I’m tired of hearing politicians announce another billion-dollar program or multimillion-dollar grant as though the money just appeared out of nowhere. They call it government funding, state assistance, or federal money. They rarely acknowledge where that money actually came from.
It came from us.
People worked for that money. They sacrificed time with their families, worked overtime, saved and planned for their futures. And they didn’t hand it over voluntarily. Taxes and fees are imposed by law, and the government has the power to enforce collection and penalize those who don’t pay.
But what bothers me most isn’t just the money taken today. It’s what we’re losing tomorrow.
Consider $1,000 a year. Taken year after year, that’s money someone can’t save, invest, or use for something important. Over 20 or 30 years, including the investment growth that money might have earned, the loss can be substantial.
That could be the difference between starting a business and never trying. Between going back to school and putting it off indefinitely. Between visiting aging parents while they’re still alive and missing that opportunity forever. Between retiring comfortably and working years longer than planned.
And the consequences can be much worse.
Financial problems put enormous pressure on people. Marriages fall apart, families struggle, and some people sink into depression or turn to alcohol to cope. I’m not suggesting taxes cause every financial hardship. But when people are already struggling, taking more of their earnings has consequences that politicians rarely seem interested in discussing.
We’ve also forgotten something about freedom.
One of the grievances that led to our independence from Britain was taxation without consent. The founders understood the importance of limiting government power and protecting individual liberty.
We have elected representatives today, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been handed a blank check. Every dollar taken is a dollar someone no longer gets to decide how to use. That’s a loss of financial freedom, however small it may seem at the time.
Of course government needs money. We need police, firefighters, roads and other essential services. I’m not arguing otherwise. But necessary spending doesn’t excuse waste, and calling something a grant doesn’t make it free.
When government wastes our money, it isn’t just a budget problem. It’s money that could have paid a mortgage, funded an education, helped a struggling family, or allowed someone to pursue a dream.
And unlike government, people can’t simply collect more money from someone else to make up for their mistakes. You can replace dollars. You can’t replace lost years, missed opportunities, or time with people who are no longer here.
Before politicians congratulate themselves for spending another billion dollars, I’d like them to explain what taxpayers actually received for it.
Because it isn’t just our money they’re spending.
It’s part of our lives.
Arthur Tom
Valencia
