When Darling says raise " A Billion" in tax from you..........

[BGD]

In anticipation of Alistair Darling's (why do I think of Blackadder every time I hear that name) first budget tomorrow, and although we already know that 41 separate delayed tax increases will already be coming into effect in the UK from 6th April 2008 as a result of Mr Bean's budget last year; here's a little something to get us all in the mood.

 

It'll help us all get an honest picture of what " A Billion" actually means.

 

It comes from the USA, but the maths is totally accurate.

 

I noticed on Sky news yesterday that the cost to UK taxpayers of just the military occupation of Iran and Afghanistan in financial year 2007/8 has rocketted to a now estimated at £3.4 billion.

Written another way, that's £3,400,000,000.

Or "three thousand, four hundred millions of pounds".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending that much of YOUR tax money.

 

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases:

 

 

A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

 

 

B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

 

 

C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

 

 

D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

 

 

E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our (US) government is spending it.

 

 

 

Tax his land,

Tax his wage,

Tax his bed in which he lays.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes is the rule.

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

 

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirts,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

 

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he tries to think.

 

Tax his booze,

Tax his beers,

If he cries,

Tax his tears.

 

Tax his bills,

Tax his gas,

Tax his notes,

Tax his cash.

 

Tax him good and let him know

That after taxes, he has no dough .

 

If he hollers,

Tax him more,

Tax him until he's good and sore.

 

Tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb,

'Taxes drove me to my doom!'

 

And when he's gone,

We won't relax,

We'll still be after the inheritance TAX!!

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax),

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax),

Liquor Tax,

Luxury Tax,

Marriage License Tax,

Medicare Tax,

Property Tax,

Provincial Income Tax,

Real Estate Tax,

Service charge taxes,

Social Security Tax,

Road Usage Tax,

Sales Taxes,

Recreational Vehicle Tax,

School Tax,

State Income Tax,

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA),

Telephone Federal Excise Tax,

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax,

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax,

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax,

Telephone Recurring and Non-r ecurring Charges Tax,

Telephone State and Local Tax,

Telephone Usage Charge Tax,

Utility Tax,

Vehicle License Registration Tax,

Vehicle Sales Tax,

Watercraft Registration Tax,

Well Permit Tax,

Workers Compensation Tax.

 

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

 

None; not one, of these taxes existed 100 years ago in the USA or Northern Europe, and our nations were the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt.

 

100 years later, and despite us paying all the above new taxes and more, the USA has still managed to rack up the highest level of national debt of any country on the planet.

What happened?

Politicians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Tracker]

100 years ago we had an Empire to subsidise this nation and the living conditions for the average worker were far from ideal.

 

What happened was we stopped bleeding other countries and began to pay for our own welfare and defence.

 

Perhaps we should go and take the colonies back - or is that racist?

[BGD]

Rich -

 

To be honest I don't think that's the reason.

 

So far as the UK goes, 100 years ago a lot of the Colonies had already been returned to self-rule (not all I accept, but most of the biggies).

 

And so far as the USA goes, they didn't have any colonies.

 

 

 

 

I think the core reason is that 100 years ago, Government was small.

Most things were left to the individual to decide, and most social support networks consisted of family and friends.

Law and regulation were (relative to today) infinitely smaller, and thus infinitely smaller numbers of Public Sector organisations, employees and other asoociated costs had to be paid for by taxpayers in order to fund them.

Today, Government is BIG.

The number and scale of Executive Departments at National, Regional and Local level has rocketted, and each is a self-perpetuating organisation with a self-interest in further growth.

 

As proof, if you look at the proportion of UK GDP that was taken as tax revenue 100 years ago compared to now, it's increased IN REAL TERMS, by over 400%.

In REAL TERMS, taxpayers are now paying 4 times more to fund the Public Sector which in return increasingly controls everything they do, than 100 years ago.