My Word: Why do we do it?
EDITORIAL MUG: Larry Anderson
As a nation why do we continue to treat ourselves so poorly?
I’m not just referring to political behaviors which are suspect enough but to the reaction to them. Here’s what I mean.
According to a recent article by David Morse, a tax expert, “Right now, any U.S. company selling more than $600 worth of products or services online is required to report their income to the Internal Revenue Service. However, this tax regulation doesn’t apply to foreign companies, including Chinese sellers. That means companies in China can keep selling goods on Amazon essentially tax-free. But at the same time, domestic American companies must pay U.S. taxes….Beijing routinely ignores, defers or acquits smaller Chinese e-sellers from their tax obligations. As a result, Chinese e-sellers frequently pay little or no taxes….This gives them a serious competitive advantage over domestic U.S. companies.”
That’s clear enough. American tax policies force American producers to pay taxes on their products sold online while letting Chinese competitors have an unfair shot at market share. It’s as if we spot them ten points and then hand them the ball while expecting to come from behind for the big win.
We’re on crutches; China is wearing Nikes. China wins with our assistance. Americans lose again.
Who allows such a lop-sided deal that helps shutter plants domestically while communist China grows in power? That’s something politicians need to answer, but they don’t.
So my question is why do we continue to elect those who support the above and so much more? Shouldn’t we choose people who have Americans’ interest at heart? Shouldn’t competition be reasonably fair? Isn’t the left always yammering about a level playing field? Well, let’s see one.
You may recall the horrible, awful Donald Trump tried to fix the China situation, the whole of which I barely scratched. You may also recall the Democrats’ reaction to his concern and endeavors. We can and must do better.
We have to stop expecting Biden and the Destructors to do the right thing. They won’t. Their interests are party interests. We have to MAKE change happen. That opportunity comes in November.
Did you know the federal government of the United States is the largest employer in the world? Now Biden plans to hire another 86,000 IRS workers. What are they for? I’ll bet they’re not for auditing the Chinese.
That’s thousands more federal workers who will have to be paid nice salaries and benefits at taxpayers’ expense. Meanwhile, the ranks of the military branches shrink while the president tries to remember where he parked the limo.
Why do we put up with it?
On the burner too is Biden’s pitch to forgive at least $10,000 of student loans which nationally have surpassed a trillion dollars of debt. Surely you realize the timing coincides neatly with the approaching election. Uncle Joe is using Bernie’s brainstorm to buy votes with taxpayers’ contributions. Truthfully I’m not sure Biden even cares if the proposal is realized as long as the perception among debtors is he really, really cares until November. In politics perception is everything.
Of course some voters will munch the loan forgiveness apple without caring who will pick up the tab. Those who will pay dearest will be those who didn’t borrow or join a fraternity. Money and favor bind, and Uncle Joe knows it. The proposal reeks of unfairness to the whole while it accomodates a targeted vote.
Why do we elect people who think the answer to justice is to put more criminals on the street, to legalize dangerous drugs, to place the concern for criminals above the rights of victims, to destabilize police forces over the actions of a handful, or to urge others to take unethical measures against their political rivals?
I’m looking for answers because, frankly, I’m stumped why Pelosi, 82, is still queen of the House, why Sanders, 81, still works behind the curtain to push his socialist agenda, and why Biden, 79, is still allowed to fake his moderate creds. They need to be retired if America is to excel.
What’s that definition of insanity again? Isn’t it doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result? And isn’t the result always the same?
Larry W. Anderson is a retired educator.
