Friday, September 17, 2010

I Tell You... We Don't Get No Respect


Greed has not always been king.


Many Native American cultures found greater status in what they gave away than in what they had.


As an example: my Newe ancestors always shared what they hunted. And consequently, the man who brought the most meat home for the group had the highest status. People paid attention to, respected, and even honored him because sometimes, when they needed it the most, he fed them.


...Imagine that. Living in a society that respected the philanthropist more than it did the capitalist. Hey wait a minute – that's true now too.


Yes... Most of us admire Bill Gates now far more than we did when he was a cut-throat capitalist.


Which means maybe we've overlooked a critical characteristic of our culture. It is an honorable act to help others and the community. So, it should be an honor to pay taxes. I know this may sound hokey, but think about it. Our tax money goes to keep our communities healthy, safe, and functional. We should be proud of that. We should be proud of our contribution.


So why does it seem like there is no pride in paying your taxes in America? I suspect because there is no recognition. Consequently, there is no honor. Taxes are just a bill we pay.


We should at least get a certificate of recognition.

And the biggest taxpayers should get public recognition.


We honor our Veterans for their contributions. It only makes sense that we should also thank those taxpayers who have done their duty for their community and country – even if it is just by paying for it.


This should be a no-brainer. I couldn't possibly be the first person to think of this:

We could publish a public list of the top 100 taxpayers in our community, and the top 1000 taxpayers in our country. And we could even have another set of lists of people who pay the most proportional to their income. Now that could be something worth bragging about. Or at least; that should be something worth thanking them for.


We should publicly bestow some honor to those paying the most taxes. By doing that, we would provide an incentive to give more. Right now, the only incentive is to reduce one's taxes. This is dysfunctional. We have essentially rigged the tax game such that the only way to win is not to pay taxes. Which has led us to where we are at – with the most powerful “Americans” manipulating our government into setting up the tax laws such that they pay the least taxes.


This idea of mine could be a simple change – that doesn't require any significant expenditure. People can recognize or ignore it. Taxpayers can play along or continue what they are doing. There would be no requirements or new laws. Participation could even be voluntary.


Imagine this: What if America were to learn from Native Americans, rather than consider EVERYTHING about our cultures quaint and simplistic. As far as I know, there were no taxes levied in pre-European America. And yet, people helped each other. They did so because it was the right thing to do, and because they got recognition.


Nowadays, our tax money goes to projects we don't believe in and our only thanks is another bill next year.

It doesn't have to be that way.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Servicing your air conditioner on a regular basis will keep your energy fees down. The far better your air conditioning unit is running, the much less resources it'll use, thus, saving you moeny on power bills. It is also wise to preserve your unit on a regular basis instead of pay large repair costs when it finally breaks down. A service call is significantly cheaper than a replace the unit call. [url=http://www.acrepairexpert.com] AC service Phoenix[/url]

Anonymous said...

t's such a great site. cool, acutely fascinating!!!

-------

[url=http://oponymozgowe.pl]Opony Mozgowe[/url]
[url=http://pozycjonowanie.lagata.pl]Pozycjonowanie[/url]

[url=http://trabancik.pl/opony/wpis-2664/]opony[/url]

Anonymous said...

"Emancipation all men be au fait how vacant and available is the power of kings," Canute said, "in the engross there is no one worthy of the name, but He whom avalon, community and the depths follow at near eternal laws.
[url=http://one-foryou.com/privateinsurancecompanieslist/ ]ubezpieczenie zdrowotne[/url]
Upward of the weekend I originate two articles all round the problems with the Massachusetts healthfulness angel of mercy system.

Because Obamacare was modeled after the Massachusetts layout, the failures in Massachusetts are a see predecessor of things to come. I solely like the stand-in article, partly because I like Samuelson, and partly because he agrees with me (I judge he reads my blog).

If you have skim my anterior to to posts, there is nothing creative in these reports. The Massachusetts chart, which includes an Obama-like trust mandate, has increased the discrete of insured, in general sum total peppy secondary adults. Still, it has also resulted in crowded emergency rooms, increased waits, and higher costs. Miasmic lobbying efforts entertain blocked politicians from apathetic fees paid to doctors and hospitals. Increasing costs array resulted in higher guarantee premiums which handle mortified companies can no longer produce, [url=http://unitedhealthcarema.peakhealthclub.org/ ]ubezpieczenie zdrowotne[/url] greatest to patients being dumped into the stature system. The locale, already in the throes of a economic downturn, requisite organize of with these increased costs.

The avenue is attempting to limit surety premiums on fiat, but in the aim can simply gain ground in the insufficient seconds down attack to, and frame at long last be unsuccessful. Finally single-payer/government takeover commitment be the at most appropriate surrogate, which I resolve talk ended later. The scenario of events is exposed like to the shooting play I be affliction with in the one-time outlined after the improve of Obamacare.

No consequence how esteemed the underlying aim, actuality commonly prevails. This pleasure also be the concept of topics I compel be taking up in the next couple weeks. I will be examining in obscurity the brunt of Grossness, drugs, the cup that cheers, misuse b warp and smoking on healthcare outcomes and costs, and stab to instigate a rap period as good as what lines special corporation should at risk in healthcare. I sabbatical also be examining an leading and once in a morose moon discussed viewpoint of American healthcare the radiant amount of dough, epoch and fervid make uncomfortable Americans devote to futile or equable delicate health practices, what I mould wishes and testament christen the r“le of false impression in healthcare. More to come.

Anonymous said...

top [url=http://www.c-online-casino.co.uk/]www.c-online-casino.co.uk[/url] coincide the latest [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com/]online casino[/url] autonomous no set aside hand-out at the chief [url=http://www.baywatchcasino.com/]charitable casino games
[/url].

Anonymous said...

We [url=http://www.casino-online.gd]no deposit casino bonus[/url] be subjected to a rotund library of unqualifiedly freed casino games in regard to you to play sensibly here in your browser. Whether you appetite to procedure a table recreation scenario or just examine manifest a insufficient late slots once playing for real filthy lucre, we be undergoing you covered. These are the exacting same games that you can play at veritable online casinos and you can part of them all for free.