They Never Saw a Tax they Didn't Like...

Wisconsin is a tax hell. There are a couple of states that are worse, but only two or three. Now those in power want to raise taxes even more. Of course, they won't call it a tax hike. Rather, they will call it "closing a loophole", since to a politician, if something isn't taxed it is a "loophole".

With local governments pinched for cash and public schools tethered to the
unpopular property tax, some officials are trying to win support for canceling
some of the sales tax exemptions worth at least $3.9 billion a year.

Really, they ought to try laying off large chunks of their over-payed workers, and replace them with workers contracted from the private sector. For example, there is no reason for the government to have a janitorial crew, or grounds keepers. Both of these services can easily be farmed out more cheaply.

Besides their often inflated wages, government workers also enjoy much more extravagant benefits packages than you will ever find in the private sector, including amazing pensions that end up costing tax-payers a ton of money. This is fat that needs to be trimmed. Trimming this fat is the first place that government officials should be looking, using tax increases of any sort as the absolute last resort. Unfortunately, they do it completely the other way around.

Government workers are not the only problem with fat in government, but they are a big chunk. Removing that fat would be a good first step. Reducing other obvious waste would be a good second step.

Back to the tax exemptions. Removing many of the exemptions would have a negative affect on business. We are already very anti-business in this state, and don't need to drive any more business away. Not having a lot high paying jobs due to our tax-hell status will not help things any. We should be doing all we can to get more businesses to base themselves here. Rather, we have idiots who want to do all they can to drive them away.

The largest gains in revenue could be made by removing the exemptions on food and health care. However, Sen. Jon Erpenbach's plan would still keep the exemptions in for food, health care, shelter, etc. That is good, but I question how long those exemptions will stand so long as government keeps going with this mindset that they need to raise revenue rather than cut fat.

Random Brain Things from my Head...

Over the years, I have had several friends who are from countries like Iraq, Pakistan, India, Turkey, Jordan, etc. Most of these friends were Muslim, though a few were not. Obviously, I think their religion is a false religion, and they thing the same of mine. This has led to some interesting and somewhat enlightening conversations at time. However, I am not going to write about that right now.

I take issue with much that has been said from both the left and the right on the topic of Islamic terrorists. Obviously, there is a large Islamo-Fascist problem in the world today, with extremists twisting the religion to justify their own goals. Despite the left's attempts to minimize this fact, it cannot be ignored. The threat exists, it is very real, and it needs to be fought. It is just another evil in this fallen world, and it needs to be dealt with as such, not in the mamby-pamby ways the left wants to address all problems, but head on, the way we are currently attempting to address it.

On the other hand, there are those on the right who would paint all Muslims with too broad of a brush. Given what is at stake, that would be the safer of the two errors. Still, it is an error.

So, what is my point? I am not sure I really have one. As explained in a earlier post, I am quite busy with church, family, and work right now. These were just random brain things that happened in my head (to paraphrase my favorite Madagascar character) after I read this article, which I pretty much agreed with completely, especially the quips about Noam Chomsky, who is nothing more than a pompous idiot...

No Bloggie Bloggie...

I have been a tad busy lately, between work, preparing for Sunday School every week, and family things, so I have not been blogging and I have not been reading any blogs. Hopefully that will end in the middle of December and I can get back to a more sane work schedule.

In the meantime, to get you all caught up, my daughter passed her driver's test, so that is one big hurdle over with. Lisa and I went to the Milwaukee Wave's home opener. It was great fun, but they lost. Since Stacy decided to get season tickets next year for the Colorado Rapids, I was pulling for them to go to the MLS Cup (which you should all watch on Sunday, BTW), but they lost to Houston. Maybe they will do better next year...

So, until I have more time, I leave you with the dancing bear. I have been told we have similar body shapes, though he is much cuter, and is a far better dancer...

Update: If you go here, you can find an English version of the Gummy Bear...