[Scotsman]

As another tax season closes here in the states, thoughts again turn to how big a bite is taken out of my paycheck and what that money could have been used for.

However, this year unlike past years, something occurs to me. Why am I paying money directly to the federal government in the first place? Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying income tax should be obolished. The fed should be there to provide for the common defense etc, and that does take money. No, I'm asking why am I as an individual dealing with the huge federal bureaucracy on such a personal level?

This country is after all organized as a representative democracy, with federal then state then county, and finally city. So what occurs to me is why isn't the fed taxing the state instead of me personally? If you asked a state governor such a question I'm sure the answer would be something along the lines of "it's to huge a burden, it would bankrupt the state". Well, that's exactly the point. How is it any better for the money to be bled from individuals separately rather than the state paying the same money? The big difference is the state has a lot more resources to stand up against waste and abuse than an individual does.

Such a system would also appear to restore checks and balances between the state and federal levels. After all, the fed has no qualms about telling states "do it our way or you won't get any money". They can do this of course because they take it directly from all the little guys like you and I. If the states were the interface to the fed (as the founding fathers intended), the states would also have a much more effective tool when the fed was out of line. Nothing speaks louder than dollars after all.

If the politicians REALLY want to shrink government, this would also be a good way to do that. Besides not needing the enormous bureaucracy to track every single working person in the country, it would also eliminate all the duplicated effort since the states already have systems in place for collecting revenue from their residents.

I actually feel strongly enough about this, I'm hoping others of you do too. Personally, I'm going to start writing letters to the editor of the local papers, my congressmen, and anybody else I can think of. And keep it up beyond the current tax season. I encourage others that feel the same to do so aswell. After all, an idea that gives all the politicians something to like and something to squawk about in equal measure can't be all bad.

[^Greywolf^]

i totally agree there scots. lol. never looked at it that way. new POV never hurts anyone. however, heres one to ponder... why would a politician want to shrink government. cut fellow liars out of work??? never. why should they abolish the federal taxes if they can use that tax money to vote on their own pay raises.

oh by the way, the military pay charts for 2007 only show a 2.7% raise across the board. while congress and the like gets 8-10%. just shows how much they actually think of us military folks. fight our battles and walk thru the s**t we start, oh and heres some slave wages... be happy we give you that...

anywho. ponder that one.
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when the s**t hits the fan, just unplug it. it keeps the mess down, and aids in cleanup.

[Scotsman]

Oh I know they don't really mean it. The republicans especially keep harping they want smaller government. So lets make alot of noise about here's how to do it. Either they'll do it because there is enough noise they dare not do it, or they will once again make it painfully obvious what hypocritical lying assh*les they are.

(Just to be clear, I don't blindly subscribe to any political ideology. I have a brain, and I like to keep it well excercised.)