Here’s thinking most people, upon waking up this morning or switching on the computer (or checking the smartphone, same thing) realized it’s Tax Day today, additional reminders not
required for productive folks who already are weighted down by mandatory government levies.
It’s also the day after the conclusion to the annual Masters tournament, an unwritten signal to golfers that it’s now safe (weatherwise) to remove the sticks from the storage closet and look to emerge from semi-seclusion. This year’s champion – Scottie Scheffler for the second time -- will never have to mention anything else in polite conversation to be recognized ever again.
But the inevitability of the return filing deadline confronts everyone, or at least those who work to pay the tax bills that keep the government’s lights on. Republicans typically use Tax Day to highlight the vast quantity of cash that the federal and state governments (unless you are wise enough to live in a state like Florida, which has no state income tax) extract from your bank account. Everyone is aware that a portion of every year is devoted to working for the federal government alone, and for those who don’t recognize it, they should.
There have been many proposals over the years to increase the public’s awareness of how much taxes really cost them, because far too many folks are content to focus on the gross pay figure on their check and forget about the rest of the loot that they won’t see until they do their taxes. Put it this way, it’s not chump change.
I’ve often thought that eliminating mandatory withholdings from paychecks would be a good place to start – and hence, each person would be asked to pay the IRS directly – but each time the idea surfaces, it’s shot down by Democrats who much prefer keeping payers in the dark in terms of how much they actually pay.
At any rate, Tax Day is here and it’s safe to say a lot of people owe money to the government. The belt tightening will certainly cause them to choose between wants and needs and satisfying the tax collectors. It’s like a rent that the government collects. Will some unfortunate citizens forego food to account for it?
In an article titled “Americans Skipping Meals to Afford Housing Under Biden: Poll”, Star News Staff (Robert Schmad) reported at The Star News Network last week:
“Nearly one in five homeowners and renters reported skipping meals to afford housing in Biden’s economy, according to a new survey conducted by Redfin. The median asking rental price increased from less than $1,700 when Biden took office in January 2021 to nearly $2,000 as of February, according to Redfin’s data.
“Americans made other sacrifices to stay in their homes, with 20.7% reporting working more hours, 20.6% saying they have sold their belongings, more than one in six having dipped into retirement savings and 15.6% reporting that they’re putting off medical care to afford housing payments. As of February, the median household earned $30,000 less than it would need to afford the median home in the United States, according to Redfin. When Biden took office in 2021, the median household earned thousands more than would be required to afford the median home.
“The median home in the United States cost $417,700 as of the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Some states, like California, are even more expensive, with the median costing $675,667 as of January, according to Zillow.”
On a Tax filing day dedicated to crunching the numbers, the figures presented in this report are mind numbing and astonishing. Judging from knowing someone who’s recently attempted – and then abandoned – a search to find a new home, these aren’t just facts that impact a nameless and faceless person who’s had to sell some of their stuff so as to be able to pay the rent. It goes without saying, these days, there are a lot of people skipping paying the rent entirely in favor of a stance which goes like, “I can’t pay the rent but you’re going to have to go through the court system to kick me out, so come and get me.”
That’s a topic for another time.
For now, with a national election coming up in a little less than seven months’ time, the reality of dealing with family finances is no hypothetical “what if” situation or merely the results of a poll from Redfin. And living and dealing with Joe Biden’s America means much more than simply listening to pundits talk about how despicable Donald Trump is, or hearing them list how many stupid trumped-up felony counts he faces -- or about preserving “voting rights”, as senile Joe himself has often mentioned.
On-the-ground reality is revealed by the respondents to Redfin’s poll, where a high percentage indicated they’re having to work more hours, sell some of their stuff, dip into retirement savings or put off medical care to address basic living costs. No doubt, Biden’s solution would be to juice up the Democrats in Congress to pass another federal giveaway program to redistribute income (translation, hike taxes) or have a political consultant jigger an ad blaming the heartless Republican House majority for blocking a measure to send out “stimulus” checks (like in the pandemic) to temporarily cover rent until the next month, or season. Or whatever.
Political arguments over actual subjects are taking a backseat to elitists waxing over Donald Trump’s chances to beat the rap(s) before November’s election. I’m guessing that very few of the Americans who choose to go without food in order to cover basic expenses couldn’t care less about the lawfare mumbo jumbo going on “out there.”
But politics matters. A lot. If people aren’t engaged in the so-called “kitchen table” issues, the differences between the current president and his opponent (who was the previous president) – they should be. For one candidate knows a lot about running businesses, signing paychecks, borrowing money and repaying it, setting tax rates – and paying taxes.
The other is a broken-down old career politician who wouldn’t recognize obligations and authentic choices if they walked up and kicked him in the keister. Joe Biden’s never run a business, managed a payroll, had to choose between food and a mortgage – or anything else. Then there’s the Biden family crime operation where crooked son Hunter bilked foreigners out of money to keep senile Joe eating all the ice cream he could order. What a bunch of crooks!
The Trump campaign should use the above story in one of its agenda-supporting ads. Use video of Biden eating pizza or ordering ice cream to contrast the difference in his pampered life with the “have nots” he created around the country – and then pan to the Democrats explaining how awful Trump is.
I attended a wedding over the weekend of two mid-20-somethings I know well and are very fond of. As I listened to them recite their vows and then witnessed them dancing the night away at their wedding reception, I thought about the challenges they would encounter in their years and decades ahead. It’s a sobering realization, one which hopefully, on their happy occasion, they didn’t have to dwell on for at least a few hours.
The bride will graduate from nursing school next month, so she’s about to embark on a career helping people. The groom, a hardworking, talented lad, has already been working in the trades for a number of years. They themselves are renting, and here’s praying that they won’t have to someday choose between feeding themselves or selling their things to afford a place to live.
Politics was likely the furthest thing from their minds, but their age group shouldn’t put it completely to the side as many of the younger, marriage age lot tends to do. The father-of-the-bride, who I also know quite well, didn’t mention the presidential race in his remarks to the attendees nor did he sport a “Trump MAGA” button on his new suit lapel.
Many of their guests wished them well in their life’s journey. How they flourish or struggle has a lot to do with the decisions that other people make, especially since government has grown so large and intrusive that most of life’s living conditions are impacted by elected officials – or unelected bureaucrats – in practically every way.
There are the taxes, of course, but also where their children will go to school or be educated, and the curriculum taught to the next generation will be determined either by DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) “experts” who pretend to know best or by parents who want their kids well versed in skills and history that will prepare them to become productive citizens themselves.
Life is tough. It ain’t a Mutual of Omaha ad, put it that way. If I could have pulled them aside from their overcrowded receiving line, I would’ve advised them to take their choices seriously. If only everyone would do so with the general societal responsibility ingrained in people to choose leaders who will treat the peoples’ lives as though they mattered. And that citizenship is valuable and their country’s reputation in the world will also impact them in ways they couldn’t even conceive of.
I wish people of all ages would treat the political decisions they make as though they were as impactful and important as selecting their wedding party was on “The Day”. Who stands up for you in those moments is certainly akin to who represents you in lawmaking and decision-making bodies that decide things like whether you can buy a gas-powered car or the regulations that govern your home construction – or make your fast food burger.
Tax Day should remind liberty-minded citizens that this nation was founded on the notion of being free to not only tax ourselves, but also make our own laws and determine our leaders. More than anything, government policy shouldn’t force people to choose between eating and paying obligations. Let’s hope that voters of all ages get the message this year – before it’s too late.
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