Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
'Don't tax you, don't tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree.'
Or in its frequently revised form,
"Don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man behind the tree."
This quote from the late Sen. Russell B. Long (D-LA) is essentially the mantra of anti-tax conservatives.
It must result in some serious cognitive dissonance, i.e., the uncomfortable feeling of tension which comes from holding two conflicting thoughts in the mind at the same time. For example:
I want the best equipped and best trained policemen to protect me from "those other people" I unfortunately have to live with in this community;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want the best equipped and best trained firefighters and emergency medical technicians at the ready to save my property or save my life at a moment's notice;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want a court system that is staffed by highly trained professionals, and that is fast, efficient and renders justice;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want to be assured that the prison system will keep those "really bad people" behind bars and that they will never escape so they can never threaten me or my family;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want the best equipped and best trained teachers in my neighborhood public schools to provide my children with a top quality education;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want my children to attend a prestigious state university that will prepare them with a world class education which will enable them to compete and to be successful in an ever-changing global economy;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want to be certain that the water I drink is safe to drink, and the food I purchase is safe to eat;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want to drive on roads that are smooth ribbons of asphalt free of defects, and that the traffic lights will always be green for me so that I never have to wait in traffic;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want to enjoy recreation in the public parks, and the parks will always be clean and safe and accessible to me;
But I don't want to pay taxes for it.
I want to have my cake and eat it too!
It is sometimes said that taxes are insurance against revolution. Actually, taxes are the membership fee to live in a civilized society with an orderly government. The alternative is chaos and anarchy.