Typically, I post on April 15th about how I don’t mind paying taxes because I consider them the dues I pay to live in a civilized society. This year, I’m not so sure I live in a civilized society. Mass shootings continue, children are put in jails run by for-profit companies (and abuse of them occurs), and once-eradicated diseases have returned to our shores. Yeah, that’s not Civilization by my standards.
I did, though, receive a tax cut I never wanted due to the doubling of the standard deduction. I’m saving a couple of hundred bucks while Sheldon Adelson and Dick Cheney are saving millions. Hooray for me, I promise I won’t spend it all in one place, unless I hit a pothole that went unfilled because of budget cuts and mess up my car.
My state and local taxes are relatively unchanged, and I actually paid some extra money into several state funds for environmental cleanup, veterans’ families, and the like. I believe that government works, as long as it’s not Republican governance.
POSTSCRIPT: This year keeps getting worse! Norte Dame Cathedral is burning and Gene Wolfe died. Thankfully, it’s a Secret Science Club night, so I can seek solace in something good.
Bastard in Picture Not Shown at Actual Size
About Me
- Big Bad Bald Bastard
- The Big Bad Bald Bastard is a character played by Monsieur _______ of the City of Y______. The role of the Bastard is a handy one to play on subways, walking the streets, and in dive-bars, when being a nerdy, bookish sort is not to one's advantage.
2 comments:
I hope the SSC gave good consolation. I'm sorry about the huge loss.
It was a good couple of hours forgetting it, and I spoke at some length with my good friend Dr Simon Garnier, whose sister lives in Paris and sent him pictures of the fire. He told me that the French government is going to issue bonds for repair of the cathedral.
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