As the debate on raising tax rates heats up, the Washington Post has come up with a novel way of raising federal revenues: collect the taxes that are already owed by government employees.
In the Whitehouse alone, 41 of Obama's aides owe $831,000 in taxes that they don't seem worried about paying...and that no one cares enough to collect.
Does that seem like small change? Then let's include the 638 workers in the Senate and House of Representatives who owe a total of $9.3 million dollars. At the Labor Department, 463 employees owe $7.4 million dollars.
Still not enough to impress you? Then consider the total of unpaid taxes for all federal employees (who are well-documented as having much better salaries and perks than private sector peons with similar jobs) - a nice, round $1 billion dollars.
The refusal to pay taxes crosses party lines and is based not in political ideology but in a sense of entitlement...and a clear belief that the governmental "ruling class" does not have to play by the rules they impose on the little people.
As well as an apparent belief that once they catch the "little people," they're owed a pot of gold.
-
-
12 comments:
2 more years of the odrama queen is too much to ask of anyone.
Make him go away. Now.
"But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object, evidence a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government..."
- Declaration of Independence
Ugh. How depressing. I can feel the rumble of forefathers rolling in their graves....
While I don't blame Nasty Pelosi for the above, as these are not elected representatives, it is emblematic of the sense of entitlement in D.C. Stilton pointed to. She said that Democrats would "drain the swamp" but all they've done is add more alligators.
That sense of entitlement gives rise to the kind of corruption that crosses the party lines and seeps into the very soul if you hang around long enough. If ever there was a reason for term limits, isn't this it? I fear it will never happen though because the people who vote on it are the people limited by it and we know that the quest for power will not countenance such a suicidal act.
As for the above federal employees...I just want to know the IRS is going after them as hard as they would go after you or me. Yeah...dream on.
We could solve this problem in no time flat. Garnish their pay. Simple. Next problem.
Like with any organization, it's "trickle down ethics": When the Secretary of the Treasury is allowed to get away with not paying with no consequence, why should any of the employees feel compelled to pay until forced to?
Not to mention all the freaking ads you hear on radio / tv for 'tax debt negotiation'... Starting to feel like a chump for actually paying my taxes..
This is all quite boring...please refrain from your nasty whinings...ah, tee time! ta ta
This is so totally not surprising. The big surprise is that this was actually reported in the LA Times! ...Probably on page 492, but reported, none the less.
Damn....I should have read this earlier. I just sent in my quarterly payment to IRS. If I had only known, I could have kept it and reference the Washington Post to the IRS agent when he came calling.
What do you think would really happen if everyone quit paying their income taxes? Think that might get the gubment's attention?
Ever wonder whether the 50% who pay no federal income tax vote Democrat or Republican? Me neither.
Originally, requirements to vote were Free, White, 21, Male and Landowner - they knew that to be a responsible voter, it helps to have 'skin in the game' as they say.
Would not bother me a bit to return Taxpayer to that list (note - have nothing against Non-males or Non-whites voting, just the non-productive)
I've said for a long time that if your sole source of income is the government, you shouldn't be permitted to vote.
Post a Comment