A Taxing Question?

Most Republicans politicians are running antitax ads once again this election season, yet almost none of them actually specify just what taxes they would actually cut if they were elected to office. It is their typical vague message they run out year after year with no specifics. And I can't ever actually remember taxes actually falling whenever the Republicans have been in power either.

Yesterday I received the property tax bill for one of the homes, it was for nearly $5,000. At first that looked like a major eye-popping chunk of change. But then I read through the statement to see what I was paying for, and it sure seemed like this bill is paying for a lot of good things for my local community. So my question is what programs would Republican politicians like to actually cut?

Portland Community College taxes are just $58 of this tax bill. Portland School District taxes are $1,075. And other educational taxes are around $358. In addition there is some construction bonds for new buildings at the community college that amounts to another $45. American students already rank far below many students in Asia in math and other skills, so investing in education seems more than worthwhile investment for American society and my local community. What would Republican politicians want to cut here? Teachers? Schools? Books? Reading? Writing?

$540 goes to a pension fund for firemen and police. But hey, these brave guys protect the community, and never balk at helping to rescue anyone from a dangerous situation. I don't mind paying them a retirement when they grow old. They deserve it. Do Republican politicians want to cut there?

There's a library tax that amounts to $184. But I love books and libraries. Any the district libraries had to already cut back hours because of funding problems. Where do some Republican politicians want to save taxes here? Cut down on open hours, library branches, or books?

There's a zoo tax that's part of Metro to feed the animals, provide them health care and a clean and healthy living environment. Where do some Republican politicians want to cut here? Stop feeding the animals?

What about water development? Should humans stop drinking water?


What about at the federal level? Should defense spending stop? Should the federal government stop support for federal highway funds? Should federal programs to aid those with Down Syndrome stop?

The John McCain Campaign and many other Republican politicians rant on and on about taxes. And while taxes certainly seem high enough for most persons, you look at what they pay for and what they receive, and for the most part, you get a pretty safe and decent environment and United States community to live in. These Republican politicos almost never name any specifics in what they would cut. It is their typical vague generic campaign issue. And when some suggest that perhaps those with extreme high incomes should pay slightly more of their fair share so that the elderly, handicapped or working poor can get a small tax break they scream like banshees like Sarah Palin that that's "Socialist" or "redistributing the wealth" akin to some radical policy by a Fidel Castro or a Pol Pot or something.

The problem with so many politicians from America's #2 political party is that they never really have learned to run a government anytime they've actually been elected to office. They talk an awful lot about taxes, yet support programs like the grossly failed missile defense notion where after nearly 30 years of spending $100 billion dollars has produced just 10 operational Missile Interceptors capable of shooting down maybe 5 nuclear missiles when some states like Russia have as many as 5,518 nuclear warheads, but could deploy as many as 8,000 warheads if they need them. And Iraq has swallowed up hundreds of billions more dollars.

Republican politicians complain about the small things like that program to provide some health care for poor children like SCHIP, and instead defend the murderous tobacco industry from a small tax to pay for children's health problems that they have a major hand in causing.

Republican politicians like to spend the taxpayers money like drunken sailors on shore leave on big and wacky abuses of America's military like the elective war in Iraq or military technology that doesn't work, but then complain about small programs that actually benefit real citizens.

I guess you could call it a taxing question.