What a relief. By the skin of their teeth, Tennessee taxpayers have escaped a state income tax for yet another year. But you know the old saying: It ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings, or until the heat death of the universe, whichever comes last. Career politicians are nothing if not persistent.
In Tennessee, they have what they call budget problems. The career politicians want to run almost every aspect of your life, but running every aspect of your life costs money. Lots. As one state senator says, “Once people understand the implications of having an unhealthy state government fewer people with diplomas, with health care I think things will change when [the income tax] comes up again.”
I’m optimistic that Tennessee citizens can avoid being saddled with a state income tax so long as they remain vigilant. But in that case, how could the career politicians get the necessary funding to run every aspect of their lives? It’s quite a dilemma. Maybe we could do something like this: Every time a Tennessee taxpayer earns a paycheck, he could immediately sign it over to the state government. Then the state could buy everybody’s food, pay everybody’s rent and mortgages and medical care and schooling and so forth.
Because this kind of system makes the community come together, let’s call it communism. It would be inefficient and wasteful, and nobody would have “no freedom no more.” But, at least there would not be any more battles over personal income tax. And, if it goes okay in Tennessee, they could try it elsewhere.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.