The other day on a clip on the NBC Evening News the CEO of General Motors was speaking about that firm’s potential bankruptcy and didn’t miss the opportunity to take a swipe at the government from which his firm was about to receive another dose of bailout cash.

He said the plans indicate that the government is going to take over the auto manufacturing business and that the government is totally unequipped to handle the job. I agree 100 percent with the guy, but - no, BUT - the record of the current management in the auto making industry doesn’t indicate an acceptable degree of ability. And, the auto executives still are most willing to accept that money that comes from taxpayers to bailout their incompetence, but they want it with no strings attached.

This all comes at a time when the most popular activity of some Americans is to bitch about their taxes. (Okay, I know some of you consider “bitch” a naughty word, but pray tell me why? If the meaning of the word gay can be changed through usage to mean what it means today why can’t the word with an original definition of being a female canine be changed through common usage?

And usage is common, especially among those of us who served in the Army. Soldiers never gripe, they bitch and that probably includes a number of chaplains. But then, I digress.)

Bitch about taxes all you want but I note that the vast majority of Americans manage to pay their taxes and still enjoy a standard of living that was unheard of 50 years ago and still is in 90 percent of the world. Nevertheless, you and I not only have a right but also an obligation to bitch about taxes. But what we should be bitching about first is how our tax dollars are being used.

Despite what his oldest son says in his column, President Ronald Reagan did not cut taxes. He cut federal taxes but what we citizens saved in federal taxes then was spent paying state and local taxes. I certainly am not a worshiper of President Richard Nixon (even though I still have an official invitation to his first inauguration) but when Mr. Nixon worked at being President and not trying to emperor, he did some good things. One of the best was Revenue Sharing. Why should not state and local governments share some of that loot their citizens sent to Washington?

Why should I have to help finance a professional football team when I have never bought a ticket to see it play? Some say the Saints belong to me and all people of Louisiana. Bull feathers. A degree of authority goes with ownership and if I owned anything that has been no more successful than the New Orleans Saints have been in over 50 years the trash truck would have taken it to the dump long ago.

We often are told how much a professional sports team or event brings to a community or state. Okay, all you working stiffs stand up if you had an economic benefit from the Saints, the Hornets or having the Sugar Bowl and Independence Bowl in Louisiana.

Why do we have to give a firm a big tax break that increases the taxes on the rest of in order for that firm to make money? We’re told that this will provide jobs. But when the tax breaks expire the folks running the firm pack up their stuff and go elsewhere if they don’t get an extension.

So bitch about your taxes, but at first aim your complaints at how your tax dollars are being spent.

If enough of you bitch long enough and loud enogh your tax dollars may start to be used for the people, not individual. If that comes to pass there will be no problem to reducing the amount of your taxes.

Trivia Time
What was Babe Ruth’s reply to being told his 1931 salary was greater than that of the President of the United States? Answer to last question. Some claim that the term “lobby“ originated when people could find President Grant in the Lobby of a nearby hotel where he went to smoke a cigar because Mrs. Grant wouldn’t let him do so in the White House.

Contact George Frasher at 337-238-3433, E-mail frasher@cebridge.net.