Malcolm Cutchins: We have burdened our grandchildren

There are not many days left before the annual tax filing deadline of April 15.
While many taxpayers have already filed, others will wait until the last hour, especially if they have to pay instead of getting a return. Unfortunately, each and every taxpayer has, without agreement, taken on more obligations for future taxes now that the keepers of our U.S. Treasury have given away so many trillions of dollars, and planned for trillions more.

It’s hard to fathom how much a trillion dollars entails. One way: equate each dollar with a step.

For a good day of exercise, 10,000 steps has been given as desirable. If 5,000 people would do this (10,000 steps per day) for almost 55 years each, that would amount to a little over a trillion steps, no small “change.”

The amount of money our nation and its citizens have been blessed with is unprecedented in the history of the world. But as has been estimated recently, “American families have lost about $11 trillion” during the current financial fiasco. Those who participated in the mortgage schemes that precipitated this and want to give away even more need to pay attention to the statement of Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of England. She noted, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

President Obama has stated that “everyone has to give a little.”

How about “giving” thought to our grandchildren rather than doing what will generate huge future tax rates on them and their families.

Several years ago, I included a poem about taxes in this column. The poem ended with:

“Tax him good and let him know that after taxes, he has no dough.

If he hollers, Tax him more; Tax him until he’s good and sore.

Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays.

Put these words upon his tomb, ‘Taxes drove me to my doom!’

And when he’s gone; we won’t relax, we’ll still be after the inheritance TAX!”

Now, here is my attempt at some new stanzas being “written” in Washington:

Just give his taxes all away,

Reduce deductions so more he’ll have to pay.

Guarantee every worthless loan — that way he’ll really groan;

Now even the warranty on any new car – need we ask, just how far?

Pay him the Social Security he might earn,

Then tax much of it back, we sadly learn.

The cry is “spread the wealth,”

To the detriment of most taxpayers’ health.

Increase the number of welfare-like tax credits,

Soon he’ll be hollering, “Medic! Send the medics!”

Dr. Malcolm Cutchins is an emeritus professor of engineering of Auburn University and writes a weekly column for the Opelika-Auburn News.