About this time every year I start my ritual procrastination of doing our taxes. I have all the information I need to get them done. I just don't want to do them.
This year is even worse because last year was the last year we could claim our kids as dependants. Not that we spent any less money helping them get independant during 2005. But still, we can't claim them.
Doing our taxes entails me restlessly sitting at the computer wishing I was anywhere but there. Spending hours putting numbers into a computerized tax program this way and that way trying to figure out a way that the IRS doesn't get such a big chunk of our income. It doesn't work of course. I believe the whole thing is rigged. No matter what numbers you put in where, it comes out the same. If a certain amount is put into charitable donations, that same amount is taken out of work related expenses and visa versa. The minimum tax thing - whatever it's called. It gets me every year. I hate it.
I have been known to snap at my family, yell at the dogs, slam the mouse down on the desk and, in general, be difficult to live with.
I don't like being like that.
Just to entertain myself, I looked up some of the things our tax dollars are spent on. Here are just a very few examples of what our money is being spent on:
In 2002 the U.S. government spent $50,000 for a tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo, California.
In 1999 the U.S. government spent $500,000 for a Mississippi research project on "manure handling and disposal".
In 2002 the U.S. government spent $400,000 for manure management research at the National Swine Research Center.
$30,000,000 was spent for the IRS to send out a notice to every person advising them that they would be receiving a tax refund in 2001.
In 2001 more than $600,000 in tax money was spent on researching the sex lives of South African ground squirrels.
While Andrew Cuomo was HUD Secretary under Bill Clinton, the agency set up a 'Creative Wellness' program that spent $1,100,000 million taxpayer dollars on 'gem' bags and taught public tenants to burn incense.
A National Science Foundation study looking at whether White House reporters have become more adversarial sounds a bit strange to reporters and critics. Even more surprising: the study cost taxpayers $180,000.
It's much to depressing to keep going with this.
I notice that N.Z.Bear has set up a new Porkbusters page. Maybe we could do something about it. It is our money after all.
I support the Fiscal Watch Team Offset Package.
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Weekend's Best of the Blogs
Excerpt: Topics range from crime, speeches, and poems to terror, humor and taxes. Here are some posts I found that get an A+.
Weblog: The Median Sib
Tracked: 02.05.06 - 8:28 pm
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Links to: The Truth Laid Bear - Porkbusters; Don Surber; Basil's Blog; Blogging our Loud; Jo's Cafe
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