Patriotism vs. Selfishness

The point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away.
--John S. Coleman

There are these two quotes from Obama and Biden have me flummoxed. I just can't understand how paying more in taxes makes you patriotic and wanting to pay less taxes makes you selfish...





There are any number of people who would disagree with those two statements. First would be the US Court system. There are two cites I feel are on point here...

1."Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes." Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810 (2d Cir. 1934) (Hand, J. Learned), aff'd 293 U.S. 465, 55 S.Ct. 266.

2."As to the astuteness of taxpayers in ordering their affairs so as to minimize taxes, we have said that 'the very meaning of a line in the law is that you intentionally may go as close to it as you can if you do not pass it.' Superior Oil Co. v. Mississippi, 280 U.S. 390, 395-396, [50 S.Ct. 169].This is so because 'nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands; taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions.'" Atlantic Coast Line v. Phillips, 332 U.S. 168, 172-173, 67 S.Ct. 1584, 1587 (1947) (Frankfurter, J.).

And as for selfishness, let's look at what Mr. Obama has given to charity in recent times...

2006: 6.1%
2005: 4.7%
2004: 1.2%
2003: 1.4%
2002: 0.4%
2001: 0.5%
2000: 0.9%

Only when he started running for office did he actually start donating anything. One can only assume that's because he figured it would look bad to be making no donations as a candidate.

And Mr. Biden is even worse. Since 1998, he has made $2,450,042 and yet he has made total charitable contributions of $3,690. For those of you without a calculator, that works out to just over one-tenth of one percent!

I think the reason they want to take people's money and give it to others is because they figure everyone is like them and won't give anything unless forced.

The fact is that their plan just won't work. No country has ever taxed and spent itself into prosperity. Ever!

I think Winston Churchill said it best...

For a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.