It is a typical Saturday at our house. A trip to drop of items for a fund raiser yard sale for our youngest daughter's cheerleading squad. Perhaps a little work @ the sale - but not me for sure. By 8, an hour drive to ice skating practice and fitting for new skates. Later today, we go and pick up our oldest daughter who just spent 4 days and 3 nights at preteen Church camp. I still gotta trim back some bushes, a few clothes need washing and of course at least one of our pets will need some sort of attention today. We will go to Church Sunday and this month we will serve as sub teachers for the 1st and 2nd grade girls' Sunday School class. All pretty typical stuff for a family with active children I suppose. The truth is our family may not be that typical.
Yesterday on a talk radio show, I took to task the commentator on the premise of an article that stated over 47% of American households do not pay any Federal Income Tax. In the thoughts of most Alabama folks who think about such things, that is almost as bad as not having an allegiance to either Alabama or Auburn football. It is just "not done 'round here". Fact is though, a great many folks in Alabama do not pay many taxes either. I do not know the percentage really - most folks just haven't filled out my request for their information and sent it back to me in the self-addressed stamped envelope I provided them. I would guess though, Alabama is about average - maybe a little more even. The real issue is why? My thoughts to this so called "knower of economics" talk show host was "Matt, it is an income issue not a tax issue. If folks do not pay taxes then the income is too low." He would not hold me over through the break - but this was my final thoughts off the air: " Unless of course Matt, you think we should RAISE taxes on those making that little. I have been listening to your show for a while now - better than the comedy channel most days. You are now an advocate for higher taxes on almost HALF of the American households? "
Truth is, most likely the 47% is NOT true - regardless of the source. Do some people not pay - sure. Do some people pay a lot - sure. Are most people happy about taxes - NO. Should they be happy - Perhaps. I do not want to go into an accounting lesson, an economics debrief, a stat course or any other academic endeavor. Mainly because most folks live in a sound bite world and an in-depth understanding of a subject matter is just too time consuming - that is why Twitter is so popular - short and without actual words....
So our family just moves on typically, does the normal stuff most families do and does NOT concern ourselves with how those who pay less or no taxes "go on about their lives.” So does that make us atypical? I don't know - but probably. What makes me atypical is I just wonder why so many people who always post status updates about "counting one's blessings" don't do just that and quit worrying about those who PAY less. Maybe I am just old now and almost 50 years of thinking has taught me "you just can't fix ignorance no matter how smart people think they are"..or so someone Tweeted me...
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