The Only Guarantees in Life Are Death and Taxes

The title is an old axiom that is totally bull today. It is true that no one lives forever, but not all Americans pay taxes.

It is an interesting fact that the two extremes of American demographics pay zero dollars in taxes; those who live in poverty and the super-rich, which includes our largest and most profitable corporations. It is the reality in the 21st century.

Our national debt in 2022 is expected to reach an unimaginable number in the trillions of dollars. This can be attributed to every Republican president since Ronald Reagan. Trickle-down economics, reducing taxes for the wealthy and our largest corporations, is the failed economic policy adopted by Reagan, Bush 41, Bush 43, and Trump.

Our nation’s national debt first reached one trillion dollars in 1982 during Reagan’s second year in office. At the end of his second term, it reached nearly 2.7 trillion. It has never stabilized or decreased since. In 2022 it is estimated to reach 30.29 trillion.

Right-wing politicians will blame this unacceptable number on everything but the facts. Our wealthiest citizens and largest corporations pay far too little for the privilege of living in a society that offers them the opportunity to obtain such exorbitant wealth.

The American Tax Code is in two books, totaling 2,652 pages. This is ludicrous. No one person could possibly understand its contents, which makes it one of the most ridiculous mistakes by an incompetent government.

Years ago, the first proposal to base our nation’s tax revenues on a “national sales tax” was offered to congress. It was immediately rejected because it made sense, and the super-rich would be taxed on their most expensive purchases. Several times a “flat tax rate” was offered, but once again rejected. Without a long list of deductions, the wealthy would pay their fair share.

Plutocracy: “A plutocracy (Greek: πλοῦτος, Ploutos, ‘wealth’ and κράτος, Kratos, ‘power’) or plutarchy is a society that is ruled or controlled by people of great wealth or income. The first known use of the term in English dates from 1631. Unlike most political systems, plutocracy is not rooted in any established political philosophy.”

The former describes the current situation in America. Special interests own one entire political party, and that party is the “party of no.” All efforts to care for the majority by Democrats and Independents are squashed by all 50 Republican senators, and two fake Democrats, Krysten Sinema, and Joe Manchin.

Now, for the really scary part. A plutocracy cannot last long without a system that supports the autocratic rule. Fascism is their ultimate goal. This would give the super-rich complete control of our nation in perpetuity.

Now that you know “the truth lives here,” you must vote on November 8, 2022, and in 2024. Republicans have become the enemy of the majority and must be removed from Washington if America is to survive.

Today, it appears to be in decline, and if this continues, the creation of our founding fathers will soon become nothing more than a memory.

Op-ed by James Turnage

Sources:

Treasury Direct: Historical Debt Outstanding – Annual 1950 – 1999
Statista: Public debt of the United States of America from February 2021 to February 2022, by month

Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Phillip Ingham’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Global Justice Now’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License