Empower Your Tax Dollar: Taking Control on Tax Day to Shape America's Future
During the colonial period, the British government imposed various taxes on the American colonies to finance its military endeavors and administrative costs. One of the most infamous taxes was the Stamp Act of 1765, which required colonists to purchase special stamps for printed materials. This tax, along with others like the Sugar Act and the Townshend Acts, sparked outrage among the colonists, leading to protests and ultimately contributing to the American Revolution.
As we come upon another ‘Tax Day’ in the United States, I often wonder why we haven’t had another American Revolution. American citizens have been funding wars since the Civil War when Congress passed the Revenue Act in 1861. The Revenue Act initially resulted in a flat rate income tax on high earners AKA Tax the Rich! Realizing their ‘mistake’, Congress replaced the flat rate income tax on high earners with a progressive income tax for all in the following year, 1862.
In my time on this Earth thus far, it always seems like the United States is at war or on the precipice of war. During Operation Desert Storm, I tied yellow ribbons on the large tree in my front yard. My mom sported a “Support Our Troops” ribbon magnet on the back of her station wagon. I used to have a T-shirt which depicted a cartoon of Saddam Hussein with a missile pointed at him “This Scud’s For You!” I didn’t know any better then. I didn’t know how corrupt & money hungry our politicians were & still are. Politicians, bankers, lobbyists, have been instigating coups, insurgencies, & wars on the backs of the American taxpayer for hundreds of years.
The botched U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan left a trail of tens of billions in taxpayer dollars scattered on the ground – vehicles, aircraft, weapons – a staggering bill footed by the very people who funded the war in the first place. But hey, no worries, the politicians & defense contractor lobbyists already got their kickbacks.
Photo Credit: Afghan MOD
Since February 2022, the Ukraine ‘Military Operation’ now called ‘War’ by Russia since the Crocus City Hall terrorist shooting, has already cost the United States taxpayer billions & the bleeding is hardly over:
The U.S. has been the largest single donor backing Ukraine since Russian troops invaded the country in February 2022. Since then, the U.S. has sent Ukraine approximately US$113 billion in a combination of cash, military supplies and machinery, as well as food and other humanitarian supplies.
Biden has asked Congress to approve another $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and other allies. About $60 billion of this would be spent on Ukraine. - The Conversation
With this ongoing & Israel spreading its war into Iran, on the hook again is…you guessed it, the American taxpayer. The United States already gives Israel $3.3 billion each year before their ‘war’ started on October 7, 2023.
Now, add at least another $250 million to that:
Israel has been using American-made weapons against its foes, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, for decades. Since October 7, the Biden administration has reportedly made more than one hundred military aid transfers to Israel, although only two—totalling about $250 million—have met the aforementioned congressional review threshold and been made public. The Israeli military has reportedly received expedited deliveries of weapons from a strategic stockpile that the United States has maintained in Israel since the 1980s. Shortly after Hamas’s attack, the United States also agreed to lease Israel two Iron Dome missile defense batteries that Washington had previously purchased from the country. - CFR
But wait there’s more. This weekend, Iran launched several missiles & sent hundreds of drones to challenge Israel’s Iron Dome defense systems & attack military bases. Although the Biden Administration’s initial reaction was that the United States does not support an Israel-Iran war, we all know we’re getting dragged into this whether we like it or not.
President Joe Biden and senior members of his national security team, seeking to contain the risk of a wider regional war following a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones directed toward Israel, have told their counterparts the US will not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to US officials familiar with the matter.
In a conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Saturday, Biden sought to frame Israel’s successful interception of the Iranian onslaught as a major victory — with the suggestion that further Israeli response was unnecessary. - CNN
The other night, I stirred from a brief nap, the remnants of a dream lingering but elusive. While I couldn't quite grasp the details, one phrase reverberated in my mind: "The United States must return to embodying the will of its people." If one were to honestly and impartially survey Americans from all corners of the political spectrum, it's likely that consensus would emerge: we prioritize securing our borders, fortifying our infrastructure, addressing homelessness, and revitalizing our manufacturing sector over allocating vast sums to foreign conflicts or niche gender studies programs in Egypt. If we, the American public, are compelled to contribute taxes (with little say in their imposition), it follows that we should possess the right to direct how and where those tax dollars are allocated. It's a matter of fundamental fairness.
While I abhor war, I can't help but wonder if there's a breaking point. Have Americans grown so weary they simply accept the status quo? Where is the line? How much worse will things get before we reclaim our nation?
Videos of Gen Z baristas, drowning in student debt and stagnant wages, abandoning hope paint a grim picture. With the national debt ballooning towards $35 trillion and a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 122%, it feels like our future's been mortgaged away.
What can my Fellow Warriors do About it?
Take matters in your own hands & prepare yourself for what is coming. Take advantage of the current standard of living while you still can. Despite the Fed’s claims of a strong & resilient economy which we all know is bullshit, we must understand the American people have been experiencing a ‘silent recession’ since the 2008 GFC. Stockpile everything you use on a daily basis even if it’s just one extra item per shopping trip. No one truly knows how many shopping trips we have left but I do want you to recall the shortages & frustrations you may have felt during the lockdowns of 2020. Now imagine if an EMP took out our power grid for 18 months. Would you & your family be able to survive over a year without power & everything associated with it?
If you prepare for chaos when things are calm(ish), you won’t have to participate in the chaos when it does break out. The main thing you will have to be concerned about during the chaos will shift toward your personal & home defense mechanisms. While one cannot prepare for every scenario, it does not mean the writing on the wall should be ignored. If you get a tax refund this year, I suggest putting some or all of it aside to fortify your own personal situation. Hold on my fellow Warriors! Shit’s getting real!
Until next time, Stay Informed, Stay Vigilant, Ever Forward!