Always Working for the Man

Some days, especially this time of year, you feel like all the work hours you put in go for someone else. Yes- it's tax time. Don't get me wrong, I mean I don't mind supporting others with my tax dollars- in fact Joe Biden says it's my patriotic duty. It just bothers me a bit when I need to keep supporting more and more. I mean we have three kids and since they're ours, we love them and support them. But I wonder how many others I am giving aid and comfort to with my tax dollar?

I guess it's all the others out there who need my help.

+ They starving artists who need my tax dollars to create art that I usually don't particularly care for. I mean welding together re-bar, sheet metal and old gears into a face is something my car mechanic could probably do in his spare time... but it's art and it's on display in downtown San Diego.

+ The prisoners who are watching cable TV and work out in a gym 3 times a week and living better than many of the working poor or homeless.

+ The CEOs of big banks and wall street companies who are spending their million dollar bonuses and enjoying lavish retreats on my tax dime. These are the type investments that I wish my tax dollars weren't financing.

I want better roads, food for the homeless and schools that teach our children.

I'd like to return prisons to be places that are austere, ominous and nasty places with few bennies or perks... then maybe guys would think twice about committing a crime. And there would be no so-called "white collar" prisons in this system. Put Scooter Libby and Martha Stewart and Michael Vick in with the regular criminals. I guess guys like Maddoff and others would think twice about swindling billions from retiree savings accounts.

I'd like to see those CEOs who F'ed up the whole banking system and the Senators and congressman who helped make it all possible be stood up in front of America on television and be given their time in the public eye so we know who these deadbeats really are... sort of like America's most wanted. Right now these guys are nameless and faceless people who are getting a pass on all their mistakes. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd.... they act like they were on vacation and out of the country when all this badness went down. "who me?" seems to be their response. I think getting shamed on national television and giving them their "due credit" would go a long way into not letting this all happen again.

In short, as a working American I wonder how many people I'm supporting with my tax dollars and why. When I wrote the check to the IRS this month, I wondered how much bigger the damage was going to be for this working American next year. The President and Congress just increased their spending and... God knows they aren't going to take a pay cut to help pay for this mess... I would hate to think that my taxes will go up... afte all Obama promised me they wouldn't (Tune in next year to see if he kept it).

So I'd better keep working for the man. After all, I'm going to have more people to support and since my share of the responsibility will probably go up then I'd better get a second job!

Happy Taxes.