Yes, I love paying taxes
Real Americans take pleasure in paying their taxes, says Rich Benjamin in USA Today. So why do "churlish" Tea Partiers insist on being so "unpatriotic"?
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Tea Party protesters are gathering at anti-tax rallies nationwide today, but not everybody is angry about tax day. In a USA Today op-ed, writer Rich Benjamin argues that paying taxes your "fair share" of taxes is patriotic and pro-business. "I secretly love the ritual" of visiting the accountant, he says, and "deep in my bones, that place that speaks my mind, I am proud and glad to pay my income taxes." Here's an excerpt of Benjamin's love letter to taxation:
"In contrast to Tea Party 'patriots,' I fervently support income taxes.
[...]
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Paying income taxes confirms my pride as a modern-day American citizen. As loudly as I might declare my love for this country, I need to put my money where my mouth flaps. For those like me — not fighting in Afghanistan, not toiling in our foreign service, not extinguishing fires or fighting crime as a public servant — paying taxes makes real my commitment to a functioning America."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
-
The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
-
What to know before filing your own taxes for the first timethe explainer Tackle this financial milestone with confidence