Molly Ivins: Sinners unite!

[Dudley_DUright]

Sinners of Texas, unite! We have nothing to lose but our vices! In case you hadn't noticed, our only governor, Goodhair Perry, is fixing to tax the bejeezus out of us. It's not as though the state's topers, gamblers and smokers aren't already putting in well more than our fair share. And do we get any recognition for it? Do we get any respect? We do not! All we get is a bunch of Baptists telling us we're going to hell. As we lift our heavy glasses in bars from El Paso to Corpus, as we puff poison into our lungs from Amarillo to Laredo, nobly sacrificing our health for the sake of better education, we are despised and scorned. If it weren't for sinners, this state would be broke already. Now the man wants to pile even more taxes on us. We have to draw the line somewhere: I want to make it clear that much as I support public education, I will not go to topless bars for the sake of the schoolchildren of Texas.

What a way to finance public schools. The state is now in the position of encouraging sin in order to tax it. Where are the Baptists when we need them? If this keeps up, they'll be encouraging us all to frequent burlesque joints just so they can keep the school doors open. They're not taxing sin. They're taxing addiction. Why don't they tax lust, greed and gluttony? Why don't they tax hypocrisy, venality and usury? Why don't they tax pollution, fraud, fat, and idiots in public office? Mah fellow sinners, we need ourselves a lobby.

Sheesh, what a state. Serve them right if all the sinners took to AA and Gamblers Anonymous in droves. Our taxes are so heavy now, half of us are in Debtors Anonymous already.

OK, enough complaining. If we want good schools, we ought to pay for them. That means you, me, businesses, corporations, lawyers and doctors. There are two simple rules of taxation: First, put the taxes where the money is. You think Exxon/Mobil, which isn't paying any taxes anyway, can't afford a hit better than some schnook who buys a lottery ticket every week because it's the only hope he'll ever have of getting rich? Second, the fairest form of taxation ever devised by man is the graduated income tax. How we Texans ever managed to convince ourselves different is a source of continuing amazement to me. The rules of fair income taxation are pretty simple, too: It shouldn't even go into effect on anyone who isn't making a living wage. B. Rapoport of Waco makes $1 million a year. He pays $400,000 in taxes, and that leaves him $600,000 to live on. He says, "You gonna feel sorry for me? You think I'm suffering?"

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=16851

[el_gato]

1. this one just might get some rednecks a thinkin'

good one from Molly as usual

[freetobegay]

2. Now all you have to do is get the "rednecks" to read it.