by Mary Griggs
Today is tax day and a good time to remember that paying taxes is a patriotic act. Taxes allow the government to do what is necessary for America as a whole. They are the dues we pay to be citizens of this great country.
They are investments for the common good. In the past, the government used taxes to create the infrastructure we use today. These investments in roads and bridges, the internet, the power grid, food safety, clean air/water, etc, benefit everyone. Our taxes go to maintain this infrastructure and to continue investing for our future needs.
So many things we depend on can only be provided by the government. While “government is evil” might be the mantra of some people, I much prefer to have the government build and maintain the highway system instead of having a private company owning the highway system and charging through the roof to use them. The same goes for public safety. Would you want to build your own army? How about police and fire departments? Or building a court system to adjudicate disputes?
Our taxes pay for the government to do the things We the People need, especially in the areas where corporations can’t or won’t do them or might not be trusted to do them right.
To fund civil society, we must pay our taxes.
And, if you’re so inclined, sign the petition to close the loopholes mega corporations use to get out of paying their fair share of taxes – Sign the Petition: Stop the Corporate Tax Giveaways