By
Ron Lee
The Verbal Assassin
A good number of
people are hailing The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as a way to establish
universal healthcare in the United States. Hogwash! These same people
are holding up the new bill to tax handgun and ammo sales as a way to
curb gun violence. Rubbish! The real reason for these "feel-good"
laws has nothing to do with government's compassion for its citizens.
First, government doesn't feel anything for its citizens. It just is.
It does not have feelings. It is not alive. It is, however, comprised
of living beings who have separated themselves from the rest of society
by passing laws that give them luxury and advantage over the rest. And
the one thing those people in government need to do is to find new ways
to bring in revenue so their position is never threatened - especially
those in high-up positions.
While the rest of
us will likely just rely on Social Security, if it still exists, for
our retirement, government has it's own plan paid for by us. Look at
the myriad of local-level politicians whose retirement programs are
bankrupting their communities. Can anyone say Detroit?
Oh, and government's
healthcare, that they don't have to rely on Obamacare for, has ALWAYS
been paid for by us. They have always gotten the best care, and haven't
had to wait in 8+ hour lines at local hospitals that treat their patients
more like cattle than living, loving people.
But with more of
us falling from the rolls of taxpayers to become tax-takers, government
is in a twist to come up with more money to provide for itself. So,
here comes Obamacare and gun/ammo sales taxes.
Two of the biggest
industries in this country are now about to be taxed - Healthcare and
guns! Isn't that a little timely? And where does that money go? Where
do any of our taxes go? Add up your taxes! Where is all of it? Even
the poor, with their smartphones and ipads, pay taxes. Yes, homeless
are high-tech, too. If you have any type of service, television, phone,
insurance, electricity, you pay taxes.
In fact if you have
a cell phone you pay a 3% federal excise tax every time you pay your
bill. If the average plan is (and I'm SERIOUSLY low-balling this) $40,
and there are 328 MILLION cell phones (more than people) in use in the
US according to the CTIA-The
Wireless Association, then we are looking at approximately $394
MILLION in tax generated PER MONTH from this one excise tax. That's
$4.7 BILLION dollars per year, just on our cell phones!
Don't get me started
about the 18.6 cents we pay to good old Uncle Sam for every gallon of
gasoline we buy. How many gallons do you buy in a year? According to
the US Bureau of Transit Statistics 251 million of us (cars in use)
use 486 gallons each a year. Let's do that math. 251 million times 486
gallons equals 121,986,000,000 gallons/yr at $0.186 equals $22,689,396,000.00
per year. Yep, almost 23 BILLION in tax revenue just from us driving
around!
But nonetheless,
we need more taxes to fund Big Brother's quest to stay on top and in
luxury. So, we are right back to two of the largest industries now being
eyed.
If the fallout from
Obamacare continues, there won't be many businesses paying for their
employees healthcare, so it will fall to the individual to provide his
or her own. But with rates being so high, the average citizen can't
afford it. That's okay says Uncle Sam, you can just pay a fine - which
will be taken from the taxes you usually get back at the end of the
year. Now, if just 10 million people pay the 1% income fine and they
earn an average of $30,000.00 per year, the government has just collected
$3 BILLION in added taxes. What happens to this money? Another vacation?
Another round or two of golf with Tiger?
Now what about guns?
According to NCIS records, there were 16,808,538 background checks for
weapons purchases in 2012. With approximately half of all these gun
sales comprised of handgun purchases, there were roughly 8.4 million
handguns sold in 2012. With an average sticker price of, let's be conservative
here, $400 each gun would net the government $80. That's $672 MILLION
on gun sales. But that's nothing compared to the money they'll generate
off a 50% ammo tax. Currently, the government collects a meager 11%
on ammunition - in 2009 that brought in $172 million in revenue. At
50% it would be about $731 million. Not too shabby!
Let's face it, the
government is not out to help us through the taxes, fines, assessments,
and fees it places on us. It is simply feeding itself, ensuring the
longevity and security, if not luxury, of the people who elevate themselves
above the majority.
I know many people
believe that everything can change at the next election. I believe government
- no matter who is in office - will continue to leech off us until it
can suck no more, and then we'll be in serious trouble.