Day of Delusion

So today--not Friday the 15th for some reason nearly as complicated as a tax form--is the day federal taxes are due.  You'd think there's nothing more black and white and rational than numbers, but then those numbers are about money, and there's little that's rational about that.

Taxes are even crazier.  The Tea Party started as a tax revolt (Taxed Enough Already--tea, get it?) despite the FACT that taxes in America are at an historic LOW.  Even when rising state and local taxes are figured in.

 It's not clear why middle class demonstrators get so exercised about the sanctity of cutting taxes for the insanely wealthy, but President Obama had to temporarily swallow those tax cuts in order to get another cut for the middle class.  And of course, these people are rapturously grateful to him for that extra money in their pockets.

But even though the taxes paid by the rich and their corporations are scandalously low, in general the tax burden folks are suffering from is also low--in federal taxes, close to 9%.  And except for the anxiety about the forms, Tax Day is not exactly a universal day of pain, especially when more than half of taxpayers get a federal refund.

But it is ostensibly our crushing tax burden that is the reason that revenues can't be raised to pay for government, even from people so wealthy that their dinner parties could pay for college,  though even old Republicans know it's necessary.  That's why they want people to shop for the best private health insurance right at the time they're best suited to do so, when they're old and sick.  That's why the government is "broke."  Deficits matter, suddenly, with GW out of the White House.  It's suddenly vital to cut off government spending money to fix things, help people who've contributed their lives, take care of commitments and invest in the future--which all have the well-known bonus of stimulating the economy in a shaky recovery--even with the current example of the UK reeling from its budget-bludgeoning.

And while the Secretary of the Treasury is valiantly trying to assure those nervous nellies who control the fate of the financial universe that the GOPers aren't serious about holding world civilization hostage to their political delusions, they insist that they are too.   I think it's time to move Tax Day to April 1.