I just completed our tax returns this afternoon setting a new personal best for earliest filing (a solid three weeks prior to the deadline, which is approximately three weeks earlier than my previous best). After submitting my return TaxAct.com gave me a neat little breakdown of how my tax money was spent this past year. As follows…

National Defense
$1,215.00

Veterans and Foreign Affairs
$243.00

Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Related Programs
$851.00

Unemployment and Social Services
$365.00

Social Security, Medicare, and Other Retirement
$2,248.00

Interest Payments
$425.00

Law Enforcement and General Government
$122.00

Physical, Human, and Community Development
$608.00

Now, I am not a wealthy man by any stretch. I mean I do fine. My debts are paid. I live simply and comfortably and am generally content with the things I own. But boy oh boy I sure wouldn’t mind not spending a thousand bucks to fund someone else’s lack of employment. Of course I’m not too keen on twelve hundred dollars going toward spinning tires in the Middle East either.

…

The neighbors next door acquired a couple of pit bull puppies this spring. They have been insistently and passionately dismantling the dirt beneath the fence that separates our two yards. It’s cool though. It’s fun to watch the little one interact (clubbed in the head by massive paws) with our dogs when she squeezes under the fence.