rodericktbeaman wrote:
The Fourth of July - what's to celebrate?
When we declared our independence from Britain, the King had raised our taxes to the outrageous level of an estimated 2-3% of our Gross Domestic Product.
Can anyone seriously maintain that we are better off today
And now tax revenue is 10.6% of our GDP. Our debt gap now stands at an astronomical $210 TRILLION. A quick look at the National Debt Clock should shock anyone with a brain. Across the board, everything is increasing.
Economics 101: raising taxes NEVER raises revenue flowing to the government. Just the opposite. Why? Consumer spending and investment decreases exponentially, business expansion and investment either stops or decreases, unemployment increases, businesses close, government spending increases, all of which reduce the tax revenue. So, the government fools increase taxes thinking this will solve the problem. Only makes it worse. It is a vicious cycle that always ends in economic disaster.
Now, as for our 4th of July celebration. For a town of 1300 people we did it up right. One of the best we've had in years. 6 am cannon salute, firefighters served breakfast in the park, parade, live music, afternoon cookouts, firefighters water fights for the kids, and over a hundred thousand bucks worth of fireworks.
I did an impromptu and unoffical survey of youngsters 15 to 25. Wrote it all down.
Sampling of the Q & A
Me to James (25 year old): "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July."
James: "Americans love holidays, the more holidays the merrier. Just kidding, it is to celebrate our Independence."
Me: "When did that happen?"
James: "With the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776."
Me to John-Cody (18 years): "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July"?
John-Cody: "It's Independence day, dude."
Me: "When did we gain our Independence"?
John-Cody: (thinking) "Was it at the Tea Party in Boston?"
Me: "No, that was a few years earlier. In 1773."
John-Cody: "Oh yeah, 1776."
Me: "What happened then that established our independence"?
John-Cody: "Some guys signed a declaration."
Me to Melissa (16 years old): "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July"?
Melissa: "We're celebrating Independence Day. You know, when those men, our founders, told England to shove it."
Me: "That's good, Melissa. How did those men do that?"
Melissa: They signed something, like a document or something."
Me: "Does that document have a title"?
Melissa: "Yeah, it's a declaration."
Me: "Of independence"?
Melissa: "Yeah, that's it"
Me to Carol (15 years old): "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July"?
Carol: "Fireworks are cool. Everything is fun on the 4th."
Me: "Yes, but why do we do this just once a year? On, like the 4th of July"?
Carol: "Cuz that's when we started a war with England and kicked their butts." :mrgreen:
Now we have another King, but this time he is in the WH. Maybe it is time to kick some more butt.
Might be well to point out that 75% of this town's citizens are either serving or are veterans. There was so much Red, White, and Blue at the park today it was dang near blinding.