[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Cost Benefit Analysis

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Cost Benefit Analysis
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1239768152.shtml


   Much as I'd like to, I won't be at the Tea Party this afternoon. My
   current appointments won't let me get there before maybe 7 pm, after
   the speeches, before the cleanup. But maybe I'll catch a break. I have
   thousands of reasons to go.
   In looking at our tax returns, it struck me how little of the last few
   thousand dollars we made that we actually got to keep. What if we had
   just decided to work a little less and spend a little less? Maybe take
   an extra week of vacation, just relax around the house, clip a few
   coupons, a day trip to Como Zoo, a picnic at Minnehaha Falls.
   If you use TaxCut or TurboTax, try it. Take your return and lop off a
   few percent of your income. See what effect it has on your tax bill.
   Don't forget the "payroll" taxes, FICA and Medicare. Then look at your
   budget, and ask what the difference bought.
   Maybe this is the type of protest we should really be making,
   deliberately taking a small pay cut to inflict a disproportionately
   larger tax cut. Even New York City has come to realize what a large
   percent of its tax revenue comes from relatively few tax payers.
   Collectively, maybe we could have the same effect, particularly on St.
   Paul.