Paying Taxes

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America. - Preamble to the Constitution ( emphasis mine) The words of the preamble have been the cause of many debates as to the meaning of "promote the general welfare". Is it the role of the federal government? Federalists say no. Is it the role of state and local governments? Libertarians say no. But it is clear to me that it is our role as the "people of the United States", and that those collective terms in the preamble make it clear that we are to do it together. We are not alone in this. The term "welfare", as applied to giving financial aid to those living in deep poverty, comes from this preamble. Some call it "spreading the wealth". Some call it "socialism". Some call it "unconstitutional". I call it the right thing to do. Ruth Marcus, whose column gave me impetus to write these ideas, quoted a man she met in Virginia. "I make over $250,000 a year, between my wife and I. I don't want to share it with anybody." Does this man drive on roads and highways? Does he use the Internet? Did he get a public school education? Does he expect police and fire protection? When he flies, does he expect to take off and land safely due to air traffic control? Does he expect safe food from the supermarket and restaurants? Does he want homeless families camping in his local park? Does he "support our troops"? I could go on and on. There are so many things that we do for and with each other collectively, through government, that we cannot do on our own. That is the purpose of government. We pay taxes to provide those things named in the preamble. And when we run up a big debt through carelessness and poor judgement, then we should expect to have to raise revenue to pay that debt. That means paying taxes. We have always had a progressive tax code in this country because we have believed that those with more can pay more, and thus secure the general welfare. I am very tried of hearing the voice of the tax haters. For them, no tax is a good tax. But dare to suggest that services they use might be cut, and they cry foul. Suggest we might need more government regulation and they shout "socialism" or even "communism", but then see what they expect when they get in trouble. BAIL OUT! No, we are all in this together. That man got rich because people like me educated his children, others built his highways and communication systems, and we paid him good money for his products or services. In return, he pays his taxes, and should be grateful that he can. Taxes are, as Oliver Wendall Holmes said, the price of a civilized society.