There’s that tired old adage, two things in life are certain, death and taxes ( Daniel Defoe 1726 and Benjamin Franklin in 1789) and in any reasonable individuals mind, one understands that in order to receive certain services from a state or federal government a tax must be assessed. The original intent was the provision of security, on a federal level, and that was basically the sum of it. What we have today, is a never ending cry from Congress and the Whitehouse (circa 2011), that more is needed: a higher debt ceiling, and alternately from the Republicans: cuts in discretionary spending (spending at the request of a Congressperson – to build parks, bridges, and what not – some of it necessary, much of it not so much).
Currently, only fifty percent of the populace pays Federal Taxes (up from 43.4% in 2006(Tax Foundation), leaving the balance to find ways to make ends meet, as, depending upon the State in which one lives, Federal and State Taxes can add a hefty burden to the monthly personal budget. For example: Massachusetts added a telecommunications tax in 2009, (along with 18 other taxes, that allowed, miraculously one might add, Deval Patrick to be reelected), that tax coupled with a Federal Tax, on an AT&T family wireless plan, with two lines, adds an additional $18.00 to the monthly bill. It also adds to the Cable TV Bill, and Internet Bill, prepaid cell card bill, and the beat goes on). These little added taxes, are in addition to all the other taxes we do pay, income taxes, sales taxes and sundry fees, in order for the state and federal governments to meet not only their constitutional obligation, but over the ledge employee pension, salary and benefits (union), welfare handouts (to include, (Massachusetts) free cell phones, cars, and Triple AAA), and increases in budget for schools that continue to fail, even though MA is in the top of the eleven schools who won Race to the Top grants, and are scoring the highest, the best the students can do is a 50%.
One of these days, the Congress, President and Senate, will understand that the problem is not fixed by throwing cash at it, but addressing the situation. I’m hopeful for my great-great-grandchild’s generation when perhaps someone in government will get the point, or 2012 when they are replaced with someone who might get the point.
Therefore looking quickly (not overly due diligence) at some in the field of GOP and the Incubment, who have taxed, for a variety of reasons - some of the taxes are disguised as “fees”. A Fee is a tax, as long as a government is taking money from a citizen to run the government. Calling a Tax a Fee is just trying to “pretty it up a bit”, but it remains – a tax.
In addition to taxes, there are also mandates; some mandates having to do with ones’ health. As more than 50% of the nation went ballistic when the Obama Administration rammed a mandated health bill through Congress, one should be aware that Republican’s also support mandates. These Mandates generally come with a high price tag, and the erosion of personal liberty.
Rick Perry Mandates: Mandated a then (and continues to be) Controversial Vaccine for Teen Girls: Galvelston Daily News
Tim Pawlenty, (Romney Lite) Likes Fees: he placed a Fee on Cigarettes: for some state program or the other, and well, cigarettes are bad and therefore, no one will mind, except maybe the smokers, and or those who feel Tim should have called it a 75 cent per pack “tax”.
Romney not only mandated the first Statewide Health Care Plan, but included Fee for Employers and individuals who did not follow the mandates guidelines. Known in Massachusetts as the King of Fees, Romney created new, and raised old fees in order to balance the budget – of course, fees, taxes, it’s all semantics.
Even staunch Fiscal Conservative, Michelle Bachmann supported a “Federal Fee” on Cigarettes back in the day.
Again, a fee is a tax, plain and simple, and whether it be on cigarettes, pornography, your license, registration, fishing licenses, telephones, cable going into the house, or your family pet (Massachustts), it is still a tax.
To date one of the only "candidates" who has not announced, also is not a fan of the tax or fee – rather upon taking the Governorship of the State of Alaska, Sarah Palin, reduced taxes and fees , on business and individuals, and forced oil companies to pay the taxes they owed, then turned around and gave each Alaskan citizen a tax rebate.
Barack Obama – need one add anything to the resume of Mr. Mandate, Mr. Deficit, let’s hit 20 trillion! and Mr. Tax the rich, middle class or poor. From memory “we have to eat our peas” (paraphrasing Barack Obama on fiscal restraint). One may like peas, one may also have to get used to paying a tax on those legumes should the President not be replaced by one of the “Fee and Mandate Republicans” (Run, Sarah, Run!!), featured above. If one has to look at a Republican in the field, (suggest waiting until at the latest September before committing to any one candidate), then choose the one that understands that we do need taxes to pay for services, however, that person owns the “fee” or “tax” if one will, and so will the rest of us.
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