Joe Biden (Obama’s appointed VP) is calling for the higher income individuals to pay more in taxes. Although McCain would have you believe most people will pay more in taxes under Obama, the fact is about 94% of all Americans will actually pay less. But in either case Biden says, “paying taxes is Patriotic.”
An interesting stance. Not since Kennedy’s famous “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” has anyone went the route of “time to pay the piper.”
Is paying taxes “Patriotic?” You have to first decide the definition of Patriotism. Typically it is the “pride” and “support” of your country. Flying an American Flag – Check. Dedicated people in the Military – Check. Wanting to pay more in taxes – Ummm Houston, we have a problem.
I am not going to suggest paying taxes is “Patriotic,” but I am going to suggest most people in this country want a whole lot more than they are willing to pay for (surprise!)
Everyone wants health care (and should have it). Everyone wants great roads to drive on. Everyone wants their children to be educated in superior schools by the best teachers. The catch is, when it comes right down to it, most people just don’t want to pay for it.
The new “you owe me” mentality will, for the most part, be the final destroying element of this great country. This is the time to step up to the plate. Not just the wealthy, everyone. The government bailout of both private and public companies is just the beginning – a band-aid over what is amounting to be a very large wound. It is not the symptoms we need to treat, but the underlying mentality behind it.
If paying more in taxes will (really) get this country back on track – then I am all for it. And, if that is how we define being Patriotic going forward, so be it.
Fine, I suppose this is where you look for some witty insights to my mind. A "bio" of sorts. Here is the deal... I ride motorcycles, smoke cigars, golf, kayak, fly, race my car through the mountains, write (a lot), and travel extensively. I am almost old enough not to care what other people think about me...almost. ~Godfadr
Paying taxes is a requirement and a duty. It is not patriotic in my mind, because patriotism should be something one does or expresses voluntarily.
I know all about Obama’s plan for everyone but the wealthy to pay less in taxes. In a struggling economy, that’s the last thing we need. What we need is the government to spend a LOT less, which means that people have to stop thinking that the “government” is going to solve their every problem and make their every dream come true. It also means that “government” jobs have to stop being some people’s ticket to financial security.
We also need a huge reduction in taxes, so that people can save and invest their money.
We also need a mentality that debt is bad–both individual debt and national debt. One eventually has to pay the piper, as we are finding out, and boy does this piper charge a lot!
No question we need to stop spending. With all the latest money going to bail out Private companies I don’t see that happening soon!
How about cutting pork, ear marks and a number of politically motivated expenditures would that not be more partiotic as in Country (not my district or interests) first?!
And as to 94% of the American tax paying public gettign a tax break, I always thought getting a tax break was reflective of the taxes one paid? Of the 170 million plus tax payers, nearly 40% pay not taxes so when they get a tax refund check what is that refund based on? Obvioulsy not the taxes they paid, it is basically a reinstitution of the welfare programs. Why must it be disguised as a “tax credit or tax refund” is McGovern in the house?
Paying taxes so that the money can be used to better the lives of Americans by providing health care and good schools is a whole lot more patriotic than fighting people in another country because we don’t agree with what they do. And how do people “not pay for it” when the money is pooled and redistributed? We need to become less selfish.
Helen, I agree that we should not be selfish. That’s why I give a percentage of my income to assist others. I don’t consider that the same thing as having it confiscated to give to people that I would not choose to support if they asked.
I must say that I cannot disagree with any of the comments so far. We do expect government to do certain things and they need taxes to do just that. I however, want to see an end to the “pork” spending. I resent my taxes going to build a “tea cup museum” in some small town that hopes to use that to lure tourism to their area. How many people in that same small town are without health insurance? Are the schools in that town so perfect that no funds are needed to improve them or give their teachers a cost of living raise?
I don’t mind paying my fair share. I don’t mind paying taxes that go to benefit all in the country. I do resent paying taxes to line someone’s pocket or to pay for something that benefits only a few who want a convenience.
While we all need to do our share, I agree that this new “you owe me” mentality is going to be our downfall. When did that start? I have noticed it more and more lately. There was a time when you screwed your life up you were the one to straighten it out through hard work. I notice now most seem to feel the government should be saving their butts from their own stupid choices. I don’t get that.
I do know that I don’t want any additional taxes to pay just so those executives who ran their firms into the ground with bad deals walk away with cushy packages and NO accountability for their part in this mess. The average citizen would already be sitting in a jail cell for the same thing.