Tax This...!

According to Consumer Reports, in March, 2010, the average price for a gallon of gas, nationwide, was $2.75 If your tank holds 14 gallons that's a cost of $38.50

Now, in March of 2011, the price is about $3.65, almost a dollar more.

So, if you fill up once a week it now costs you $51.10

That's a difference of $12.60

So when the politicians say that they don't want to raise taxes just remember that their ineptitude in Washington and the game of favorites that they play has, in effect, raised your taxes anyway...to the tune of $655.20 per year.

And I don't buy the notion that the turmoil in the Arab world is solely to blame. It certainly has had an effect, no question, but it is the relationship between Congress, The White House and Big Oil that has driven the prices steadily up over the past year.

I, for one, have no problem with paying taxes. Taxes buy the things that make my life better; relatively clean food, water and air, reasonable roads and highways, adequate education, some sort of health care and a military to protect me.

Not to mention 911 and the town dump and EMTs and Little League, Social Security, Head Start and Medicaid. It used to buy PBS too but that'll soon be gone. Unbelievable!

Taxes can be used for good things. It is the corruption and special interest that make taxes a problem, not the taxes themselves.

So the next time one of the Blowdried Blowhards in D.C. declares that he won't raise our taxes, raise your hand and ask,

"But, sir, what about the rise in energy costs? What about the rise in gas prices?"

He'll stutter and say that he has to "get back to you."

He'll have to ask his chauffer. After all he doesn't drive himself anymore. He gets driven in a limo.

All except Scott Brown who drives a big pickup truck that gets 10 miles to the gallon.

But what does he care about gas prices? He's a United States Senator.

The rules of the game don't apply to him.

Only to all of the rest of us schnooks.

"Fill 'er up...!"