|
e-mail
murphy@murphymartin.com
 |
Murphy Martin Commentary
May 4, 2006
"What the Hell Happened?"
April has come and gone and taxes have been paid. It brought to
mind a question from a friend who was one my news directors when I
was at ABC-TV in the mid-sixties.
Now retired on the outskirts of Manhattan, Ed Silverman sent me this
list of taxes:
Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, Capital Gains Tax,
Cigarette Tax, CDL License Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Court Fines
(indirect Taxes), Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal
Unemployment Tax, Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel permit
Tax, Gasoline Tax (42-cents and climbing), Hunting License Tax,
Inheritance Tax Interest Expense (Tax on the money), Inventory Tax
IRS Interest charges (Tax on top of Tax), IRS Penalties (Tax on top
of Tax) Liquor Tax, Local Income Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License
Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Taxes, Real Estate Taxes, Septic Permit
Tax, Service Charge Taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Taxes
(Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, Road Toll Booth
Taxes, School Taxes, State Income Tax,
State Unemployment Tax, Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone
Federal Universal Service Fee, Telephone Federal, State and Local
Surcharge Taxes, Telephone recurring and non-recurring Surcharge
Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge tax, Toll
Bridge Taxes, Toll Tunnel Taxes, Traffic Fines (Indirect Taxation),
Trailer Registration Tax, Utility Taxes, Vehicle License
Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax,
Well Permit Tax, and Workers Compensation Tax.
Silverman says: "Not one of these taxes existed 100-years ago and
our nation was the most prosperous in the world and had absolutely
no national debt. Had the largest middle-class in the world and only
one parent had to work to support the family! What the Hell
Happened?"
Then Silverman remembered something else--hidden taxes--on services.
He calls this the "most insidious tax of all....the ubiquitous tip
or gratuity!"
These hidden taxes are nationwide and they cost the American public
billions of dollars per year on top of the regular charges they
already pay for services provided by: waiters, cab drivers, barbers,
beauticians, baggage- handlers, deliverymen, handymen, parking
attendants, ushers, doormen, Maitre 'ds, and a host of others! The
restaurant industry, and maybe others, would suffer to the point of
collapse without the hidden tax.
Like my friend said: "What the hell happened!"
Murphy Martin
Keep your comments coming!
murphy@murphymartin.com
Your thoughts and comments forwarded to my website will be
appreciated.
e-mail
murphy@murphymartin.com
Previous commentaries:
"His Name is Still Magic"
"The Tallest Pine is Gone"
"Keeping America Free"
"Remembering"
"Christians vs Muslims"
"Bush Bucks Bashing"
"Early Look at 2008"
"Contrasting Memories"
"Reporter's Rough Roads"
"Another Cowboys Loss"
"People, Places and Things"
"Super Bowl Wasn't So Super"
"State of the Union"
"Is God Dead in Europe?"
"Remembering Dr. King"
"This Week in Review"
"New Year, New Challenges"
"The Party's Over"
"Democracy in the Middle East"
"Unfinished Business"
"Merry
Christmas Rules"
"Bush
Unveils Plans"
"Today is Special"
"Border
Security Now!!!"
"Stupidity Loses Financing"
"Crisis Christians"
"They
Led the Way"
"Sadistic Saddam Hussein"
"Bourbon Street Bashing"
"Hurricane Aftermath"
"Standing Tall"
"Never a Dull Moment"
"Another Hero Laid to Rest"
"Blame Game"
"Senior Thoughts For the Young"
"Role Model Challenge"
August 18 - "Network News Anchors"
August 11 - "Now All Three Are Gone"
August 4 - "Trust in the Media"
July 28 - "Television Then and Now"
July 21 - "The Mick"
July 14 - "Forty Years and Counting"
|
