NOTE: I first published this article on Gather on Nov. 13, 2006. I am re-posting it for two reasons. One, it is tax time again, and two, I am in Iowa for the birth of my granddaughter. Ruby Kay was born last Thursday and is a beautiful, healthy little girl. Mommy, Daddy, Big Sister Emma and Baby Ruby are doing fine. G'amma Cheri, however, is a bit frazzled!
Promises are always being made by politicians for families, couples, children, college students, minorities, immigrants, small business, large business, mega-corporations, and on and on. The list is endless. However, never, not once, I have heard of what will be done to help a 57-year-old, single, middle class, struggling, white woman such as myself.
At a time in my life when I should be looking toward, as well as forward, to retirement, I am just tired. Fearful I will still be working two jobs, six days a week, barely getting by as my expenses – rent, gas, insurance, dental and doctor bills, utilities and groceries- continue to go up while my wages remain stagnant. There is no margin for error in my monthly budget.
There are no tax breaks for me. None. At the end of the year, I have to pay income taxes I can’t afford. A disproportionate share of this country’s tax burden falls on the middle class, of which I am near the bottom. Like a middle child, we are ignored while the other two siblings, the lower and upper class, get all the attention. The poor and illegal, don’t pay income taxes, and the super-rich continue to get tax cuts and often don’t pay any taxes (see footnote). Some large corporations even get government tax money given to them. Where is the justice in that? If I fail to pay my taxes, I am threatened with wage garnishment and a lien on any property I might own. It is certainly not a balanced playing field.
I have not just slipped through the cracks; I have been pushed, shoved and stomped through the cracks. Worse, I am ignored. I’m not a minority, destitute or disabled, I’m just disheartened. I am not looking for handouts. I am proud of my accomplishments, and I like my life. However, I would like to get some of the same tax breaks that have been given out wholesale to the top 1% in our country.
At the end of the day, at the end of my life, I would hope to accumulate more than a backache, back taxes and debt. I hope that somewhere, hidden among all the political promises by all the politicians, there is some glimmer of hope for me.
Footnote: Sunday, on “This Week” Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) stated that he wanted to address the issue of tax cuts for the middle class, feeling, as I do, that a disproportionate amount of tax breaks have been given to the top 1% in the country, while the middle class bears the greatest tax burden. I was initially heartened by this news, until I read the paper Monday morning. Unfortunately for me, there are still no tax breaks considered for someone in my position. However, I am hopeful that will change since the issue of middle class tax breaks is at least being considered.
Footnote: Wal-Mart and other large corporations including AutoZone, Bank of America and Regions Financial Corp. have taken advantage of a tax shelter available in many states. According to the March 7, Wall Street Journal, "The complicated structure takes advantage of a state loophole that works as follows: Wal-Mart transferred hundreds of its stores to a real-estate investment trust, or REIT, of which it owned 99%. It then paid tax-deductable rent to the REIT to use those stores. By effectively funneling those rental payments through a Delaware subsidiary that owned the REIT, Wal-Mart was able to recoup the rent money. The result: Wal-Mart turned rental payments to itself into state-deductible expenses, even though the money never left the company."
Cheri Cabot, Politics Correspondent
Cheri’s column, “Personal About Politics”, published every Tuesday, will reflect on how the life of a 57 year-old, middle class woman is affected by politics, policy an
d the current state of the nation - a look at the personal aspects of politics. The articles will be posted to Politics.gather.com as part of Gather Essentials.
Cheri is a single teacher and writer, living in Southern California. She has two grown children, one in Iowa and one at Columbia University, and is the proud grandmother of two. Cheri is also a purveyor of fine coffee, warm chatter and dry wit.
You can find all of Cheri’s columns on Personal About Politics at ccabot.gather.com. Keep up with Cheri’s other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network at ccabot.gather.com, and select the orange “Connect” button on the left-hand side of the page.
You’ll find Cheri and other Politics Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other Politics experts at Politics.gather.com
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Comments: 29
I hope that anyone reading this will plan/save as early as possible.
Short sighted yes, reparable probably not in today's economic climate... making ends meet is a daunting task never mind having extra for investing in a retirement plan...
