WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Mark Sanford released the following statement recognizing Tax Freedom Day, the day when American taxpayers have collectively earned enough to pay off the entire tax burden for that year:
“When you think of a tax day in April, you probably think of the day you need to pay your taxes by – April 15th. But today is another important tax day that doesn’t get enough attention– Tax Freedom Day,” said Sanford. “I have two quick thoughts to share on this occasion.”
“One, it’s scary to think that it takes us working nearly 4 months this year just to pay what the government charges us. A little over a century ago it only took us less than a month and this slow slide is worth keeping an eye on each year.”
“Second, as a consequence, Americans are becoming less free. If we need to spend over a third of our year paying off government, we have much less freedom in deciding how we want to live. If you take home more of your paycheck, you can choose whether you want to spend that money on rent, go out to eat, save it or a host of other things…but ultimately the choice is yours. Conversely, when government takes more out of your paycheck you have less freedom to make choices about the money you have earned.”
“Since New Year’s Day we have been working just to pay off government, and it’s a good reminder that the fight for limited government is necessary, because ultimately it comes down to the freedom we each enjoy as Americans.”
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30 comments
Sanfraud needs to keep more of his pay in order to keep paying for his trips to Family Court.
Your disdain for Mark Sanford aside, you don’t think the nation would benefit from being allowed to keep more of their pay?
That is a question with an obvious answer. It is used by politicians all the time. The REAL question is, what government services/benefits are you willing to give up in order for it to happen? Agreement on that is what stops changes. Sic Willie broad brush answers won’t work.
I’m trying to think of a single solitary government service/benefit that I actually rely on… let’s see I’d like to keep the national park service funded. The obvious step would be to get rid of bullshit programs like this… http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2012/04/u-s-spends-10-mil-to-train-asian-call-center-workers/
Do you not rely on air traffic control, defense, CDC, etc?
Those should be a given for reasonable thinkers. I talking about nonsensical programs that waste OUR money.
I talking about nonsensical programs that waste OUR money.
You’re assuming that they’ll actually cut nonsensical programs. I wish I could share in your optimism.
you don’t think the nation would benefit from being allowed to keep more of their pay?
Tax cuts rarely target the working class, or when they do, they are just appeasements to enable massive cuts for the rich (see: Bush tax cuts).
I also don’t believe the general “tax cuts = higher revenues no matter what” line that many conservatives believe, mostly because you can look at tax receipts after state/federal tax cuts and see shortfalls happen almost immediately. I also believe that any spending cuts made to “afford” the tax cuts will be done at the expense of programs that benefit or protect the middle class.
I also think that the last time a massive tax cut was pushed, the party responsible also increased spending, resulting in a double whammy to the deficit (lower revenues, higher spending), so I don’t really trust the crowd calling for tax cuts to perform said cuts without increasing the national debt significantly as a result, even though they rediscovered their concern for the national debt 5-6 years ago.
So, in short, tax cuts that won’t really help the working class coupled with spending cuts that hurt the working class, if any real cuts happen at all, will ultimately hurt us in the long run. It’s like being hung by a velvet noose, it’ll feel comfortable when it’s initially put on but not so much after the drop.
(Disdain for Mark Sanford should be a good clue for this, too. The guy’s a self-serving career politician, the mere notion that he wants to help out everyone else is laughable, and what he supports should be highly suspect for that reason, if for nothing else.)
I’ve been underemployed for going on 3 years now, and under the current structure I’m still in that “privileged” category that makes over $50k. Whatever the fuck it is that we are currently doing, ain’t working.
I guess like who is in need, whether you are underemployed or not is an matter of opinion. Maybe there is no market for the skills you have. Maybe you have been too lazy to get out an develop skills the market wants. .
Columbia is a horrible place for creatives, simple as that.
Simple as that huh? Well as an employer, I there are always jobs for creative people as long as they use their creativity to produce a product the market wants and they are good at what they do. So what are you creative at what they are doing?.
Excuse me, So what are you creative at doing?
Tom, as an “employer” you should know that in a down economy (now into the 6th year of one) creative budgets are the first thing to go. I’m an Emmy award winning editor/animator, although I’m sure you actually couldn’t care less about what I do or how proficient I am at it.
I like to know what anyone does if they will tell me. It gives me more insight into where they are coming from. You are a total surprise.
Yes I am an employer. There are four owners of my business, including me, and we have six full time employees and two part time employees. So no one can accuse me of being part of the taker class, despite my progressive leanings.
Thanks Tom, I really do enjoy what I do and I’ve worked for a host of top shelf clients. If you’re in the Columbia area you’ve likely seen my work on TV, billboards, magazines and such. If you’re elsewhere in the state you’ve probably seen some of my broadcast work for the Dept of Public Safety. Aside from that a lot of what I’ve done has been high end B2B and college level foreign language studies for McGraw Hill and Yale University Press. Bodies of my work can be seen at http://www.constantnow.com and http://www.jayellington.com
Can I be the first to say fuck whatever this guy says? I thought he was supposed to marry his Argentine floozy pretty soon. I guess he gave her half of a bicycle and she finally figured him out. Or maybe she read that best selling novel by Jenny.
So he cheated on his wife. If you want to start discounting every man and woman you know who’s been unfaithful, you probably won’t be left with much. His ability to keep his wang at home doesn’t negate the fact that the current system is unsustainable.
On his facebook, he wrote “we are enjoying the festival”. My question is who are “we”? The picture shows him and not of Belen. Would have thought they would now be more out in the open.
Can I be the first to say fuck whatever this guy says?
I guess, at least we know who to form the line behind now.
I’ll let you cut in front of me, Smirks. It’s not like I’m in line for a $100 X-box at Walmart on Black Friday or anything.
Remember when public lines to buy stuff were like for Star Wars opening ticket’s and stuff?
Materialism rules for now.
Wtf is wrong with half a bicycle? I paid good money for that.
Give Markie a break….a twelve year affair and a two year engagement is not enough time to pick a date for marriage to a SOUL MATE…….Fornicating,Bible thumping soul mates need more time…Chill……..PS: Shut up Sanford.
“Floozy” ??? I beg your pardon. She is now listed in Wiki as his “partner”!!! How enlightened this new-agey, buddhist-christian jackwit appears. I guess a further uograde would be “life” partner.
“If you take home more of your paycheck, you can choose whether you want to spend that money on rent, go out to eat, save it, or a host of other things: trysts with your mistress in the Hamptons, NYC, Argentina, etc… but ultimately the choice is yours.” (that’s right YOURS not GOD, at the end of the day!)
Mark Sanford has taken millions of dollars from Taxpayers over the last two decades, and provided zip, zero, nada in return. He can’t make it without a government job and government health care and government retirement. If he thinks taxes are too high give some of that money back. Mark Sanford is a worthless taker. We could support ten people on welfare for half of what we pay him and would get the same thing in return. At least we would be helping someone in need, instead of giving the money to a rich asshole.
Are people who require welfare to sustain actually in need or have they been indoctrinated into the culture of poverty?
Well obviously that depends on the person. There are plenty of people who need help to make ends meet. Despite all the hate and vitriol from the right. Most people who receive government assistance need the help.
Anyone who has a government job or a government contractor should not complain about taxes. They live on the back of the taxpayer, and they have no right to complain about others who receive taxpayer money.
Did Mark mention his new friends over at MoveOn.org and their concerted efforts to shut down an international seafood processor in northern Beaufort county. Strange bedfellows indeed. He’s doing precisely what he accused ECB of doing, throttling small business. He put the OMG in RINO.