Fri Musings

I read an interesting article last week.  The author's premise is intriguing.  He wrote that he wasn't in love with someone, but in love with the idea of being in love with her.  Hmmm......  I think this can be translated to other things, not just people.  It is worth thinking about.

I don't believe this has anything to do with "wannabe."  I don't think I'm a "wannabe."  I guess I've accomplished a lot in my life, academically, athletically, personally--I guess.  At least I don't have to make up stories like so many folks seem to have to do.

I think it has to do more with pursuing an ideal, perfection--in people, in things, in goals, etc.  And that's not bad, is it?  I will have to do some more thinking about this.

I know, I know--"You think too much."  Remember Socrates, through Plato, "The unexamined life is not worth living."  I believe that, well, to an extent.

How's this?  2015 Federal tax revenues totaled $3.36 trillion.  That's $115 billion more than the year before.  Yet, despite taking in a sizable increase, the national debt will also go up by more than half a trillion dollars!  Consider this--the Republicans control both houses of Congress.  Oh, but I forgot, the Establishment Republicans control both houses of Congress.

Twenty years ago, the national debt was $5 trillion,  It's quadrupled to $20 trillion now.  Projections show a larger and larger national debt.  When will it stop?

Consider, too, compliance with the Federal Tax Code costs US taxpayers more than $20 billion each year.  It takes more than 1.35 billion hours to do so.

And, I just paid my taxes by credit card.  Get this......  There's not a straight fee for paying that way, oh no.  The fee is a percentage of the amount owed.  So, does it cost more to process, say, $1,112 than $540?  Is there a whole lot of extra paper work?  Oh, no..that's why we do it online, isn't it--no paper work?

And the hits just keep on comin'......