Taxpayers rebellions have changed the tax revenue base of states dramatically over the last three decades, have they improved the wealth of the average citizen? Certainly they have in some ways but was that change for the better? Who is the average citizen? The average citizen is a composite statistical illusion that is most often used to confuse people about where their interests lie. Remember the phrase "liars, damn liars and statisticians" it is one of the most useful ones I know. The average citizen of this nation lumps together welfare recipients with Bill Gates in order to reach a numerical statistical lie. Humans do not exist as abstractions they are all individuals and cannot be thought of legitimately in any other way.

Taxes are only one of the constants of our economic life. Interest rates are another constant expense to nearly every household in this nation. Taxes and interest rates are interconnected to a degree, if we don't pay enough taxes to cover the cost of government services government deficits grow. When deficits grow interest rates rise, that a basic structural component of our society and economy that will not change. Energy costs also impact every household in this nation, they are as certain as death and taxes. So too are the costs of food, housing and health care. No person survives well without expending significant money time or effort in the process of obtaining those basic necessities.

Then there is the cost of civilizing the savages among us, no not our criminals, we spend little on civilizing them anyway, I'm talking about our children! If any of you protest that the little darlings are not savages then why do we keep them away from sharp objects and firearms and out from behind the wheel of a car? We do expend a lot of money in the process of passing our civilization on to the next generation; TV cannot do it alone without schools and other tools for programming their savage little minds. Few people legitimately argue against that cost being borne by government, so all of the real argument is about who must bear that cost. Remember that they are savages, they can and do bite the hand that feeds them as soon as their teeth appear. My daughters swear that it is not the hand they bite but nursing mothers have a different perspective. Children are the hope of our future and we are sadly neglecting ours in some destructive ways. Everyone in this nation is connected to everyone else by our common interest in keeping civilization functioning. Our common interests in the economy are also a substantial force binding us all together. Government is the mediator in many areas of life where forces of self-interest could damage or destroy our common interests and ours is failing in that primary task.

Why does a government expending two point two trillion dollars fail to provide the balance that keeps us all working toward common goals of prosperity, happiness and better sex? Perhaps it is because some people's self interest is more important to our political leaders than others. As a nation we will expend nearly one and one half a billion dollars electing our next President in direct campaign costs. Why would private individuals put those large numbers of dollars in the hands of political wannabes? Because they expect to get something for it! Most of them are trying to support the candidate that will best serve what they believe to be their self-interest. The "common good" is a time worn phrase but it only exists as an aggregate of every individual's perception of their own self interest. When political movements expressly attempt to divide taxpayers into groups and pit one group against another in order to serve their own self-interest that is democracy at its worst. When political movements unite people around policies that serve all of the people in this nation well that is the best of democracy at work.
We went deeply into debt in this society to build the interstate highway system, but it is a great source of wealth produced by our nearly universal perception of a common interest. The railroads were the first great government supported project that united this nation, the highways were their natural children. We have had other great visions of the United States given us by our private entrepreneurs and political leaders during our history and there have been other periods of taxpayer rebellions. Some resulted in government suppression and some resulted in change that profoundly affected our nation for a generation or more. We will have to chose between government services and personal cash many times in the future. We cannot afford to take a narrow view of what benefits us in regard to that issue or our nation will lose wealth not gain it. It is a properly educated citizenry that make democracy possible in a complex world, Healthy wealthy and wise citizens make for a good nation. Government services are vital in balancing the forces that allow such a citizenry to exist, they are all that allow this nation to exist.

Taxes are also a source of power in the world. Some among us want our taxes to support an imperial military force, I prefer to have them used in supporting our people. The common vision of The USA as an empire is a natural extension of our expansionist philosophy that drove us to create this mammoth coalition of private and personal interests that is our nation. Some of us embrace that Imperial vision and others of us are horrified by what we see that vision leading us to in the future. It is far from the consensus opinion in this nation that the US should exert its power in the world in the way we are doing it today.

We have the power of an empire, that is evident, but if we begin to act like one will that make us happier, safer and more able to provide a good life for our citizens? That is one of the most important questions facing us today and it can only be answered by all of us coming to some kind of an agreement on it. It should not be sold like soap, it cannot be delivered as a fait accompli, it must not be imposed on us by some small cabal of insiders in government. This question must be debated and worked through by the common process of many small interpersonal communications. They will add up to a consensus for or against behaving like an empire. That is democracy and nothing else will do in this nation. God bless and keep you, our troops our protestors and even our imperialists safe, now and in the future.