Tax, Tax, Everywhere a Tax...
From time to time, I like to take current events and sit-ee-ations and come up with words to a familiar song. How many remember the old rock song Signs? It was released in 1970 by The Five Man Electrical Band. "Signs, signs, everywhere are signs, blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the signs?" Let's have some fun with a 'not so fun' situation using my title to the song Signs. If you're up for this, email it to me. If you don't know the song and are on the internet, check it out. It's catchy :-).
The day I'm typing this, we received our Alabama 'stimulus' check. I hope you got yours. Ain't that nice of them? Don't get me wrong, they didn't have to do that. They need a certain amount to operate our 'we the people' state government, eh? But where in the 'h-e double-hockey-sticks' were the state citizens back then, when they began multiple state taxation- tax, tax, everywhere a tax...income, sales, additional gasoline, home property, automobile property (aka ad valorem). Disgusting, ain't it? So now citizens start complaining about costs going up, and the Alabama legislature decides to throw us a bone. Oh sorry, they also are gradually reducing the grocery sales tax- another bone from what should never have been.
Some of you may know I have been working in the county tag office :-) (if you want some free tag office tips ;-), email me). Never thought I would have done something that I was opposed to partly, in principle. I had semi-retired from shift work and had trouble finding Mon-Fri day shift work. But now I'm retired from full time employment. Yet this is another tax after we've already been taxed. I don't know how some folks can stand buying brand new trucks, SUVs, RVs, etc. The sales tax on them is bad enough, but then comes the annual ad-valorem that they're so kind to decrease some each year. And some folks will do that every couple of years or so. Plus, every time a vehicle is sold, sales tax has to be paid on it- it should only be on the original purchase if that. Whew! In 2022, my wife and I were able to find a relatively low mileage 2012 SUV to keep the monthly payment and ad-valorem down some. Look, I'm all for supporting our local businesses and keeping the sales tax in our state, county and cities. But double taxation and more, is wrong.
Well, there's a reckoning coming. Inflation keeps going up, closures, jobs and purchases will keep going down, and the state will get less and less revenue. It's doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure it out if people would just pay attention and think things through. Again, maybe you're thinking 'what can we do?' But there are things we can do. If hundreds of thousands of citizens would contact state government officials and tell them to put pressure on the federal government officials or there will be serious consequences, that would be a good start and might work. The 'spending clause' in the constitution doesn't allow for no limit on the federal government credit card! Practically making them get a balanced budget amendment could help. Then there's the 'grievance clause,' the principle the founding fathers mentioned in the declaration of independence (alter or abolish when the government becomes destructive (read it and weep)), and the 10th Amendment principles of Nullification and as a last resort if absolutely necessary, secession (no I don't want to). We better get on it. God willing, see ya next time.
Pester Brat is the Founder & Director of the local La-Fayette Constitutional Patriots and national Concerned Constitutional Patriots of America. Email: pesterbratdotcom@aol.com. Blog: pesterbratdotcom.blogspot.com. Facebook: Pester Brat & Bret Pester-Brat Lovitz. Twitter, Rumble, Vimeo, YouTube, Gettr: Pester Brat.
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