING IT!
Good Christ, people? When the hell did we let the government get so powerful and big that it could take the tone of "granting" us a charity such as a "tax credit?" Since when did we take the position of "beggar" and be honored to have ANYTHING "credited" to us? Since when did the government become the sole authority and judge as to what is good or bad and could reward it with "credits" which is simply the opposite side of the coin of taxing it to punish it?
Of course I know the answer. Several generations have failed to install the idea of individualism in their offspring and the success of the US has spoiled most people to become complacent about important issues like (oh I don't know) FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, to the point we forfeit it up to charlatans and soothe sayers.
But, then my ole blood pressure gets up. I realize the US is not 300 million Cappy Caps running around. It's more like 1 million Cappy Caps and 299 million "American Idol" watchers. And then I realize you can't change it. Just work less and not slave yourself away to pay taxes so other people can live off of you. Besides, if you work so little, you might just get rewarded with a "tax credit."
2 comments:
Yes, I agree very well done. Also this whole tax credit garbage was big in the 1970s. It was a huge failure. That is why across the board tax cuts worked so well under Regan. It got the entire country rolling, he changed the business atmosphere. Instead of the government deciding who got a tax credit, the lower taxes got everybody on board.
To top it off the firms that get government help are often in older decaying industries with powerful unions. A start up firm with a new product, or service, is often in the political wilderness.The new firms get nothing.
And just to ice the cake, the government has to hire more bureaucrats to manage the tax credit programs.
You're absolutely right. Government taxes our choices away and then gives us back some credits to dance to their tune. But when the taxes are a given and my desires are consistent with the credits, then I'm going to claw back every damned dime I can.
If I could choose lower taxes and no credits I would, but I don't get that choice. Since the many benefit at the expense of the few, the many have no incentive to change the law. Try removing Social Security or the mortgage interest deduction and see how long you stay in office. Even if you swore your genitals on a stack of bibles that no current beneficiary would lose one dime, they'd still oppose changing it for future generations because they're STUPID. What was good for them MUST be good for their kids and grandkids. But even if they are old and childless, they'd never admit they were wrong.
Few people will admit error when their livelihood depends on them not doing so.
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