Pay Your Taxes

[jimscott]

Dear IRS,

Enclosed is my 2005 tax return showing that I owe $3,407.00 in taxes.
Please note the attached article from USA Today, wherein you will see the Pentagon is paying $171.50 for hammers and NASA has paid $600.00 for a toilet seat.
I am enclosing four toilet seats (value $2400) and six hammers (value $1029), bringing my total remitted to $3429.00.
Please apply the overpayment of $22.00 to the "Presidential Election Fund," as noted on my return.
You can do this inexpensively by sending them one 1.5" Phillips Head screw (article from USA Today detailing how HUD pays $22.00 each for 1.5" Phillips Head Screws is enclosed for your convenience.)
It has been a pleasure to pay my tax bill this year, and I look forward to paying it again next year.

Sincerely,
A Satisfied Taxpayer

TODAYS TAXES
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines
(indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax
(FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax
(42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Interest Expense
(tax on the money THEY paid tax on already)
Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges
(tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties
(tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes
(Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax
(SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal , State and Local Surcharge Ttaxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-Recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines
(indirect taxation)
Trailer Registration Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


COMMENTS:
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What the heck happened

 

[herenorthere]

"Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids."

Just because you read something doesn't make it true.  You said there was absolutely no national debt 100 years ago, but the US treasury says the national debt was $2,337,161,839.04 in 1906.  The number is at http://www.publicdebt.treas.gov/opd/opdhisto3.htm.  Maybe it's a lie, but I'm inclined to believe it.  That .04 makes it look so real.

Yes, the US was the most prosperous country 100 years ago.  But what if it wasn't because of low government spending?  It could have been because the US had abundant natural resources, industry was protected by stiff tariffs, and stores and farms were owned by people, not corporations.  If not that, maybe it was because baseball was more popular than football.  Or because women couldn't vote.  Or because the US took every healthy immigrant it could get.  Or because cities had more newspapers.  Or because only cities had electricity and indoor plumbing.  Or because almost no one had a car.  Or because there were Whites Only drinking fountains.  Anybody can justify any agenda with a snapshot of history.

As for the "mom stayed home to raise the kids thing", my wife does too.  And we live in a 900 square foot house, have one car (16 years old) and one TV (older than the car).  If we go out to eat, the tab barely gets past $20 and, in our nearly 14 years of being married, we've only twice been more than ~250 miles from home.  That's the life we've chosen and it's possible with my income.  But we know plenty of people who have bigger homes and buy lots of stuff and like to go out or to travel.  They're all dependent on two incomes and they tend to blame taxes for their problems too.  By the way, a lot of women don't want to spend their lives with the children and cleaning.

 

[Understudy]

COMMENTS:
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What the heck happened

Americans became more ignorant and accepting of propaganda.

The list contains several taxes that are said did not exist 100 years ago on some of them the author is correct. And since I don't know all the tax laws I will only explain the ones I have some information on.

Building Permit Tax charged by the local municipalities for more than 100 years. Please check with the Smithsonian museum if need to see some.

Capital Gains Tax passed in 1921 not quite 100 years provided for an alternative flat-rate tax for individuals of 12.5 percent for gain on property acquired for profit or investment. This treatment was to minimize the influence of the high progressive rates on market transactions.

CDL License Tax Unless you are driving a truck you are not effected by this one. And you only pay when you get a Commercial Drivers License and when you renew it. Unless you are a bad driver. May or may not be less then 100 years different states handle this differently.

Cigarette Tax aka Tobacco Tax aka Sin Tax is one of the oldest taxes out there.

Corporate Income Tax originally came into place with the income tax that was created during the civil was. That is right the first income tax happened then. While it was shot down some years later . The passage of the income tax in 1913 made it permanent. Income tax was designed for individuals and corporations.

Court Fines are not taxes . You screw up you pay the court for being bad and for the time it takes to be in court. Court fees have existed as long as courts have.

(indirect taxes) James Madison noted that "no one answered." Some distinguished between direct taxes on land or personal property, as opposed to indirect taxes on imports, exports, or consumption. I think that makes it more than 100 years old.

