There used to be an old joke about the new tax law that had just passed and was designed to simplify the tax code. It went something like: (1) How much money do you have? (2) Send it to us now!

Cute for sure. But the reality is that Americans are not taxed that severely when compared to others even though we spend disporoportionately more on things like military adventures, national security, and incarcerating our own citizens (we have one-quarter of all incarcerations with only 5 to 6 percent of the world’s population). Such expenditures are less advantageous to national prosperity than investments in things like education, infrastructure, and health, but there you have it.

Doing comparative assessments of tax burdens is a tricky business and I am no expert. But a quick survey of several listings puts the U.S. around the 40th position or so (of countries listed) and below our peer nations. For example, Finland has a 56% income tax burden on average, a 24% sales tax, and a 20% corporate tax, all national). The U.S., by contrast, has a 37% federal income tax burden, a 0% sales tax (though some states impose this), and a 21% corporate tax. These numbers are approximations since many fees or local taxes, for example, are not uncluded while actual taxes may vary from nominal rates pais after the attorneys and accountants do their magic. Wouldn’t it be great to have a flat tax.

I chose Finland as a comparison because they are ranked 2nd on most lists, right after the Ivory Coast … the latter not being a desirable retirment spot. And yet, according to several recent hedonic national studies (basically how happy the citizens of a country are), the Fins are the happiest SOBs in the world. How can that be? They live right next to the freaking Russians who threatened them over history, have aall this cold and snow, get about 6 minutes of sunlight during winter, and give most of their money to the government. By American standards, and according to our prevailing attitudes, they should be totally miserable.

There is one big difference between them and us. For the most part Fins believe in the common good. Unlike whiny Americans, they appear to be willing to invest in those things that bring security and opportunity to all. They are not walking around obsessing about a medical event bamkrupting them or a job loss resulting in personal catastrophe. Unlike us, they have an adequate safety net. Moreover, these public investments lead to a general sense of opportunity. The Fins routinely rank number 1 (or close to it) in cross-country educational outcomes. This basic investment is paid for by the national government, not distorted by local variations in wealth. More to the point, teachers are respected as much as doctors and lawyers and paid commensurate to their status. American educational outcomes, like our health outcomes, routinely are average at best, well off the results found in top nations. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

As I am finding out, I start a post with one thing in mind and then drift off in another direction. Now to get back on track. AMERICANS MOAN AND GROAN INCESSANTLY ABOUT TAXES EVEN THOUGH THEY PAY LES THAN MOST OF THEIR PEERS IN OTHER PLACES. It might be that other nations see benefits from their taxes like educated children (affordable even through college), accessible and affordable health care, cheap or free child care, well-maintained infrastructures including high speed trains, and low poverty rates. Americans get one advantage … job opportunities in our many prisons and fly overs at football games by the best military aircraft in the world.

But that is not my real rant for today. No! Paying taxes doesn’t bother me that much at all. In fact, I could pay more. And I know that those at the top of the economic pyamid could pay way more without batting an eye. Would they really miss that 7th villa in Tuscany or the 8th Lamborghini?

Economists know that after an inflection point somewhere around (but not far above) the median income level, the utlility (perceived benefit) of additional dollars becomes less. Other than a psycholological gratification of beating out their competitors in the race for richest schmuck, they don’t even notice the most recent $ billion (or $ million) bucks added to their vast nest egg. It is all a game at that point.

No, what drives me to distraction are the incessant hits I get from those trying to separate me from what remains of my very modest fortune. Forget about all the ads on TV telling me to ask my doctor to prescribe the little purple pill for some ailment I don’t even have or recognize. I’ll focus rather on my two most disturbing groups: Politicians and these damn firms trying to make me a literary luninary. I mentioned these in my last post before getting distracted.

POLITICAL HITS: The number of political requests for money is endless. During the last campaign (not even a presidential year), I counted the number of ‘hits’ during a 24 hour period … by email and texts and snail mail and calls. I stopped counting at over 200, and I didn’t listen to all the phone calls so there might have been more. I thought this would end after the votes were counted. No way! Yes, the volume is less but I get many (not 200 Plus) but a lot every single day. I loathe the thought ofthe next real election.

Volume is one thing. The desperation is another. Every psychological trick is employed, entreaties to vanity, desperate pleading, threats, appeals to one’s most vile instincts (like hatred for the other side) and so forth. Really, I’m not going to make the Speaker of the House cry if I send $35 bucks to the Democrats. And disenguousness from the Republicans in mind boggling. They continue to assert that I’m a top donor, that I’m $50 dollars away from platinum status as a supporter, that they want to send me an award as Fascist Of The Year (my label, not theirs) if only I could send in another $100. Truth is, I don’t give them a dime but that doesn’t even slow them up. There is one Dem pitch that particularly rankles me. They imply that Biden authorized this year’s Social Security increase and I should demonstrate my appreciation with another contribution or something like that. The increase is a good thing but Biden had nothing to do with it. The SS COLA was passed into law back in the 1950s. Biden was still in elementary school back then.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR: One example here though there are many. I have published academic books through traditional publishers and (recently) non-academic books through self-publishing. I’m not sure what others experience but I’m relentlessly pursued by fims promising to make me a literary star. Their pitches vary but most say that their ‘book scouts’ have discovered an earlier gem of mine. They then say they can sell me to traditional publishers where I can get $80,000 advances on my next book, or get my book into shops across the country and in other nations, or sell my book to Hollywood. The variations on the theme are endless, and all I need is to send some money in to cover some unavoidable expenses. Since there are so many of these outfits, I can only conclude that there are a lot of folk out there suffering brain damage after falling off the turnip truck. They call, text, email, and invade my drams at night. And they are persistent. I see the same phone numbers cropping up day after day. They don’t take no for an asnswer.

Perhaps there is a legitimate offer or two within the forest of contacts but I will never know. Every once in a while I will answer a call, mostly I’m bored that day. Too often their ‘tells’ are obvious. The caller has a heavy accent (calling from the Phillipines, Malasia, a Nigerian Prince?). You can also hear noise in the background, which I assume are other ‘Literary Vice Presidents of Acquisitions’ making cold calls on commission. Since they almost invariably reference my older masterpieces published by XLibris early on (and which I no longer promote), my guess is that XLibris sold lists of gullible authors to others (or created shell companies). In turn, these scam outfits put desperate folk on commission to try and bilk self published authors to the end of time. They play upon vanity of people like me. You know, I am so close to becoming the next James Joyce or William Faulkner. The private sector (and Republican politicians) know one thing about us … there really is a sucker born every minute.

Bottom line … conservatives rant on about government being too intrusive and taking our freedoms. Really? Sure, government imposes rules like red lights at intersections or required vaccines to save your life or laws against pouring poisons into our foods or into our rivers and lakes. I can live with those. Some might seem a nuisance (like when I stop at a red light at 2 AM and no one is around) but I don’t mind those things, not too much at least.

It is the politicians and the sharks in the private sector who lie and manipulate and endlessly harrass you in pursuit of the American dream which, in case you missed it, comes down to separating you from whatever money you have left.

End of rant for today! Please enjoy the rest of your day.