Voluntary income taxes

"I don't care what others do with their share of the DOGE money. If they keep it or give it back, I could care less. By the same token, I don't want to hear ANY opinions on what I should do with my $5,000. On fixed income, I could sure use it right now. If someone does not like that, they can lump it."   

Many years ago, when I was junior in my career, I heard an interesting discussion between two of my more senior collogues at lunchtime. One was more conservative in his values than the other was. And the subject discussed? How much income tax was enough. I should point out that these were the days where people who had different financial viewpoints could disagree without killing each other.

One man (the conservative) said we pay too much in taxes right now. All that money going to the government is stunting the growth of the private sector. The other man (the not so conservative) did not agree at all. He said we need to fund the government for the "common good". The government lets us keep enough to live on, and all the rest should reside in either Washington or St. Paul.

That is when the conservative hit the other up with total logic. Won the argument right there. "Do you know what your income tax bracket is?" he asked the other man. "Sure do" was the reply. "Do you know how much over that limit you are allowed to pay into either the state or federal government?" was the next question. That one had the other man stumped. "I have no clue" was the response. "100% of your paycheck" was the answer. "If you think we are paying in too little taxes, you can contribute your entire income for the year." And then - silence.

Jasmine Crocket, the loudmouth and sassy Democrat congresswoman from Texas, is on the House DOGE subcommittee. What does she contribute to the DOGE discussions? Mayhem and disorder. When asked on a news show what she thought of the $5,000 DOGE dividend, she became very animated and louder. "We are not in the business of handing out money you all!" In her eyes, none of the government's sacred money should be returned to the taxpayer. Not a single dime.

Here is a solution to this vexing problem. Offer up the DOGE dividend to all taxpayers. For those who think the money would be better served paying down the debt, they can refuse the check and tell Elon to stick it in the debt repayment fund. For those who LOVE the largess of our government, can tell Elon to stick it in the "feed the pig" fund. And for those who need it to pay bills or whatever after the 20% runup in prices during Biden, can keep the $5,000.

Why is this a good solution? I don't care what others do with their share of the DOGE money. If they keep it or give it back, I could care less. By the same token, I don't want to hear ANY opinions on what I should do with my $5,000. On fixed income, I could sure use it right now. If someone does not like that, they can lump it.