It is, once again and after a delay, Tax Day in the United States. I still have no doubt that, as this piece finds its way to the part of the Internet where it can be easily seen, people are still rushing to get materials together so that they can rush again through tax programs and hope once more they do not end up being audited, or so that they can speed down to one tax preparation office or another and pass the task off onto another. (Full disclosure: I still work for Liberty Tax Service in Kerrville, Texas, doing their social media work and the occasional odd job.) All the while, they are still like to complain about both the burden of filing taxes and actually paying them.

I find that I am not as sanguine about the matter this time as I was last. While I did get back some of what I paid in, having been stimulated, I look at how other countries have handled things and feel like I have been cheated; if I have been stimulated, it was not enough to get me where I’d like to go, and I feel unsatisfied. (Yes, I know, “that’s what she said.” Ha.) There is some word that more might be coming, but I am in doubt of it; I might well be called Thomas for this supposed fiscal messiah, ready to finger where the spear has thrust in before. I do not doubt that any such would be purchased in blood.

The thing is, I do not think the solution is necessarily to cut taxes. I am in a position to be able to get by without additional stimulation; indeed, what I got before did not go to daily expenses so much as to debt servicing, and though I need to do a fair bit of that work yet, I was not going to have to choose between paying what I owe and getting to eat. I know many people did have to choose that and still have to choose, and there is not enough philanthropy coming from individuals to solve that problem. (Clearly not; how many could be housed and still leave the wealthiest as the wealthiest? Yet they are not housed, nor yet are they fed and clothed, not even by those who claim that “the greatest of these is charity” as they “earn” more in a day than I do in a month or more.) But that what has been offered is better than nothing does not mean it is enough; I can be grateful for what has come and still want more to do so.

Or is it such that I should “count my blessings and seek no more,” as some have said to me? And if it is so, why should I try for better? Why should anyone?

Care to see if you can get me into a higher tax bracket next time?