Tax Relief

The IRS owns me…

I worked out again for the fifth day in a row. Although it burned a bit I am starting to have a much easier time of it than I was the first day or two. In a few more days I am going to add the elliptical or treadmill to it as well, at least for 20 minutes or so.

I also checked out the tanning bed as well. That was just weird. I’ve never used a tanning bed and for the most part have considered it pretty stupid. If you want a tan go hang in the sun. I tan very easily but the problem is that I get the one-armed tan from driving so much, or the farmer’s tan when I am working in the yard. It’s not as if I am going to cut the yard in my speedos, although I wouldn’t mind checking out some of my neighbors cutting grass in their lingerie. SOME of them, mind you. The others just need to keep their pants on. Anyhow, I lay in the tanning bed for seven minutes. The dude didn’t want me to stay in any longer since I had never used one. I felt like I was getting in an oven and except for the loud buzzing I probably could have taken a nap. I guess you get used to the sound because at least once or twice a year one of my waitresses comes in burned to a crisp because they fell asleep. The ones at the gym I go to are on a timer, I guess that maybe all of them aren’t or something.

Anyhow, a couple of the guys up there use the tanning bed after they work out, so I didn’t feel so self-conscious about it anymore. Besides, with quitting smoking and working out I have to have something to kill me. Skin cancer is as good as anything 🙂

Speaking of smoking, I’ve now gone about 26 hours without one. I know I have been working on it for a couple of months now, but this is the first time I have gone over an entire day without a cigarette. Darn hard too. I an a bit snappy tonight, so am just keeping to myself. I have a bunch of stuff to write about anyway and if I finish that I need to work on taxes.

I am not looking forward to filing this year. I don’t know how much but I will end up owing probably several thousand. I though about filing an extension, but the only people that are going to be receiving the rebates are the ones that file. If anything I can file and then work out a payment plan with the IRS. I took about a $20k increase in pay myself this year, not counting the $10k I made online, and none of it taxed. Hopefully with working out of the house more some of my office expenses will cover a bit of it. I think maybe I should move my office back down into the basement. The back room is a MUCH larger area than I have set up right now, and thus the percentage that I can claim of the utilities and mortgage is more. I hate taxes. The IRS is going to own my last month’s pay for this year on top of what they already keep. I wish that our politicians would take things seriously and fix the darned tax system.

Bush to Rob Government Coffers One More Time…

…prior to leaving office next January.

President George Bush has proposed a temporary tax package designed to spur the nation’s slowing economy. During a White House press conference President Bush and his economic advisers said that the U.S. economy is at risk for a downturn and Congress must act to head off trouble.

This growth package must be big enough to make a difference in an economy as large and dynamic as ours.

By passing a growth package quickly, we can provide a shot in the arm to keep a fundamentally strong economy healthy, and it will help keep economic sectors that are going through adjustments, such as the housing market, from adversely affecting other parts of our economy.

The president did not offer any kind of specific details of the proposed package but did insist that it include tax incentives for business.

Two Democratic leadership aides made it clear that the growth package wouldn’t win support from the Democrats unless it includes relief for low and middle income earners.

I am all for tax cuts and spurring the economy but personally think that we should all just suck it up right now and pitch in to do our share. Cutting taxes is a great thing, I would just as soon get rid of the federal income tax entirely but it has to be replaced by something else, preferably a sales tax.

The Wall Street Journal interviewed folks in New York, Chicago and San Francisco to see how people would spend their rebate. These are some of the interviews.

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