It's TEA Time!

Tax Day Protest is about FREEDOM!

A few weeks ago 40 or so members of ACORN, Obama's infamous community organizer group, took a bus tour to protest outside the homes of AIG executives who received bonuses. The rent-a-mob was outnumbered by reporters by at least two to one. That same "news" media has basically ignored the protests of tens of thousands of Americans in Tea Parties all across the nation over the preceding weeks.

On Wednesday, April 15th hundreds of thousands of citizens from all over the country will rally in protest of liberal tax and spend big government programs and support a freedom agenda. This is in addition to the tens of thousands across the country who have already joined these spontaneous gatherings.

It's doubtful that even a "news" media obsessed with pro-Obama coverage will be able to ignore this outpouring of dissent.

Spread the Wealth: Socialist Redistribution Continues

While taxes for the middle and upper income groups were leveling off at the end of the Bush years (see chart at right, source CBO), they are likely to take a dramatic leap upwards as the Obama Administration struggles with the most massive federal deficits in the history of the Republic.

You'll note that those in the lowest income groups have actually been receiving more back in refunds than they paid in as income taxes. That trend is also likely to accelerate as liberals continue to demand we spread the wealth.

But no matter how much we tax the top 10% (those making more than $92,000 per year) There isn't enough money to continue these trends. It's a giant Ponzi scheme that will some day come crashing down.

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer makes the case that "Everyone Should Pay Income Taxes. It's bad for our democracy to exempt half the country."

Today, Mr. Obama and many congressional Democrats want the "wealthy" to pay even more so there is more money for them to redistribute. The president says he wants the wealthy to pay their "fair share." Who can argue with that? But he never defines what that means. Is it fair for 10% to pay 70% of the income tax? Does he believe they should pay 75%, or 95%, or does fairness mean they should pay it all? It's clever politics to speak like that, but it is risky policy.

Mr. Obama is adding to this trend with his "Make Work Pay" tax cut that means almost 50% of the country will no longer pay any income taxes, up from a little over 40% today. A certain amount of income redistribution in a capitalistic society is healthy, but this goes too far. The economic and moral problem is that when 50% of the country gets benefits without paying for them and an increasingly smaller number of taxpayers foot the bill, the spinning triangle will no longer be able to support itself. Eventually, it will spin so slowly that it falls down, especially when the economy is contracting and the number of wealthy taxpayers is in sharp decline.
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It's time to create an Economic Growth Code whose purpose is to fix and grow the economy, not redistribute massive amounts of wealth. A new tax code that creates growth and reforms our entitlement system is the only way to dig our way out of the hole we're in.

Under an Economic Growth Code, everyone in American would pay income taxes -- everyone. Such a system would be designed to foster broad-based growth for all, in contrast to the loophole-ridden system we have today. Not only is the current code flawed from top to bottom, it is used by politicians to divide the public along class lines and fails to promote prosperity.

Taxes Already Heading Up

We've already seen how taxes on smokers have gone sky high despite Obama's pledge not to raise "any of your taxes" if you make less than $250,000.

Hidden taxes on essentials like phone service are also going up. And taxes on corporations cost the average American family $3,190. If Obama's cap and trade proposal passes Congress everyone who turns on a light switch or uses transportation in any form will pay more for goods and services whose energy use will be heavily taxed. And not one dime will be used to combat global warming.

The Bottom Line: FREEDOM!

Taxes are just another way government steals the freedom of it's citizens. It's your money. You worked for it! But when government decides it knows better how to spend your money than you do, you lose the freedom to make economic decisions for your family and your future.

The Tea Parties are just the first step in a process of reclaiming our freedom. One day of protest won't change the world but it can be the spark that brings together a nationwide movement to replace elected leaders who do not respect our freedom and our rights.

Share Your Tea Party Stories

If you attend a Tea Party in your area, please share your impressions, with links to any photos or blog posts in the comments section. I would also be interested to see links to stories in your town's newspaper if they bother to cover the event.