The Endeavour

I think a song from the comedy “Team America” said it best. “Freedom isn’t free.”  In fact the song actually puts a price tag on it; specifically what we each need to pay to maintain our freedom.  $1.05.  Now, I know we probably pay a little more than that per $1000 earned, but the idea, simplified, is pretty accurate.  We pay taxes in order to pay for stuff we need and are not willing to pay full price for individually.  So, by paying a little bit, each of us adds to the collective pie thereby creating a rather large revenue stream.

This system has solved a lot of problems for our Governments from Federal all the way down to Township.  We have standards, safety requirements, building codes, emergency services, public education, a standing military, a reserve military, roads, road maintenance, and a myriad of other things that no one wants to pay for but that we seem to need to maintain our quality of life and world standing as the richest country in the world.  Our taxes pay for those things without over burdening anyone In particular.  At least that is the general idea.  It is a good idea too.  Otherwise we might be in really bad shape.

So, what’s the problem?

We are equally responsible for such great ideas as we are with how horribly horribly badly we manage those ideas.  We, Americans, citizens of a free nation, land of the free and home of the brave get it wrong all the time.  Why?  Because there are so many of us we can’t agree on anything.  Instead we say one thing and we do an entirely OTHER thing.  BUT WAIT!  When something tragic happens, like September 11^th 2001 or the recent Earthquake in Haiti, Americans suddenly get it right.  In a big way.  How is this possible?  Of course I have a theory.

Americans, at heart, all want the same things and we want them for everyone.  That’s a good thing.  The problem is we all have different priorities.  We also have various levels of income and expectations.  So we fight and argue over how one idea is better than another idea.  We are limited by the amount of revenue we all put into the pie so getting what we want is impossible.  So it seems.

But it isn’t.

I have come to a conclusion.  I know this may sound like a giant DUH moment but what has happened over the last century is the pie is full of rotten apples.  We keep eating the same pie and expect it to taste different every time we take a slice.  We need to take a serious look at the ingredients of our pie and ask ourselves the tough questions.  Do we really need some of those ingredients?  If we aren’t willing or able to make the pie bigger (ie. Paying more taxes) then we need to work with the ingredients we have.  We need a new recipe to freshen up the pie.  We may even need new bakers in the kitchen.  If we keep using the same recipe and the same bakers, we are only going to keep eating the same rotten pie.

The tax code needs to be wiped clean and a new one needs to take its place.  Government officials need to do a better job buying hammers.  Didn’t our mothers teach us to shop for sale items?  If you don’t have to spend $100 on a hammer because there is another perfectly good one on sale for $80, buy the one on sale.  DUH.

Now, tax payers are not off the hook.  If you want a better road you are going to have to pay for it.  If you want health care you are going to have to pay for it.  Even after the bakers buy good but cheaper apples, there may not be enough revenue left over to fix or buy a new road.  We will have to pony up a little more to cover the over run.  But that should be a temporary need.  Congress should not make the new taxes permanent just because they have “other needs.” Once the road is fixed or built why are the taxpayers continuing to pay more?  It is no wonder American’s are jaded and untrusting.  It is no wonder that our cable news programs spend inordinate amounts of time covering and sometimes fomenting the arguments rather than celebrating the solutions.

Our current batch of leaders ran on change platforms but what we got was more of the same because that is all American voters are willing to give anymore.  We have come to expect nothing more so we get nothing more.  Demand better but stop putting the burden of blame on the wrong horse.  Ultimately it comes down to you and me getting it right in the first place.  Stop watching American Idol for a week and pay attention to what is going on around you.  Put your phone down and drive safely.  Focus on the needs of the people in your neighborhood.  Once that is done take care of the people in your city, then county then state and then country.  We must stop working backwards from country down because by the time we get to our own neighborhood, the pie is all gone.

In the immortal words of Bill and Ted, “Be good to each other.”

-MRC