Yesterday was Tax Day. I paid my taxes without complaint. Why? Because these taxes help pay for our democracy. Nel’s New Day gives a very good background on why we shouldn’t complain about our taxes. In addition to what she presents, you can find out, using your actual income, how much of your money goes to different parts of the federal government using the White House’s “2013 Federal Taxpayer Receipt” calculator.
And following Nel’s suggestion, I took a selfie in honor of #TaxPayerPride Day and sent it to the Network Education Program (aka the Nuns on the Bus) to post on their FLICKR #TaxPayerPride page with other proud supporters who also want to pay their fair share of taxes.
My taxes help pay for many important things to me. That includes my son’s education, a vibrant multicultural community, the local library, and our access to fair and open elections.
Check out Nel’s blog, find out where your federal tax dollars go, and tell others that you are proud to pay your fair share of taxes to run our country.
Every year, April 15 brings moaning and groaning amid complaints about taxes. Yet if progressives suggest greater equity in taxes for the wealthy, as billionaire Warren Buffet has, Republicans tell us that we can make a gift to the U.S. Treasury. New Jersey governor, Chris Christie, said, “He should just write a check and shut up.” A letter-writer to our local newspaper sneered at me for claiming that taxes went to help people and gave me the address where I could send my money.
Somehow, conservatives don’t mind sending their money to the wealthy hedge-fund managers from Wall Street or the bankers, but they resent contributing to a badly-needed safety net for the poor. They ignore the facts that people in the United States pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than almost all other wealthy Western nations and that taxes as a share of GDP are at a 50-year…
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Civil Rights Advocacy 