In 1991 I was 14 years old. All I cared about was playing Tecmo Super Bowl and hanging out with friends. I wasn't old enough to vote, so I had just a little bit of interest in politics. However, I really like Ross Perot. I know he looked wacky and sounded wackier, but something about him struck me. I remember having a mock election in school that year. We were given the choice of voting for Bush Sr., Clinton, or Perot (whom we had to write in). I remember supporting Perot, and I distinctly remember certain assholes telling me that it was throwing my vote away. He can't win, why vote for him. This is a pre-Ralph Nader 2000 situation. I felt then that voting for whom I believed in was the best way to cast my vote, regardless of others 'suggestions'. For the longest time I didn't know what it was I really ever liked about Perot, it was just a gut feeling. I remember being confused as to why people bashed him for his charts, seemed to be a fine way to try and illustrate a problem, I thought.
It wasn't until recently that I could really understand my affection for Ross. He was a numbers guy, he was a businessman, and a successful one at that. I like to think of myself as a numbers guy, although in this industry, numbers can be quite subjective and misused. Ross and I share the same idea that the greatest threat left to our country is a self-executed financial disaster that leaves us crippled and weak. This is happening now...
I went to file my taxes today, I know April 16th right...perfect time to do it. I'd had some difficulties from changing jobs, states, having no permanent residence, and some 401K issues. So finally I get all my W2s and 1099s and fire up Turbo Tax. Never before have I owed taxes, I honestly couldn't imagine how that would ever happen to me. Turns out taking out 401k money will do just the trick. I knew about the penalties, but I didn't realize how much I'd be frustrated. Plus I moved to a state with state income tax (boo California!), so that didn't help matters. Now, I am ALL FOR paying my fair share of taxes. I have no problems with fair and equal taxation, I've flirted with supporting Flat Tax proposals, and I fully accept the fact that I owe taxes as tax code is currently structured.
What really frustrates me is the idea that THIS particular government can tell me that I owe taxes. Be it a democratic or republican government, I think as a role model for fiscal responsibility, they both fail miserably. How can a government that is $9 trillion dollars in debt really demand any money from anyone? Add to all this the concept of central banks, currency issues, and whatnot, and a federal income tax starts to get pretty unfair. Where does that revenue go? There's quite a few websites that one can find that present a clear case that it goes into the pockets of bankers and financial institutions....certainly not to building schools and fixing the roads. I just don't see how the current group of scumbags controlling the government have any right to a federal tax. I hate to get all Ron Paul on yer asses but something needs to be done about it. We have an insane national debt, we have a ridiculous national deficit, we have outrageously bloated military budgets, and to quote my man Nino Brown...