Posted 4/12/2010

HAPPY APRIL 15 – TO SOME OF YOU (ESPECIALLY THERAPISTS)

April 15 will be a very depressing day to most of you.

A bit like standing in a cold rain with your pockets turned inside out.

But it will be a sunny day for some. I predict a huge second quarter for the shrinks.

It will be depressing to pay income taxes for all the government services you don't want. Like big budget wars that hurt our national reputation. It is really a downer to oppose war and still have to pay for them.

It will also be upsetting to be directed by the IRS for computing our taxes twice. First the regular way and then the alternate tax way. Who will be uplifted by doing the same distasteful job twice?

Then you go further downhill when the tax form directs you to pay the higher of the two taxes. We've always been taught that practice makes perfect. But the more you compute your income taxes, the worse things get.

You get the blues when you read that your income puts you in that 60 percent of the population that gets fewer government services than it pays for. Who are all those deadbeats who are getting more out of government than they're putting in? To paraphrase King Henry, should we go out and kill all the government workers? And how about all the congressmen whose benefits would make Louis the XIV blush with shame?

You may really reach for the Old Overshoe when you discover that 47% of the people in this country will pay zero (0) income taxes for 2009. These lucky people are benefiting from Congress's passage of Obama's stimulus packages, which contained a lot of refundable tax credits. (Of course, these people will still be paying state taxes, property taxes, cigarette taxes, etc.) The stress of being one of the elite 53% supporting the unwashed 47% may have you dialing a therapist for the first time in years.

You may try to escape this world when you see that the miserable taxes don't add up enough to pay for our big-spending government. We are into trillion-dollar deficits – and that figure is from people in the administration who are the "lowballers."

Realists warn that the one-trillion-dollar Health Reform Act will expand to $2.3 trillion when Congress gets through satisfying all the lobbyists. These same realists warn that Obama's revenue estimates are far too optimistic. Which means higher spending, less revenue and even bigger deficits for the kiddies.

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to break a country economically. The ratings services are threatening to downgrade the USA's credit rating, a move which would increase the cost of borrowing and widen the federal deficit.

Los Angeles is almost broke. It has been downgraded.

California looks like it could become America's version of Greece or Spain.

Long-time Democrats I have spoken with all echo the same refrain: "For the first time in my life, I am fearful for the future of my country."

Sarah Palin said one correct thing at the Republican convention: "A mayor is like a community organizer. Except that the mayor has to meet a budget."

We elected a President and a Congress who apparently have no understanding of the term "budget."

The President and his Congress regard your children and grandchildren as the administration's personal credit cards.

Think of these things before you vote the next time.

Ask yourself one question:

"Will these people be good for the children?"

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