Either we choose a strong federation or we depend on divisive states to do what is right for themselves. Either we are Americans first or primarily Texans, Montanans, or New Yorkers — try to imagine an interstate highway without federal cohesion and revenue. As the Europeans are trying to unitize in the face of a thousand years of divisiveness, we with the exception of defense, strive to dismantle our united spirit. It is a matter of arrant pride that Las Vegas is the capital of gambling while other state’s cities vie for second place. It is good for New Hampshire’s economy that hundreds of thousands from Vermont and Massachusetts cross its borders to purchase tax-free goods. Labor’s advancements have been eroded by the lure of state’s that discourage unionized labor. There are states with income tax; there are many more without, and virtually all have regressive sales, user, and property tax.
It is laughable to hear the cry of poverty from governors and mayors who accuse — ignoring the dramatic tax cuts beginning with Reagan and the related loss of revenue sharing — the federal government of shortchanging them when they are more reckless, arbitrary and regressive in their levying than the federal government. This is not the way to a "more perfect union." If the voters would end their paranoia over the federal government and let it exercise a sense of fairness with a tax structure that would reflect truly one's ability to pay, then they would wake up to the alarm of the oppressive state tax systems.
Of course, tribal obstinacy would preclude state pilfering. States are out of control by permitting every city, town or county to go off its merry way bludgeoning the little guy with one contingency tax after another. Even state governors are feeling the pressure of chaotic decentralization. Ideally a governor is by definition head of the state and not some, provincially oriented politician who cannot see beyond the interests of his or her own localized aggrandizement; he is supposed to be a statesman truly with a broad perspective that embraces all of his or her constituents. But with the rapid escalation of local property tax there has been a great shift in power in metropolitan areas wherein local municipalities control great revenues and willfully embark on enterprises of self-interest without the auspices of the state capital. Citizens everywhere are paying the price for this abuse of autonomy. It is time to distrust local governments and schools — not award them with even more unscrupulous power — familiarity breeds contempt. After all, these officials are entrusted with a huge, ever-increasing tax share, and yet after preëmpting state revenue and cleaning out the local coffers they unbelievably cry for more state aid!
To espouse provincial freedom so dearly that one should trust county, town and school executives more than the state's chief executive and legislative body which in theory at least have wider vision on what constitutes a sense of justice, is fallacious in an advancing complex society. Tribalism is a vestige of the jungle. If left behind perhaps then citizens could refine their awareness and begin to count their blessings that there is in theory at least a greater chance at political fairness to all on the national level. Assuming, of course, the federal government in spite of the political scene today could miraculously regain trust and its rightful power to inspire its citizenry to face the prodigious challenge of this new century by permitting it to legislate goals designed to grow the standard of living and modern infrastructures, perhaps then the current recalcitrance with taxes predicated on the ability to pay would be seen as fair. At long last the nightmare, induced by the sleeping pill of conservatives, will fade.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: September 21, 2004.
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