I got an email from Obama yesterday, and the subject was "Forward this"
I didn't even read the email, I just could not resist simply forwarding it to my sister, without comment. She sent me an email about how it's different in Indiana, and then related an anecdote that she had told my Nephew to educate him.
Feel free to poke the holes, we'll summarize.
We told a story to Blake. It's an example remember.
Blake and Jacob made 500 shoveling walks (we do that here in Indiana)
Now Blake you get 1/2 -$250.
You said you have to pay taxes -ok $50
You said you need to pay me back for equipment $50
You said you need to pay Payton for making sure you have hot chocolate and gloves $25
Luke and Ryan your friends stop by for their $25 each. What you say you don't understand? They were playing video games every weekend when you were working in the cold? Oh well we still have to give them some. So $50 gone
So how much do you have? $75
Blake - I don't want to work. I want to play video games with Luke and Ryan and Jacob can give me money.
So for example, if Blake is shoveling walks for a living, he's not paying 20% in taxes.
Help me concoct a clear an elegant anecdote to tell my Nephew at Xmas as I tell him about how our President Obama will be building a future for him over the next four years.
UPDATE: You guys are great. Here is the response.
OK - let's dissect this one.
1) Blake is making maybe $9500 a year shoveling snow, assuming he also mows lawn in the winter. In which case he pays zero income taxes.
2) Blake's parents didn't do a very good job teaching him about money if he is buying a $50 snow shovel. Even if he is being a model citizen by shopping at a local business instead of Wal-Mart, a snow shovel is ten bucks. Mom is being quite the "Mitt Romney" by ripping off her flesh and blood for a snow shovel. Also, next time Blake goes out to shovel the snow, he already has a snow shovel. And Blake needs a better accountant - the snow shovel is deductable.
3) Payton is charging $25 for a hot chocolate and gloves! Nice sister! I mean, a nice pair of kids gloves is maybe $10, and even Starbucks doesn't charge more than $3. Not to mention, even if Blake were playing Video Games he'd probably want something to drink. And again, the gloves would be tax deductable, and a one time expense.
4) It's a good thing Blake is shoveling the snow for $250, because Mitt Romney thinks that if Payton did the shoveling, she should only get $200 for it.
5) Luke and Ryan are apparently collecting welfare. That comes from the government. Which comes from taxes. Which Blake apparently already paid in bullet #1. So there is no extra pinch from Blake here. And if it isn't a government program, which Luke and Ryan need to qualify for, for some reason, Blake should tell them to get fixed. Maybe Tom needs to teach Blake to grow a pair. Stephen Colbert can maybe give him some advice on this topic.
6) The big problem here is a lot of the people who want their walks shoveled worked for companies that were bought our by Bain Consulting. Their jobs were outsourced to China and they can't afford to hire Blake anymore.
7) Hopefully Obama gets re-elected so at least the UC and Illinois University systems stay intact and Blake can get a solid college education so he doesn't have to shovel snow for a living.
:)
Go Giants!
John