Wake up in the morning and turn on the light and it all begins with the electric company taxing you. Go to the bathroom and turn on the shower – you're taxed for the water and sewage, then taxed on the shaving cream and toothpaste. Go to the closet and you are taxed for the new pants you bought and taxed for that shirt you picked up from the cleaners.
Turn on the TV to see what the weather is going to do and you are taxed by the cable company. Sit down to eat your breakfast: You at least think you're not taxed on the food you eat. You need to think again. Anyone who grows, transports, packages or distributes your food will pass along their taxes into the cost of the box of cereal you just opened.
Get in the car, which was taxed when you bought it and taxed every year you own it. That new battery you put in last weekend that starts your car is taxed. Begin rolling down the road and you are taxed on the gasoline your car is burning. While you are sitting there on the freeway (which isn't free) you see a billboard advertisement for a weekend getaway at a local resort. You think that that would be nice to celebrate your wedding anniversary. However, don't look at the convention and sales tax the hotel charges, because that just may ruin a nice weekend.
Perhaps you decide to take the toll way into work. Then you are paying for a transportation project the transportation taxes you pay did not pay for. As you pull into work and use your cell phone to wish your wife a good day, you are taxed by the cell phone company.
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Once you get into the office, the whole process starts again, and yes, basically everything you touch or use has been taxed. Oh, by the way, a guy was laid off last week due to reduced sales because competitors are from countries that have lower taxes. The unemployment benefits (derived from payroll taxes) he receives are, guess what, taxed.
On the way home, stop by the sporting goods store and you're taxed on the new baseball bat you pick up for your son. And please don't get into an accident on the way home and die, especially if you're a successful business owner with employees. Your wife might have to sell the business to pay the death tax.
Now you arrive home, where you are taxed for the property you thought you owned. Of course, if you rent, do you think the landlord is a nice guy and pays the taxes for you, or does he pass it along in the rent?
Later you take your wife and kids out for dinner because Joe the plumber needs to come over and fix the disposal. Of course, he will tax you on his services. Now that you have enjoyed your meal, you think, "How nice, the restaurant has already included the gratuity on your bill." Then you put on you glasses (that were taxed) and look again – it's the taxes for the food. Of course, again, the cost included all the taxes along the way to get that hamburger to your table (that was taxed).
Add all this up and, depending on which state you live in, it is estimated you do not begin working for yourself until May to early July. To add insult to injury, the politicians who get this money end up needing more money to buy votes, and thus they run up deficits that your children and their children will end up paying for through – you guessed it – higher taxes.
And we are about to elect a man along with a Congress who wants to raise taxes and massively increase spending. Go figure.
R.B. Cox