A Brief Thought On the Deficit

Dearest listeners. Today the American government is faced with a colossal deficit of approximately 13 trillion dollars. Economists fear that we are at the tipping point at which the revenue earned by the government will not be able to even pay off the interest on the innumerable loans the government has taken out over the course of its 234-year lifespan.

But we are faced with a dilemma. Politicians being politicians, they refuse to raise taxes, citing that the problem does not come from the amount of revenue the government earns from its annual harvests in April. To begin with, though, the tax code is fraught with loopholes and complications. It needs to be cleaned in more ways than one. I do believe that the process of raising taxes as one's wealth rises is worthless. It makes it not as profitable to raise one's social status. A major tenet of American culture is that anyone can make it anywhere. Raising your taxes as you earn more is counter to this principle. Therefore, this should be removed from the tax code, instead replacing it with a flat tax of, for example, 30%. Its both fair and simple.

However, let us return to the fact that taxes apparently shouldn't be raised under any circumstances, no matter what. It's a political no-no, and that's idiotic. Taxes ebb and flow with the state of the country's deficit, and they cannot just be lowered and lowered and lowered. We have come across a plain example of the Machiavellian paradox.

Niccoló Machiavelli, an Italian humanist philosopher of the Renaissance, developed many theories of governance in his writings. In one of these, he states that a ruler should not always simply appease the masses, but do what is best for the state. If a ruler always pleases his people, when it comes time to make changes that will harm each person individually, but benefit the state as a whole, they will be incredibly resistant. This is what is occurring in not only the United States, but also other nations as they react to their deficits and aging populations. The populace is screaming against the reforms because they will take away government handouts  (or in the United State's case, low taxes) that they have considered essential rights. It's time for everyone to man up, tighten their belts, and prepare to not be political fools. The United Kingdom has done this successfully. We can too.