Stimulus, Taxes and Healthcare, Oh My!

A funny thing happened during the "Cash for Clunkers" debacle. Our government learned that if people had more money in their pockets (i.e. in this case, a $4500 credit), they do something very profound with it...they spend it. I wonder if that would work if taxes were lowered and people had more money in their pocket? And if they spent the additional money, I wonder if it would stimulate the economy? And if the economy got a boost like that, I wonder if it would put more people to work to offset the overall spike in demand? And if more people went to work, I wonder if that would translate to lower unemployment? And if unemployment was lowered, I wonder if that would translate to a smaller deficit since less money would be spent on our welfare state? Thank goodness our elected leaders know more than I do. See? I would have gone and decreased government spending and lowered taxes.

The great state of Illinois is adding candy to the list of items that will now bear the full brunt of the highest sales tax in the country. In Chicago, candy will now get the same 10.25% sales tax as clothing, shoes, automobiles, etc. You see, candy used to be considered "food". And "food" was only taxed at a little over 2%. Now that candy is no longer "food", it gets the full 10.25%. But, there's a silver lining. Some candy has flour in it, and flour is the determinant if the item is "food". Snickers? Candy. Kit Kat? Food. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Let's play along. Three Musketeers? Food. Butterfinger? Candy. So, if you're in the checkout line and you have a chocolate craving, remember to buy "food" and not "candy". Pick up the Kit Kat, and leave the Hershey's Chocolate Bar behind. I'm looking forward to the bailout of the "candy" makers, since they were unfairly impacted by this new tax. Coming September 1 to a theater near you.

I lived in England for a year, and had the "benefit" of socialized healthcare. My salary (bartender/waiter) was clearly "lower class". My tax rate was astronomical. And my doctor had dirty hands, didn't wear gloves and seemed annoyed that I would ask any questions when he prescribed me an antibiotic without looking at me for longer than 3 minutes. Oh, and my wait was well over 2 hours. Thank goodness we formed a nation back in 1776 (severing ties with England) and yet we are still smart enough to take over their best traditions. I'm going to buy some Billy Bob teeth now so that I can prepare myself for my new dental outlook.

To our elected officials, for years I have felt like you and I were simply on a different side of an argument. I favored adherence to the Declaration of Independence and to the Constitution of the United States, preserving the rights of every individual, and you favored quotas, patriot acts, "progressive" taxation (i.e. legalized Robin Hood) and spending money you don't have. But now, you have gone further. You have offended me. You have offended my intelligence by not only presenting falsehoods in the name of "yes, we can" and "change", but you have spit on the traditions that our country and your predecessors held dear. People used to earn what they got. You've taught us that we can do nothing and still get. What will happen when the "getters" outnumber the "earners"? It's not that far away.