Since the end of 2024 is looming, many of us are getting tax information together. That is one of the least favorite jobs in the universe.
Last week, I dug into the tremendous waste in our federal government. This week, I want to talk about who pays for it.
I do hope that one of President Donald Trump’s first acts of business will be to fire the new 87,000 IRS agents the Biden administration brought on board. This would be a great start.
You think you get up each day and go to work to provide for your family. This year, until April 23, you worked for the government. Tax Freedom Day, the day you have paid your “fair share,” has crept up through the years. In 1900, the average family paid 5.9% in taxes and Tax Freedom Day was Jan. 22.
The average family today pays more in taxes than it spends on food, clothing and housing combined.
Any conversation discussing “tax cuts” is usually followed by “for the rich.” However, they never specify who is “the rich.” Well, let us look at who feeds the tax monster.
According to the IRS, based on data released for 2023, the top 1% of taxpayers paid 43% of all federal income tax. The top 5% of income earners in America paid 59.14% of all taxes. The top 10% paid 70.8%, and the top 25% paid 86.10% of all taxes collected. This “fair share” has been rising for years.
We are slaves to the tax monster. The original income tax enacted back in 1913 was only a pittance compared to our tax system of today. Only one-half of 1% of the population was affected by the tax, and the top rate was only 7%. Lawmakers lulled the masses by having the tax only apply to the super wealthy. Well, we know the rest of the story. As soon as that camel’s nose was under the tent, we were all slaves to this monster.
The original tax code was only 14 pages long, and the tax return was only two pages. Now, this monster has ballooned to 17,000 pages, and the return has mushroomed to 569 pages. Bracket creep has affected everyone. An annual income that is considered wealthy by today’s standard will eventually affect the middle class as inflation causes incomes to rise. This has worked for years. Attack the “rich” and make them pick up the tab, but remember, you are probably “the rich.” You have likely been duped into thinking that’s someone else, not you.
High taxes equate to power and big government. Every tax represents a transfer of power from the people to the government.
I never understood liberals who think that wanting someone else’s money is need, wanting to keep more of your own money is greed. There is always an elected official willing to manage the transfer. In any other situation, it is a crime to take from someone that which he does not give freely. When Uncle Sam does it, it is considered “fairness.”
During my tenure in the North Carolina General Assembly, we have continually reduced your burden of North Carolina state tax. Many of us believe it is your money, and you know best how to spend it.
Democrats just cannot agree. They cannot imagine giving money back to families. Rivers will dry up, mountains will crumble, and God will swoop up his children and take us home before liberals will ever agree to return money to taxpayers. It is just not possible due to their DNA.
Americans have become complacent. Life is good for most of us. We love our country and do give freely to make it a better place and to help those who are less fortunate.
This old tax monster is just getting stronger with age. No chance that it will ever just die off. As the monster gains strength, the people become weaker. Your mother told you that monsters are never friends. We need to be on the battle lines, slaying this evil monster.
Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.
