In his eight years, the big dog has never turned down anything edible and never misses an opportunity to take advantage of any inedible occurrences, too. His insatiable appetite never ceases to amaze. We often joke that big dog would eat until he exploded.
In many aspects big dog is much like big government and considering we just concluded the standard tax filing season – that truly never goes out of vogue – allow me to count the ways.
Big dog depends on us to provide his housing, meals, assorted treats and toys, health checkups and affection. Government and its ever-growing bureaucracy are pretty much the same. Yes, affection is included as Uncle Sam loves how you and your employer through the withholding tax of your paycheck keeps the Treasury Department serviceable.
The American nation possesses many industries from the auto industry to the steel industry (at least for now). The one industry that is strictly government established, regulated, and policed is the tax industrial complex – an all-American institution if there ever was one. Uncle Sam’s overflowing army of unelected bureaucrats always spend and waste much more than they bring in.
And if you think that this “industry” will ever go away, there is a majestic bridge in Brooklyn that has been for sale for well over a century.
When you combine the federal, state, and local, the government is the largest employer in the nation.
How does one quantify the doggedly and forever byzantine reality of the American tax industry and its infamous code?
Taxes are confounding. This is purposely done, giving Uncle Sam the advantage. Still don’t believe me, try calling the IRS help line. Provided you get an actual person, they are just as confused.
Take the withholding tax, which is nothing more than an unceasing money stream flowing directly into government coffers. The problem is not the income that taxation produces. Instead, the problem is the overt government spending. Bob Adams reiterated this when he told me President Biden recently got off the phone with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy pleading for a loan so we can rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The IRS not only battles a sordid reputation, lousy service, and backlogs, but they now want to file your taxes. What could possibly go awry? To accomplish this the IRS spent $114 million for its Direct File program a new “free, secure, simple way to file your taxes.” The IRS had hoped “several hundred thousand” would use the service, but less than 60,000 did.
Access to free tax filing programs that are of better design and easier to use are available. Perhaps the IRS should instead refund everyone for the cost of filing.
Some of those who do get a hefty refund believe they are coming out ahead when it was their money all along. Provided you owe, just cut a check for the Iranian bribery fund. After all, somebody must keep all those pallets stacked full of benjamins.
Most in Congress will never give up the vote buying that the tax code allows. Why else is there a need for 80,000 more IRS agents? Those funky, tyrannical tax campaigners will never vote to make taxes simpler or balance the budget.
Their solution is to have the Fed print more money.
Print, tax, and spend more – then repeat.
Simplify the tax code, not in your lifetime, not ever.
It is scandalous that the tax code is so absurd, but vested political interests rule the day.
Juxtapose the tax code to the sales tax. If we had a true income tax, the rate would be the same regardless of income or importance.
To expedite true change, every member of Congress and their staff should have to file their own taxes without any third party or software assistance. Lock them in a room with a pencil, calculator, and a line to the IRS help desk.
Desperately needed is a simple, universal, flat income tax, minus the exemptions, credits, and deductions – where everyone has skin in the game – no exceptions. However, a flat income tax has about the same chance of getting through Congress as term limits or leaving a juicy steak unattended at a barbeque with the big dog lurking nearby.
