DEATH! and taxes

An interesting thing happens today. Today is the day the government expects us to calculate what we owe them and submit it in paper or electronic form to their minions to peruse and decide if we did it right. If we did, by their standards and rules, then fine. We move on to next year. If we didn't, we get accused of stealing and are subjected to thousands in fines and face possible jail time even.

Now, usually the biggest gripe about tax day (or taxes in general) is the fact that we a) have to pay so much b) the money we pay isn't spent wisely enough c) too many get to pay ffar too less than others and/0r d) we have to pay it at all.

My gripe has always been the process. I think it's retarded. Far too many people have their hands in the pie of saying how much, how to, and how often US citizens are to dip into their pockets and pay the man.

It really has become a train wreck of right and wrong. Responsibility vs irresponsibility. Responsibility on the part to pay it, and irresponsibility on the part of deciding how it gets spent.

Now, some Americans today are on the bandwagon of Tea Parties. I must admit, I don't know much about them. I haven't read or viewed with much interest to determine their purpose or their benefit. But from the outside I can gather where it stems from. Obviously the Boston Tea parties from history were to protest the peoples taxation without representation.

But that doesn't make total sense. The sound bites I have heard focus more on the use of the taxation versus the actual taxation. Really, and this is purely a judgement call on my side, it seems to be more of a media movement than anything else. That is to say, more of a commercial movement to benefit business interests moreso than fueling the spirit of the American people.

Media outlets need viewership and listeners to pay the bills. The more conservative outlets call these tea parties a call to action. Liberal ones call them extremist and some don't even mention them.

It will be intersting to see the attendance. I certainly don't blame anyone or judge anyone for participating. I know several that will be attending as I tend to lean a little bit further to the right than center as do the friends in my circles. And I certainly don't think any event that can garner the attention of a nation as it relates to taking action against what some percieve as an injustice, or simply a notion that things could be done a little bit better, as a waste of time, or insignificant.

Obviously, times have changed. We can't get away with total revolution by picking up pitch forks and shovels. Nowadays we have opinion, twitter, and blogs. I'm still waiting to see how this whole Obama experiment works out. Until that totally washes itself out, I don't think I am prepared to take a stand just yet.

Have fun writing your checks today. I might pay attention to these tea parties today and give a better review later tonight.