Once, I knee-jerk dismissed complaints about government as right wing. Now, I'm protesting: Even apart from active wars, the total cost of federal government is both mind-boggling and insanely disproportionate to its efficacy for a majority of Americans.

Heading the three branches of federal government are 546 people who alone cost us billions every year (435 members of the House, finally capped by Constitutional amendment; 100 senators; the President and Vice President and the nine Supreme Court Justices). The comfortable salary of each of the 546 (total: well over $100 million) is the least of the total compensation package: pension, health insurance, life insurance, death benefit, burial expenses, franking privileges, and on and on.

Even the total compensation package of a federal employee is only the tip of the iceberg of how much each federal employee actually costs us, especially the 546 specified above. First are allowances, often tax-free, for various things, including hiring salaried staff. For example, each House member gets at least $1.5 million for staff and legislative assistants. (Why aren't legislative assistants considered party of a legislator's staff?) The President's staff (as opposed to the large White House staff) fills, at a minimum, the Executive Office Building.

Then, there's Secret Service or other protection when indicated, which, for the President, the President's spouse and the President's children is 24/7/365. Of course, with the royal couple marital unit of the POTUS and FLOTUS enjoy more servants, fringe benefits, luxury and security than other federal employees: Air Force One, Marine One, the Beast, a doctor minutes or less away 24/7/365, including on flights and abroad, and so on. And how about things like living in an awesome, incredibly furnished, meticulously-maintained and staffed mansion cost-free, with four houses combined into Blair House for your guests?

As far as the seemingly paltry annual Presidential travel allowance, we read incessantly how much each trip by the POTUS or FLOTUS actually cost taxpayers, including fortifying grounds and buildings for security reasons. (Wasn't Presidential down time what Camp David was supposedly for?) As far as the entertaining budget of $19,000, extra security alone would blow through that. The Presidential marital unit also receives more than others after leaving office, including a pension, office expenses, Secret Service protection, all until death and maybe some benefits even after death.These things and more render the official compensation figures of the President meaningless.

Our Ship of State steams, full speed ahead, annually into costs associated with hundred of thousands (millions?) of federal employees in Washington D.C., including the Pentagon, the FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, etc. Federal employees, of course, are also in the fifty states (including the massive NSA facility in Utah), and in places like Samoa and the Virgin Islands, and in every country in the world, including embassies. And then, there are the military, military installations, VA hospitals, etc. Don't even ask about the costs of military jets, ships, tanks, weapons, etc. War is hell, but it doesn't come cheap. The more employees, the more buildings needed, even if the government has to rent or buy them. Buildings have their own costs: maintenance, repair, remodeling, cleaning, heating, lighting, groundskeeping, gyms, dining rooms, cafeterias, receptionists, phones, etc.

With all that expense, you'd think the federal government would be a beacon of beneficence, wisdom and accomplishment, no? When I simply assumed, without thinking, that the federal government did many very good things, costs never entered my silly mind. But then, I came out of the coma. Government is not doing many very good things, or even many necessary things--for just one example, good luck driving on those unrepaired bridges and roads, y'all. However, government is doing things I consider heinous and seems bent upon eliminating, "reforming" (worsening) and/or corrupting things that I like, such as social safety nets, public education, humanitarian relief, etc.

I'm not saying people on the federal payroll need to live like paupers or that we should close the Smithsonian, national parks and V.A. hospitals. I'm saying that the waste, ineffectiveness, indulgence and, yes, entitlement of people and operations supported by taxes, have become excessive since the Trumans lived in a leaking White House, then had to begged Congress for a subsistence level pension. Even more than that, I'm saying that the majority of Americans, the most productive work force on the planet, deserve a better return on their investment for their blood and treasure, their work, their loyalty, etc. Word to the U.S. government: "You owe us big time. Do more and better things for the 100% Americans and tax the 90% less." Which brings me to Tax Freedom Day:

Tax Freedom Day is the first day of the year in which a nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to pay its taxes. Every dollar that is officially considered income by the government is counted, and every payment to the government that is officially considered a tax is counted. Taxes at all levels of government – local, state and federal – are included.

The date of Tax Freedom Day varies from year to year. This year, it is April 23. (In 1900, it was January 22.) The next time someone tells you to "ask what you can do for your country," reply that, among other things, you've spent about four months of your life working for your country every single year of your career. Then, please do feel free to ask what your country can do for the vast majority of Americans, other than "defense." You've paid for and earned the right to ask that question and deserve a damned good answer.

Final note: Both Tax Day and Tax Freedom Day seemed tailor-made for activism. (Please do not confuse Tax Freedom Day with Tax Day, or the deadline for filing individual income tax returns.) Organizing for 2017 is not do-able at this date, but just "wait'll next year." If anyone has any suggestions for Tax Day or Tax Freedom Day, whether serious or just for glitz and giggles, please post them. Just please don't suggest anything related to beverages like Koch or TEA (Taxed Enough Already).

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