It's a beautiful day here in Louisville: spring is in full bloom, it's unseasonably warm (thank you global warming), and there's not a cloud in sight. Nevertheless, a shadow hangs over this day every year; it is the tax filing deadline. After midnight, any of you hardworking Americans who have not filed your taxes will suddenly become criminals.
Most people know what today is and Tea Parties have been scheduled all over the country to protest the out of control spending. However, a few people aren't aware what happened just a few days ago: April 9th was “Tax Freedom” day this year. Every penny Americans earned between January 1st and April 9th is what is needed to pay our federal, state, and local tax liability. It's kind of mind boggling when you think about it: if you had to pay your taxes first, only now would you get to start enjoying your paycheck.
Not so fast!
There's also this part of the federal budget called the deficit. You see, even though the government has theoretically collected all it's taxes, it's continuing to spend money. If you factor in the cost of the deficit, you would have to work until May 17th – another 38 days – to pay for Congress's runaway spending. According to the Tax Foundation, if you factor in the deficit, May 17th is the second latest Tax Freedom day since WWII. “When was the longest,” you might ask? That would be 2009, the first year of the Obama Presidency!
It's gone far enough. For the last two years, government spending has ballooned and it cannot continue. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children.” I guess that also means it would be an evil man who would leave his grandchildren a crippling national debt.
I would ask when we're going to wake up; hopefully, some people already have. Now go out, file your taxes, then call your congressman to protest!
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