The Tax Man Cometh — Again

Today is tax day.

I’m not pleased.

I don’t know about you, but that means my bank account balance will be significantly smaller later this evening. I’m going to have to write a big check. But hey, this is the price I pay for a more civilized society.

That’s the mantra, right? Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society. That sounds like some BS a tax collector would come up with.

Of course, tax day normally falls on April 15th, but since the 15th was a Saturday, tax day got pushed to Monday, and as it turns out, Monday the 17th was the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, DC, commemorating the abolition of slavery in the nation’s capital. So, we got a three-day reprieve from the taxman.

But as they say, nothing is certain but death and taxes. The grim reaper and the taxman always cometh eventually.

And the taxman is here.

Again.

Come to think of it, maybe they are the same person! I mean, have we ever seen them in the same room together?

If you got a refund, you probably went ahead and filed earlier this year so you could get that nice check from Uncle Sam. I did not get a refund. I’m self-employed. That means I write checks. Therefore, I put off filing until the last minute. That means I’ll have to write that big fat check to the IRS this afternoon.

I wish more people actually had to write that check. The fact that so many people just have taxes pulled from their paychecks and get big refunds every year makes tax day feel like a holiday for most Americans. But trust me, you’re getting ripped off too. They just hide it from you.

In fact, they get you with a double whammy. Not only does the IRS suck money out of your paycheck that you never see, but you also pay the inflation tax every time you go to the grocery store or gas station.

But don’t feel bad. You’re contributing to a more civilized society.

Thank you for your service.

Speaking of that, I have questions.

How does taking money from me essentially at gunpoint make society more “civilized?” I wouldn’t categorize stealing as civilized. And that’s exactly what’s happening today. The IRS is stealing a chunk of my productive resources.

Yes – I’m saying taxation is theft. Or maybe extortion is a better word.

But I’m supposed to understand that the government is going to take its ill-gotten gains and make the world a better place. That supposedly justifies the extortion and theft.

OK. Sure. That sounds good in a political speech, or maybe coming from a civics teacher, but it’s propaganda spin.

And by propaganda spin, I mean utter BS.

Here’s the real truth: taxation is the price we pay for an overreaching, unconstitutional government.

And that price tag is going up by the minute.

In fact, taxation doesn’t begin to pay for all of the government we’re getting. Just look at the most recent deficit numbers. That’s why we also get hit with the inflation tax. Despite what they claim, money printing isn’t free.

Given the price tag, we should have a lot of civilizing at this point. I think we’re getting hosed.

Reggae artist Lucky Dube gets it. He performed a song called “Tax Man.” The lyrics are pretty poignant. You can read them at the end of the post.

Basically, he asks the question, “What have you done for me, Mr. Taxman?”

Well, if you ask me – not a whole lot.

OK, so we get roads. But if you’ve driven through Ohio lately, you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that if that’s the best case to be made for taxes, the whole argument falls apart. Seriously, it’s amusing to me that some people think roads are the crowning achievement of government – as if without a bunch of politicians, nobody would be able to figure out how to lay a ribbon of concrete from point A to point B.

Oh. We also sent billions of dollars in military gear to Ukraine to help with the civilizing that’s going on over there.

But as my mother-in-law often says, “It is what it is.” Whether we like it or not, the taxman cometh. The best we can do is try to minimize his take as much as possible.

Unfortunately, the IRS makes that really hard with its tangled web of rules and regulations. This is true when you are investing in precious metals.

The good news is you don’t legally have to report every precious metal transaction. SchiffGold has a report to help you navigate the arcane reporting requirements. You can download it free RIGHT HERE.

I pay my gardener to clean up my garden
I pay my doctor to check out da other ting
I pay my lawyer to fight for my rights
And I pay my bodyguard to guard my body
There’s only one man I pay
But I don’t know what I’m paying for
I’m talking about the taxman
I’m talking about the taxman
I’m talking about the taxman
What have you done for me lately
Mr Taxman
What have you done for me lately
Mr Taxman
What have you done for me lately
Mr Taxman
What have you done for me lately
Mr Taxman
You take from the rich, take from the poor
You even take from me, can’t understand it now
I pay for the police to, err…I don’t know why
‘Cause if my dollar was good enough
There wouldn’t be so much crime in the streets
They tell me you’re a fat man
And you always take and never give
What have you done for me lately
Mr Taxman