When you look at your paycheck every week or two, remember, the tax money taken out of your salary benefits someone somewhere who is less fortunate than you are. If that’s what you want to think, continue to think that way, but as for myself, I look at my pay stub, throw my hands in the air, shake my head, and continue my day.
As a 25 year-old American, many would expect my bleeding heart to find a way to be more compassionate and caring about others. However, I am not. As we saw last week during the vote on the fiscal cliff bill, there are serious concerns in America. Once again, our elected officials have let us down and proved that our country is headed seriously in the wrong direction.
When we see special tax rates put in place for Hollywood producers–$430 million tax benefits and the ability to expense up to $15 million of costs for work–it’s hard not to wonder, “What about the normal American who wakes up for work at 6AM every day and works the jobs that keep this country afloat?” They have been forgotten once again.
Barack Obama has yet to pass a budget, regardless of who has been in charge in the House or Senate. We have seen the national debt increase from $10.6 Trillion on January 20, 2009 to $16.3 Trillion on December 28, 2012. That’s a 54% increase in the National Debt, all during my 20s. It shouldn’t take long to realize that a 54% increase in the National Debt in 4 years, under one President, who has been responsible for a trillion dollar a year deficit, may have not been the best choice for America after all.
Those who voted for Barack Obama in 2012 at some point may reconsider their votes. It may be happening sooner than many thought. As a 2% tax increase on 77% of Americans goes into effect, and hardworking, blue-collar workers see more of their paycheck fall into the hands of Uncle Sam, many will do the same as I have and throw their hands into the air, shake their heads, but hopefully will see they have done this to themselves.
As Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner uses his “special measures” to continue to pay the nation’s bills for two months, and by February or March, we are again hearing about the debt ceiling. Maybe then you will see “The Life and Times of an Overtaxed Nation: From the Eyes of a 20 Something.” As the United States of America struggles to pay their own bills as American’s across the country have been for the past 4+ years, there is only one statement that seems to be spot on: “Hang on folks, it’s only going to get worse.”
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