There are many philosophies of tax policy, running from “the government gets it all and redistributes by formula,” to “the government gets by with only tariffs.” I chose to write this poem about one of the points of view in the spectrum. When I get around to it I will write about the others.

Liberty slides, one grab at a time,
Slip says twenty, check says dime.
Taxpayer pays and voters vote,
Voter gets paid—taxpayer, the note.

Voter groups with all their power
Fund their program of the hour
Through what’s taken with a gun,
Never admitting that robbery’s done.

Eternal vigilance, freedom’s price.
We’re sleeping, need sharp advice:
National sales tax for each and all
To aid government’s funding call.

To make all know nothing’s free.
It’s all incentives, don’t you see,
If tax be paid each time we buy,
We’ll do without government pie.

To lessen levy when next we buy,
We look with purple jaundiced eye
On programs funded deep and wide
To profit few and spending hide.

Each has a stake in less spending
As sales transactions we’re tending,
No axe to grind, or exemption to claim,
Voters and taxpayers, one, the same.

Federal trough, shrivel and shrink!
Less pork, and less Federal stink!
Tax our outgo—forget our income,
16th amendment—king of dumb!

For it warped our national mode,
Made us slaves to the tax code,
Making it our highest ambition
To bring tax write-offs to fruition.

Let’s put that all in our past,
And do something smart at last,
Reveal values where they hide
So we live our lives with pride,

Where buying more is paying more
And buying less is saving more.
Loans come from savings pools,
Honesty prevails, reason rules.

We want our pay dealt from the top,
Pay tax due as we buy and shop,
Need no tax accounting degree,
Nor irksome lurking IRS decree.

Freedom will grow and tyranny soften.
The fruits of liberty, many and often.
Our Democracy levies the sales tax,
And all citizens pay, free to the max.