Leaving work yesterday, when there were only a few of us left on the closing shift, a short conversation began when one of the guys said "I'd like to get back all the money I've paid in income taxes someday." Then came the reply "Never gonna happen!" This person then continued with "Get rid of all the Democrats."
At this point, let me break in with some observations. These are all pretty young guys, but not particularly "conservative". What they do notice is that the IRS steals from their paychecks, and that it tends to be Democrats who love taxes and tax increases. When they mention Democrats, I think it's just shorthand for "tax lovers". The Republicans are no better at reducing the size and scope of government, in fact, they sometimes grow it bigger and faster than any Democrat could. But on the tax issue that hits even ordinary workers hardest, look at the votes of both parties, and what Democrats usually propose. Currently, the new/old Governor of California, Jerry "moonbeam" Brown, wants to extend massive tax increases to deal with the wildly out of control deficits in state government, caused by his own party's (they control the legislature) years of out of control, wild spending. In Illinois, the stark contrast between the two major parties is even more pronounced:
Patrick J. Quinn, the governor of Illinois and a Democrat, praised the decision of state lawmakers — in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday — to raise the individual income tax rate by about 66 percent as a necessity to avert the state’s “fiscal emergency,”which includes a budget deficit of more than $13 billion, about $8 billion in unpaid bills to social service agencies, pharmacies and others, and a sinking bond rating.
Here's the kicker, though:
By some assessments, Illinois’s choice to raise taxes might not have survived without an unusual set of circumstances here, in terms of politics and timing. Although Republicans in November won control of state legislative chambers and governorships around the country, Democrats held onto control here. Still, by noon on Wednesday, the newly elected legislators were to officially take office, a fact that decreased the Democrats’ margins of control in both the State Senate and State House.
And that was why the old set of legislators — including an even larger number of Democrats — found themselves racing through an emotional, fervent debate over taxes on the floor of the State Senate well after midnight on Tuesday. If they did not pass the tax increase before noon, its prospects looked doubtful. As it was, the measure barely made it, passing 60 to 57 in the House and 30 to 29 in the Senate. No Republicans voted for it.-source
No Republicans voted for it, did ya get that? No wonder that's the perception of the common man (and I do mean man, as men are more likely to be irate about taxes than women). And if the Democrat's margins in the state legislature had narrowed upon the new class of crooks being sworn in, the tax increase might have been defeated. Democrats love to spend (so do Republicans) but Democrats are more open about their belief that the state owns your life and the bread that you earn.
The conversation at work ended with a comment from a very young guy with naturally curly hair (I'm trying to draw a picture in your mind, here, dammit) who with his youth, physique and looks has an obvious motive for staying out of prison. He has never said anything political before that I have ever heard, but he is on the Internet a lot, and the Internet is where you'll find the opinions that matter, including those of libertarians and anarchists.
After he heard "get rid of the Democrats" he replied, "No, get rid of the
government"
There is hope yet.
