If paying taxes is an act of patriotism, then the middle and lower class are uber-Americans and the rich, wealthy and obscenely moneyed are traitorous parasites that ought to be rounded up and shipped off to an isolated Pacific reef where they can pick themselves up by their own bootstraps.
Not all the well-healed, of course. Just the ones that don’t pay their fair share of taxes.
The notion that paying taxes was an American act of patriotism came to me from a bookseller. The vendor relayed how someone had come into their shop looking for a collectible tome and upon finding it wanted the transaction to be in cash and off the books.
The collector evidently was opposed to taxes and found every opportunity he could to avoid paying them, even if it meant paying well above asking price of an item he wanted.
The bookseller refused the sale, explaining that while paying taxes was not among their top joys in life they did appreciate the services they provided, including the maintenance of the roads that ran in front of the shop, the education system that taught people how to read, the professionals who provided public safety and the social services to the discarded and forgotten among us, the homeless and mentally ill.
Taxes are the healthy eating of social structures—the act is not always appetizing but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
We are hurtling closer to election day, we choices about candidates and taxes—their increase or cutting—will have to be made, locally and nationally.
The book dealer reminded me of the time when Donald Trump, during a debate against Hilary Clinton for the 2016 presidency, bragged about being “smart” because he was able to avoid paying his fair share of taxes while he made his billions. Years later The New York Times reported that the self-described billionaire paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016. He paid about the same amount the following year.
Chula Vista in November will be asking voters to extend a half-cent sales tax that will be used for public services.
I think I know how that book collector and Trump would vote on the issue. They’d happy to let the rest of us suckers pay their share of the bill while enjoying all the benefits. Who said you can’t get a free meal in this country? The rich certainly can.
