Posted on 07/16/2008 6:05:28 AM PDT by rellimpank
We stopped paying for government three months ago. Tax Freedom Day was April 23rd. That's when the average American effectively finished paying taxes to government at all levels. But only the average American. Anyone living in a high-tax state, such as Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, had to work another couple weeks for government.
But taxes are a poor measure of the total cost of government. Because of sizable and persistent deficits, total public spending is a better standard of what we pay for government. Even that isn't enough, however. Regulation adds another substantial charge to the bill.
Americans for Tax Reform adds these together to come up with Cost of Government Day. That's when we really stop paying for government. Last year COGD was July 12. It advanced four days this year to July 16. Explains ATR: "In other words, the cost of government consumes 53.9 percent of national income."
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Do I know what today is?
The FIRST day of the rest of my life? ;)
I HATE taxes. My hobby and delight is legally thwarting them at every turn. So, thanks for the “fire in the belly” article today. :)
They should do a projection of this date under McCain's and Obama's proposals.
Can I steal that?
Notice that out of the top 4 hitters, only one should be there. (Defense)
The cost of socialism has been incalculable throughout history.
Good post, reminder. Thanks.
Exactly.
Which of those departments sends our tax-dollars to subsidize other countries? Do we know what that figure is?
They don’t show you that one. There’s not a chart big enough, or enough bandwidth for that. ;)
There’s one further wrinkle: now, I grant that a lot of that cost is transfer payment, where I pay my mother’s FICA and Medicare, for instance. But there’s also a lot of private sector purchasing going on. After all, the government buys Fords, oil and gas and somebody gets paid to build the structures all those bureaucrats work in. Should that not be subtracted as being a payment in compensation for actual productivity?
I’m thinking that being productive would be the wedge dividing payments that should be subtracted from those that shouldn’t. After all, I could be paying my mother’s medical expense and providing her a pension myself (she could also have gotten my father’s after he died, if she hadn’t so totally alienated him he simply took up with another woman and divorced her).
Yes. Today is the 39th anniversary of the moon landing, IIRC.
And yet another publicity goldmine missed, where the Pubbies could have gathered together to demand a ‘Moon Shot’ effort to become energy independent!
>>>Which of those departments sends our tax-dollars to subsidize other countries? Do we know what that figure is?
There is a reference in the chart to International Assitance Programs about 9 series down from the top.
See #15...I was just joshin’ ya, and he beat me to it. :)
You guys are so darned lucky, believe it or not.
Canadian Tax Freedom Day did not come this year until June 28! Gah! Ouch!
My, my, how I hate my greedy government!!!
Launch, yes.
Landing, 7/20.
I know, picky picky picky.
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