Similarly if a tax hike was initiated those at the top would be hit the hardest, but at the same time they also have more money to contribute compared to those who are low income. Do you honestly believe that big business would not survive if taxes were raised? They would still have more money than they could spend in a lifetime, and continue to eat caviar. They survived just fine when Clinton was in office, and taxes were higher then. They simply want to take without giving in return; it comes down to simple greed. They reap the benefits of war that puts our country in debt, but don't want to have to give any of it back to the country that allowed their wealth to begin with.
Everyone in America however reaps the benefits of a tax hike because that money is put back into the country's well-being, which benefits all (i.e. incentive programs, education, infrastructure, defense, ect). A country cannot continue to be a superpower if it hasn't the required income to maintain its infrastructure and military and educate its population.
What I find fascinating is that the wealthiest 1% whom benefit from a tax break the most are often people who also rely on the government the most (i.e. arms industry, oil industry, nation building companies such as Halliburton, ect). They get the majority of their money from the taxpayers, yet they don't want to give back! If they filtered some of that money back into the government that would mean that there would be more money to give in contracts in the future because the country would be allowed to maintain a healthy budget. But they simply want to take the money and run, leaving the consequences for future generations to deal with. The bottom line is, what benefits the country most? The happiness of all, or the happiness of a few? I think the answer is clear.
Sean--the last paragraph in your last post perfectly illustrates the the depths to which this great country has fallen. Unabashed GREED, CORRUPTION, and DECEIT have, unfortunately became standard operating practices. Senile Reagan legitimized GREED during his presidency and this character defect has has infected the entire nation. Look at brain-dead Don H. He perfectly exemplifies everything wrong with this country. He pathetically tries to defend the indenfensible in regard to anything Bush says or does.
By the way Don, I know for a fact Cheri is a smart, honest, and hard-working individual who has been continually mistreated by Republican administrations. It is f**kheads/gutless cowards like you who unknowingly (because you are too f**king stupid and ignorant) perpetuate this seeemingly never-ending cycle of justifying GREED, CORRUPTION, and DECEIT as something virtuous or worth pursuing, rather than a inoperable cancer of the mind and soul. Thankfully, most Americans haven't been infected with your mind virus. Good Americans, for which there are many, don't share your delusional thoughts of what you think America should be. So, Mr. Geico commericial caveman , crawl back to your cave and try not to drag your hairy knuckles. Better yet, enlist in this fight for democracy. I, along with many other Gather readers, would love to hear what you have to say on the front lines. I guarantee even a one-celled amoeba such as yourself would offer a different perspective on this Pandora's Box. In fact, it might be worth listening to. Everyone KNOWS ARE OF MILITARY AGE. You simply lied about it...like that is any surprise.
Clearly they don't understand that our government is run on the tax dollars it collects - and those taxes are supposed to pay for services our government provides for us - NOT to reward the wealthiest of us by giving foolish tax credits and no-bid contracts to the rich corporations who respond by moving their business off-shore. I'd like to hear how that is considered conservative by any stretch of the imagination.
Government taxes pay for our country's infrastructure (roads, bridges, national parks, levys, water, etc) which has fallen into disrepair thanks to the current crop of rich republicans who say they want less government but instead create a bigger government focused on rewarding the rich at the expense of the middle and lower classes.
Excuse me while I go vomit, thinking about the mess the repubs have made of our country is making me sick....
There is someone: You. Don't hold your breath for me to figure it out for you. I've got my own responsibilities to worry about.
BTW, your profile states: "compulsive book buying". Buy less books, sell some that you no longer read, and put that into the market. That's just ONE thing... I bet there are many places you could save if it was a priority. Go read a Suzy Orman book ;)
The Bush Administration has done so much damage to this country, it will be years before it recovers. In some instances, this country will never recover from some of the actions of the retard in our White House and his buds.
He has let illegal aliens invade this country, so now wages in a lot of jobs have become depressed. Therefore, there are a lot more "working poor" in this country, which also includes 48 million people without health insurance. Even if someone was able to put aside a nest egg, one medical emergency can wipe that out in no time. Or, if the "working poor" are trying to provide health care for their families, the premiums alone means having to make financial choices---with nothing remaining to "put away".
