Originally published in the Seguin Gazette on January 1, 2024
The argument of “there is a price to everything” as well as “there is no such thing as free” is still old and true to this day. Everything has a cost, and whatever something costs needs to be paid. Our most important freedoms and rights as listed in the Constitution weren’t just there willy nilly. Before the rights of the American people were decided upon by our Founding Fathers, many men fought with their lives in the Revolutionary War. Many lived, and many died. Same can be said for when Texas won its independence from Mexico where those that fought at Goliad and the Alamo against Santa Anna’s army were ready to pay the ultimate price to die for freedom and liberty against tyranny.
Sadly, this also goes with our money. As of writing this, the U.S. National Debt is now over $34 trillion, and it is still rising due to numerous unbalanced spending without a budget being set by our elected officials, whether you voted them in or not. Both the two parties, no matter how much blame you put on one side over the other, have approved the spending of so much money where it feels like they are a bunch of college kids spending money on unnecessary things when they get their first credit card. Everyone knows that when there is debt, a bill has to be paid, but who is it that has to pay the elected’s spending bill? Easy answer: the taxpayers.
Every year since 1913, many Americans file their income tax. Some make enough withholding to get a tax return, and some make more money to only pay more if their withholding isn’t enough to cover the bill after deductions are made. Sadly, even over 100 years, the income tax has been proven a failure to pay for the bill when the bill keeps growing. Just like the long-failed War on Drugs, the solution became an everfailing problem. And the nasty misuse of the people’s money is not seen in a positive light, especially if you try to pass bills that will cost more than the national debt like AOC tried to do with her New Green Deal years ago. Even some members of her own party were against the outrageous cost of her Go Green plan when a good chunk of it would’ve caused our country to go down an economic collapse worse than the Great Depression. Despite her degree in economics, she more than likely slept through her basic economics class, and only paid attention in the classes that only talked about socialism and all that terrible dribble.
People believe that other taxes are necessary, but they become problematic as well. Case in point: property taxes. Property taxes tend to be based on what property value is appraised by, but it gets to the point where appraisers can value a property that isn’t worth much more than what it’s worth, and thankfully, we have the right to petition the appraisals of our property. Of course, there is a push by both conservatives and libertarians to get rid of property taxes. Already, senior citizens 65 and older, disabled veterans, and some others are exempted, which is a great start, but it would be better for local governments to find more voluntary ways to raise money on projects that don't involve coercion through taxation. People would be happier if they had a choice in where their money goes voluntarily, but in our current system of taxation being the major method, that sadly won’t be seen unless changes are made to do so.
Writer's Note: Since a long absence from writing columns for Texas Free Press, I have returned to write new columns as well as posting older columns that are relevant to certain issues. Many of the new ones will be original, and there will be new Film Corner columns as well.
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