They say that only 2 things are certain in life: death and taxes. Let’s focus on taxes, considered certain for two reasons.
First, taxes are collected involuntarily, and secondly, politicians are very fond of spending other people’s money. Very.
A new report from the National Taxpayers Union says the tax revolt that began with Proposition 13 in the 1970’s would never have happened without the initiative process. NTU found that tax limitation measures passed directly by voters through the initiative have a made a very real difference. On the other hand, tax measures passed by politicians themselves are typically “toothless.”
Why do our so-called representatives behave so badly when it comes to taxes and spending? The longer a politician sits on the receiving end of your tax dollars, instead of the paying end, the worse it gets. He grows fond of spending money and thereby making friends among special interests.
Our Founders advocated the proposition “No taxation without representation.” But today’s political leaders don’t really represent us on tax issues.
The exceptions are found among those who term-limit themselves. They know one day soon they’ll give up their powerful position spending our tax dollars and have to go back to merely paying the bills like the rest of us.
Hank Williams used to sing, “I’ll never get out of this world alive.” But the only thing that’s certain about taxes is that career politicians like spending our tax dollars a whole lot more than “We, the People” like paying them.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.