America, the Land of the Free Stuff

 - and totally broke taxpayers.

Over the last several years, and intensifying as we approach the 2020 Presidential election, we have heard calls from the political left for all sorts of "free" programs. The programs range from "Medicare for All" to college debt forgiveness (and free college after that). But it's difficult for the average citizen to put the potential cost in perspective. From this article, we can glean a bit about the price tag on potential Democrat policies:

$1,700,000,000 - Universal child care. Cost over ten years.
$640,000,000,000 - Debt free college - initial outlay for debt forgiveness.
$1,250,000,000,000 - Debt free college - ongoing costs over 10 years.
$93,000,000,000,000 - Guaranteed income. Cost over ten years.
$100,000,000,000 - Reparations. One time cost.
$445,000,000,000 - Affordable housing. Cost over ten years.
$32,600,000,000,000 - Medicare for all.

$128,036,700,000,000 Total price tag.

My calculator errored out trying to add it all up, but the total cost is indeed $128 TRILLION dollars over ten years. To put that in perspective, the total national debt for the U.S. as of 4/4/19 is $32.6 trillion.

So - how will these programs be funded? The government has no source of income other than taxes.

Let that sink in a minute. Why yes, that would be taxes you and I pay. That is, if you are, like me, a member of the middle class, working and paying taxes. There is a significant segment of "taxpayers" who do not make enough to pay taxes, and who may in fact receive refundable credits. Yes, it is possible to get a tax refund even if you pay no taxes.

Ah, but several of these programs claim they will be funded by the "tippy-top" earners: a 70% tax on the rich. Never mind that the wealthy already fork over something like 90% of the total taxes collected any given year, let's just hit them up for more!

The problem is that the math doesn't work. Even if none of these wealthy people take steps to shelter any of their income, the total dollars collected by a 70% tax won't fund even one of the programs listed above.

This leaves a massive funding gap. Program sponsors then have three options: one, run up the national debt, making us beholden to foreign powers who may not have our best interests at heart, or two, drop that 70% tax rate on the rest of the taxpayers - primarily the middle class, or three, a combination of the two.

Will you really be happy with all the "free" stuff when you are handing over 70% of your income to a government that may not have your best interests at heart in order to fund the stuff? Are you certain you want the government to control your children, your education, your housing and your healthcare?

"Free" isn't free at all, it turns out.

What still is free, though, is our freedom to make our voices heard. Our freedom to have a choice in our future. Our freedom to call out the politicians - on either side of the aisle - who would so thoroughly bankrupt us and our children for the sake of a few votes.

It's time to stand up for true freedom.