They don't even know how Social Security is going to survive, but yet the retard in our White House wants to begin giving it to the illegal invaders and their dependents.
We don't have enough to take care of our own citizens, but the retard in our White House wants to give 20 million illegal invaders amnesty----which would mean that they are then able to bring in their family members (chain migration)---which will turn this figure into 40 million illegal invaders. The majority of these invaders and their family members will be tapping into our social benefits----of which they would be eligible to receive ALL of them once given amnesty-----while LEGAL US citizens who work and pay taxes to provide these benefits are not able to receive them.
Also, Bush has only been in power for 6 years. You're here to tell me that Kris and Cheri and everybody else is unprepared for retirement because of Bush? Six years? Come on.... get real. Take off the blinders.
You are welcome to comment on my articles at any time. I find it interesting that you finally admit that you bash my articles. That's the first honest thing you have every said here. But, since you insist on always bashing my articles, don't get huffy when you get bashed back.
During the Clinton years, everyone was working and everyone was able to get affordable health insurance.
Also, let me clue you in, the economy is not in good shape and the MAJORITY of middle-wage citizens in this country are just barely getting by . It only appears that it is in good shape due to----people are no longer eligible for unemployment benefits, so their numbers are no longer counted in the unemployed percentages. People were forced into early retirement, they are taking minimum wage jobs/wages just to get by, and because there are currently thousands of our soldiers in the Middle East.
Due to his fast-track ability/authorization, he has also destroyed thousands of jobs and is the cause of thousands of jobs being moved to other countries. He has left the Chinese screw us for years in regard to fair trade and currency manipulation.
He says that it is necessary for our dedicated, professional military men and women to be fighting for the US safety and security in Iraq---giving their lives and limbs--- but yet the retard leaves our borders wide open. He wanted to turn over our port security to the UAE----the same UAE who helped the 9/11 terrorists to launder money and the same place where a lot of the 9/11 terrorists lived. If our military kills 500 terrorists during one week in Iraq, what good does it do if 200 terrorists slip through our borders during the same week? Also, lets not forget that he lied, manipulated, and cherry-picked information in order to drag our country into Iraq. The first obvious evidence of this was when Colin Powell resigned---as he was also a pawn in Bush's lies and manipulation----as he was only seeing the cherry-picked info as well.
I used to think that Bush was just an idiot----but he is "crazy like a fox". He is not just an idiot-- he is an evil, corrupt, manipulative, treasonous, power-hungry idiot. Bush and his administration is the worst that this country has ever seen. Also, it will be a very long time---if ever--- before that title is taken away from him.
Why all of the sudden does Haliburton want to move out of the country to the UAE? Do you think that it might have something to do with the fact that they want to try to hide/erase evidence before there are even more corruption exposures now that the Dems have control?
Also, lets not forget about the illegal wiretapping. In other words, trampling on our constitution. Even with the "war on terror", this is not a reason to illegally wiretap US citizens without a warrant. If a person/situation is deemed a serious risk, they were able to begin wiretapping, as long as they proved probable cause and got a warrant within 3 days. This just means that they did not have probable cause for a warrant. I believe that he was just using this as a means to spy on journalists, reporters, and political enemies/competition. If the Democrats would not have dethroned King George during the elections, he was also talking about being able to open the mail of US citizens without a warrant (which means without probable cause).
I can understand how people were frightened/swayed into voting for him, but I cannot for the life of me figure out why/how anyone could still be defending this man/administration. Fortunately, there are not very many of you.
American jobs being outsourced to foreign countries.
The illegal immigrant invasion.
The resut of the above named three ? The destruction of the American Middle Class.
When someone has to litterally start over after 50, they cannot rebuild over night what it took over 20 years to accumulate, but I guess that's her fault too, right?
Now if she had been a wealthy socialite she'd have all the tax breaks and loopholes in the world.
Calling this article Bush Bashing is just plain closed minded. Oh, and for YOUR record, my mother VOTED for Bush!!!
Don, you judge without having FACTS!!