Thoughts Prior to the Big Obligatory Tax Day Post

As I begin the process of composing the case for radical tax reform, I'm pausing to consider one of the reason for it: to create a sense of accountability for how much money the federal government sucks out of us. Right now, that number (source) is $18,276 per household.

However, their spending is $31,406 per household.  That's spending $1.50 for every buck they suck!

Think about it in these terms.  Occasionally, we have to borrow money in crisis situation, then have to pay that back with interest.  So has the feds in times of war, or in emergencies, or to address a problem which will be resolved.  However, would anyone sane consider borrowing if it was for an expense that would always be there?  A monthly expense?  You might, if it was a down year and you know it's a matter of getting things stabilized and then being able to pay that down.

However, this country hasn't really done that since the 70's.  we technically came close at the end of the Clinton/GOP congress, where we did manage some balance.  Se stopped the bleeding, but didn't fix the greater problem.  Then the orgy of spending began, accelerating after 9/11, then then reach grand Roman citywide orgy status as we piled war debt and entitlement debt and bailout debt, then added more entitlement debt and bailout debt.

I honestly don't know how to stop the financial sucking chest wound at this point.  Maybe voting against anyone who seeks to expand the government.  This would include ALL Democrats and most of the GOP.  Obviously, throwing Democrats out right now is a little more important, as that will shut down the Obama agenda until that problem can (theoretically, if the GOP can produce an actual good candidate) be rectified in 2012.

So as I go on about taxes in the Tax Day post (and I'll save the obligatory links until tomorrow), remember that there are far too many people in Washington ready to hand out checks from our money to get elected.