Daily Thought 13 - Taxes: a common thread between gangsters and government

Imagine you moved to a new city, set up your quaint restaurant serving traditional French delicacies for the common man.  One day a few well dressed gangsters show up and ask for their dues.  You say, “What dues?”  They say, “dues to keep the streets clean, the lights on, and your store protected.”  The savvy person you are, you think to yourself: I clean the street in front of my restaurant every morning, as does everyone on this street, our power comes from the power company we pay each month, and I see no thieves in this neighborhood excepting the thugs in my restaurant right now.  So, in reality, they’re asking me to pay them to protect me from them.  This is bloody nonsensical.  But, because they’re bigger than you, stronger than you, and apparently dictate the law in these parts, you capitulate and hand over 30% of your income for the year.  If this doesn’t sound familiar, here is one hint: taxes.

PS - I was gonna write another rendition of this where a group of neighborhood Karens walk into your establishment with shotguns a blazing demanding 30% of your revenues to feed the unemployed slackers on the streets.  But, that seemed a little too on the nose.

PPS - I have no issue with the concept of taxes; I even voluntarily, with the threat of jail, pay them regularly.  However, when 3-4 months of every year of my working life goes to feeding the lazy bum on the street, housing the illegal immigrant, and supporting causes I know nothing about, do not believe in in the slightest, or are morally reprehensible, I am bound to get a little peeved.  Do not confuse what I am saying here with the words of some selfish prick.  Few things in life bring more fulfillment than helping those stuck in a tough situation or providing support to organizations and people doing work benefitting others, besides yourself. However, handing over a significant portion of my hard earned capital to an inefficient machine which constantly overspends and leaks money like a sieve is not the same.  Yes, pay your taxes, but do not do so blindly.