"Our Tax Dollars Are Wasted"
By Capt. Fred Davis
Published: Saturday, August 8, 2015

I cannot understand how our federal government works. They raise taxes then spend the money we provide overseas. We have been concerned about the Middle East and all their problems for many, many years. We have negotiated agreements, they have made promises and quickly refused to honor those promises. We take a stand and their attitude is, “So what.”

The current Iran deal, as in many others in the past, has drawn criticism and outright hostile objections from Republicans and even some Middle East allies. It calls for inspections of their nuclear processes to ensure they do not obtain elements that can be used to build nuclear weapons.

We have agreed to release, in a gradual number, sanctions put in place in conjunction with other countries from around the world.

How can we believe them now when they have reneged in the past? And as a number of critics have expressed, “All they need to do is patiently wait the short 15-year time period.”

How many millions of our tax dollars were invested in the two years of negotiating this current deal? How many more millions will be spent to back it up and deliver on our promises? As our threat of agreement or war hangs over the 60-day time period to sign the deal we wonder, if everyone signs off and they renege once again, will we deliver on our threat?

Since Russia and the United States both seem to have concerns about what Iran will do, why don’t we assume the lead and strength to simply say, “We will wipe them out if they don’t live up to the agreement.”

I have concerns about our tax dollars invested in our own country to save GM and Chrysler. Both have taken many jobs overseas since the bailout. Chrysler actually sold out to Fiat and GM recently moved a small car manufacturing plant to Mexico. Do we place a higher tax on U.S. cars built overseas?

Ford Motor Co., who declined assistance, also has some overseas operations, but their latest move announced was to increase production in a Michigan plant to build a larger Lincoln. Many new jobs will be the result of their plans.

While our auto manufacturers are investing overseas, many foreign car companies have moved assembly operations to the U.S. and some have actually built plants to produce their cars.

The latest state tax, “the gas tax,” is unfair. I traveled over 1,000 miles in the past week and encountered many double-bottom rigs traveling at high speeds. It’s obvious they do the most damage to our roads, swaying when full, thus causing additional wear. Few realize Michigan’s weight limits are the highest in the nation. Highway trucks that often run interstate routes will simply buy fuel in adjacent states and get a free pass.

As I see it, adjusting weight limits on all heavy transport vehicles and putting a greater increase on diesel fuel should be considered if a tax hike is approved. Why should seniors, many of whom hardly use the roads, be charged more? Why should workers, earning minimal pay, be charged more to go to their jobs? Why should students, just scrapping by on student loans, summer jobs and parent hand-outs have to pay more?

I have campaigned in the past for interstate roads to charge a toll. Look around — Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio all have them and their roads are in much better condition than ours. I know there are requirements that must be met if toll roads can be an option — the Federal government requires they be new roads, but the option should be considered.

Tolls would mean those using the roads would pay for upkeep of them. Most toll roads have per axel rates which would fairly place the greatest payment on those doing the most damage.

 

Return to Home Page of Tipsforboating.com

 

Copyright © Fred Davis. All rights reserved.