|
 “It’s
income tax time again, Americans. Time to gather up those receipts,
get out those tax forms, sharpen up that pencil, and stab yourself
in the aorta.” Dave Barry.
This year was the first for me filing as a widow. As if losing my
Mac wasn’t bad enough, it seems as though I got punished for it. I
know that each and every one of us had a legitimate complaint about
taxes. I hold no corner on being the only one more than a little
miffed by the government.
But….I would not want to live in any other country but this one. I
will quote people today on their opinions on taxation and hope that
it brings a smile to your face even though it is painful to get
through this season.
March Madness is known throughout the country for basketball fans. I
think March Madness is the preparation of getting ready for April
15. I felt as if I was dragging half my office down to the tax
preparation agency. Max always did our taxes himself. I am still
grappling with the fact he went to Glory, so in no way wanted to do
anything wrong with the IRS.
I wrote this quote in a previous column, but it bears repeating,
“Thomas Sowell (economist); “Elections should be held on April
16th…the day after we pay our income taxes. That is one of the few
things that might discourage politicians from being big spenders.”
Winston Churchill said, “We contend that for a nation to try to tax
itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying
to lift himself up by the handle.” I love this analogy. I must admit
there’s a comfort in knowing people around the globe detest revenue
systems.
Alfred E. Neuman (fictious mascot of Mad magazine): “Today, it takes
more brains and effort to make out the income-tax form than it does
to make the income.”
Albert Einstein, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is
the income tax.”
Paula Poundstone (comedian): “The wages of sin are death, but after
they take the taxes out, it’s more like a tired feeling, really.”
Isn’t that the truth? I felt exhausted after searching for, sorting
through, wondering where, and dredging up memories of the past year.
I had a wonderful lady that helped me at the tax agency. She did her
best to explain and educate me on taxes. My mind refused to
understand.
“Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200.00 and a substantial
tax cut save you 30 cents?” Writer, Peg Bracken.
I even went to my financial advisor and asked her to explain the
above question. She tried to teach me by quoting journalist P. J.
O’Rourke: “In theory, taxes should be like shopping. What I buy is
government services. What I pay are my taxes.”
I came away, still totally confounded. Canadian educator, Laurence
J. Peter: “America is a land of taxation that was founded to avoid
taxation.”
Employment agent, Rogert Half “People try to live within their
income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can’t
live within its income.”
[to top of second column] |
Less you get the idea that I don’t love this country, let me tell
you I bleed red, white, and blue. I stand every time the National
Anthem is played, even if I am alone in my own home watching a
Cubbies game. I. Love. This. Country.
Writer, Albert Camus: “Taxation is the price which civilized
communities pay for the opportunity of remaining civilized.”
Entrepreneur, Mark Cuban: “while some people might find it
distasteful to pay taxes, I don’t. I find it patriotic.”
“For patriots like me, paying taxes gives a feeling of
responsibility, of being part of the fabric of our country, of
contributing to the common good.” Joyce Marcel, journalist.
Let’s face it, one of our national past times is complaining about
taxes. I love journalist, Margaret Mitchell’s, “Death, taxes, and
childbirth! There’s never a convenient time for any of them.”
Entertainer, Arthur Godfrey: “I’m proud to pay taxes in the United
States; the only thing is, I could be just as proud for half the
money.”
Writer, Arthur C. Clarke: “The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t
his income tax return, it’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.”
Will Rogers, “The income tax has made more liars out of the American
people than golf has.”
Of course, I couldn’t leave out our own bad guy from Illinois, Al
Capone: “They can’t collect legal taxes from illegal money.”
Write Albert Camus: “Note, besides, it is no more immoral to
directly rob citizens than to slip indirect taxes into the price of
goods that they cannot do without.”
Former Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo: “New York State is upside
down and backwards. High taxes and low performance.”
My man, Mark Twain, “I shall never use profanity except in
discussing house rent and taxes. What is the difference between a
taxidermist and a tax collector? The taxidermist takes only your
skin.”
Here’s a fun quote from our favorite dog, Snoopy, “Dear IRS, I am
writing to you to cancel my subscription. Please remove my name from
your mailing list.”
I hope you have enjoyed these quotes. The cites that I looked at
were far reaching in every direction. As you read, some are
patriotic. Some are comical. Some or angry. Some are downright
nasty. Until we can come to support one another in another way,
taxes are here to stay. I don’t like that all of us cannot
understand our tax code/language. I could write pages and pages of
pros and cons. Each of us has the reality of hating paying taxes and
hopefully sometimes in our lives being helped by taxes paid in. May
God continue to bless the United States of America.
Rob Knaurhase, (researcher): Isn’t it appropriate that the month of
the tax begins with April Fool’s Day and ends with cries of ‘May
Day!’”?
L. Maxine McQueen may be contacted at
maxmac.1@juno.com |