Dog License Tax Dog licensing in the U.S. was addressed in the 1700s with several states passing laws to control dogs and collect taxes to reimburse livestock owners for acts of dog depredation. Definitely more than 100 years old. Remember you don't have to have a license to have a kid.

Federal Income Tax In July 1861, the Congress passed a 3% tax on all net income above $600 a year . More than 100 years old.

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Individuals don't pay this employers do. Passed in 1935 not quite 100 years old.

Fishing License Tax also more than 100 years old depending on what municipality you live in Some municipalities aren't that old.

Gasoline Tax part of the revenue act of 1932 not quite 100 years old. Hoe long have cars been driving on highways? Also not quite 100 years.

Hunting License Tax also handled by municipalities depends where you lived 100 + years ago. There are some old hunting clubs out there.

Inheritance Tax Interest Expense The war-revenue act of June 13, 1898, provided for an inheritance tax on any sum exceeding the value of ten thousand dollars. Some states on some level have had an inheritance
tax for more than 100 years. The Feds have messed with several versions in history for more than 100 years. Please note this is separate from an estate tax which is also more than 100 years old.

IRS Penalties are not taxes they are fines for you not paying your taxes.

Liquor Tax more than 100 years old. *sigh* Alcohol has been taxed in this county since the early days.

Luxury Taxes A tax on things that are not essential. Such as planes and yachts. When I can afford them I can afford the tax. The main one I assuming that they are referring to is way less than 100 years old. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. However there have been other types of luxury taxes for more than 100 years.

Marriage License Tax two meanings here either the income tax on married couples with combined incomes or the fee they pay at the local municipality when they get married. One is not older, one is. If you get married many times you may pay one more than once also.

Medicare Tax Under 100 years old.

Property Tax
Real Estate Tax These two are the same so long as we don't get involved to deep on this. Definitely older han 100 years.

Septic Permit Tax Some area have this one some have it under building permits. If you don't have a septic tank you don't pay it. Also some municipalities don't have. There are some old septic tanks out there. I don't want to go near one if it 100 +n years old.

Social Security Tax 1935 not quite 100 years old.

Road Usage Taxes (toll roads) exists in some form or another for more than 100 years. Truckers may not have but goods transportation on pathways has in some form or another. However if it makes you feel better no truckers have not been around for 100 + years

Sales Taxes more than 100 + years. Another *sigh*

Recreational Vehicle Tax Less than a 100 years , but so are RVs, don't want to pay it, don't buy one. See Luxury tax.

School Tax in my area is part of my property and sales tax. Funding for schools through state and municipal means more than 100+ years old.

State Income Tax Again the civil war started it but if you want to split hairs no it is not quite yet 100 years old.

State Unemployment Tax Not all states have this. Not 100 Years old.

Telephone Federal Excise tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal , State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-Recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax While the invention of phones is more than 100 years old the commonplace usage of one is not. So while some of them are less than 100 years old a couple of them are not.

Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes Yes older than 100+ years old

Traffic Fines not a tax.

Trailer Registration Tax registering your car, or your horse and buggy be it through direct method or indirect such as property taxes has been around for more than 100 + years.

Utility Taxes Electricity has been taxed since the late 1880, thus more than 100 years. So has coal and other items of a similar nature.

Vehicle License Registration Tax see Trailer Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax See sales tax

Watercraft Registration Tax See Trailer Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax See Septic Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax less than 100 years old.

Okay now where is my soapbox...... ahh found it.
Begin rant mode (someone call the moderators)

While when you initially look at this document, which has been floating around the internet for a while, it is good for a quick laugh. However it is also a completely ignorant document put out by someone who either has the troll of the year award or the mensa reject award of the year. The problem is that the document says none of these taxes existed 100 years ago is simply not true. While some of them didn't many did. Also the name of the taxes of some has changed over the years. But they are basically the same tax.

What is really nice is things like this float around the internet and people believe them completely as if though they were fact. And then they tell your kids this. Or they are your friends and they tell you this. And you are not in a position to dispute it or of a mindset to expose someone's ignorance.

While it is nice to have a small chuckle at the document, just don't turn your brain off.

Now I am not a tax expert. I just remember some of my American History class and Government History class. I hope a real tax person will come in and point out some of this with much more authority than I could.

Okay rant over . We now resume normal programming.