Taxes, Buy one get one free.

1.   tax; noun
   plural noun: taxes
       1.
   a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers' income and business profits or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions
   
   
   I'm not really sure how much I pay in taxes every year. Some taxes are easy to track, income tax is laid out for you. as easy as reading your the attachment on your check.
   
   
   Some are a little more difficult, sales tax, it just seems like a little gift. "Here, I am buying a package of donuts to take to work, maybe I should give a little something to the state of Ohio who won't get to share in the box of delicious pastries.” But, then you think about all of the things you buy over the course of a year, and you start to feel like an involuntary philanthropist. 
   
   
   I should take a moment to say I am a tax and spend liberal. I don’t mind pitching in and helping out. I would like to know a little more about what they do with the money, and I would like a little honesty about who pays how much. I know taxes are everywhere, like bacteria. Taxes are the ultimate product of evolution.
   
   
   John Kasich was elected governor, and promised to reduce taxes. He cut income tax, and greatly reduced the taxes on corporations. But, he raised the sales tax, plus he removed the exemption on previously protected items. Really, to me, this was not really lowering taxes it was just redistribution. An increase for many people who could least afford to pay more. Which only proves the old maxim “If you want to represented in government hire a good lobbyist and make large campaign donations.”*
   
   
   Along comes President Trump, who lowered taxes on income nationally. Of course, according to almost everybody who isn’t a member of the republican party apparatus this will have a disastrous effect on the deficit, the economy and the nation. But, he had a plan. He was going to raise tariffs on everything imported from everywhere. Even on the dastardly, arsonist Canadians.
   
   
   The net result of his actions will be increased prices for almost everything. Which will really fall hardest on the poor, who are already struggling to get from one paycheck to the next, and whose tax cut was significantly smaller by comparison. In all fairness, that is the way across the board tax cuts work. It still comes down to the poor being hit harder by government policies. Which only proves the old saying “the best way to get ahead is to start there.”*
   
   
   I don’t mind taxes, I just don’t like the subterfuge, the deceit, the corruption, the friendly smiling face with the absurd claims of helping everyone. Government by sales gimmicks. "We will send you all your money back, all you need to do is pay separate shipping and handling." We deserve better. 
   
   
   *It isn’t really old, I just made it up.