School Budget Cuts?

Let’s Throw A Tea Party

To the Editor

We Want Freedom From Tax Slavery! Now Is the Time for All Good Men to Stop Paying Taxes!

Now is the time for rubber meeting the road folks. Chagrined about NASA cutting its budget? Upset we don’t just “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran?” Decrying the assault on our children’s education because of massive budget cuts?

Well, if you support the ideals of the Tea Party, please do not come crying to me — or your government. If you watch news coverage of the Tea Party rallies, you would conclude the vast majority of Americans feel they are being unfairly taxed. Even though a recent CBS Poll disputes that (62 percent said taxes were fair, 30 percent not) let’s take that at face value. We have to cut the deficit (most people agree we need to go back to the balanced budgets of the Clinton years) and to do that, we have to do two things — cut spending and raise revenue.

Think of your own household finances — credit cards maxed out, that home equity loan you thought was a good idea in 2006 draining away cash flow, private college looming (even UConn is raising tuition) —not to mention the couch is ten years old and the cars are getting older too.

So maybe no vacation this year, or someone needs to get a second job — or — why not get another credit card and take that Caribbean vacation?

But we’ve seen that movie and no one (except Goldman Sachs) liked the ending.

No one wants to give the government their hard-earned money and no one wants to see the things dear to their heart (NASA, education, law enforcement) cut, but somewhere, pain must ensue — now, or later (and much more if later).

I’m happy to have my taxes cut (but I’m also willing to pay my share to live in this great country), and my kids are almost out of school so I’m fine having the school budget cut (although I do fear for a lost generation who didn’t get an adequate education). I’m also ok with cutting NASA (although I do remember my excitement as a young boy — and let’s not forget the technology space exploration birthed), and cutting defense spending (although I think I shared the nation’s shame when we saw the deplorable conditions our nation’s heroes came back to at Walter Reed). Would I prefer a strong, vibrant nation where we all are our neighbor’s keeper — of course (but I also have my own and if it’s every man for himself, I’ll do ok).

But next time you want to rail about “Big Government” think about the things nearest to you that government is responsible for making happen. Let’s end with a list: roads, bridges, cops, firefighters, schools, unemployment, social security, Medicare, military, mail, safe food, safe water — the list goes on and life ain’t free.

Joseph Eckert

28 Farm Field Ridge Road, Sandy Hook                    April 27, 2010