Death and Taxes

As Easter and April 15 approach, it's appropriate that we talk about death and taxes. We may not agree on either. But this much is sure, both are a reality! Much too real!

If you're like me, you're wondering what in the world is the government doing with all the monies they collect from me? Well, they didn't collect all that much from me this year. Two boys in college helps with deductions but that also puts stress on the old budget! You get the point. Show me the money already!

Well, now that you've asked, I will do just that. If your a policy and finance nerd you can go to the Office of Management and Budget and take a look at the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget for yourself! Not interested. I can't say I blame you.

Enter Jess Bachman and WallStats. Bachman transforms reams of boring data into posters for your wall. The newest poster outlines the 2009 budget. The entire poster is six square feet, but you can see a detailed, zoomable version here. Place your cursor on the map and controls appear that allow you to scroll in close. The size of each circle represents the size of each agency-and there are over 500 of them in total.

Take a close look and you will see that in 2009 we spent $2.054 billion for Humvees used in Iraq and $3.230 billion for New Orleans Storm Protection.

And where did all this money come from? I'm glad you asked! For every $1 billion of federal spending:

• Every tax payer has to pay $4 on average ($550 million total)
• Every employer has to pay $1 per employee on average ($150 million total)
• Every corporation has to pay $20 on average ($110 million total)
• $40 million is collected in estate, gift, excise and other taxes
• $140 million is borrowed

Are you wondering what the 2010 budget looks like? As you can imagine, Bachman is still working on that poster. Rumor has it that the 2010 version will be a wall-sized mural! You can get a preview of the size of the spending and deficit here. We are looking at a $1.2 trillion deficit or 8% of our gross domestic product. And this deficit spending adds to the size of our rapidly growing national debt, which is now at over $11 trillion and rapidly climbing!

By the way, I have the National Debt Clock module on the right hand column of my blog for your viewing pleasure. Watching that Debt Clock spin is a good reality check and a reminder to not spend more than what I make.

Death and taxes, both are a reality. You can get mad, you can protest and you can live in denial. But Father Time and Uncle Sam bow to no one. Try to ignore them and before you know it they will be knocking at your door. Both demand payment in full.

And so in March of this year I paid a visit to my tax account to settle my score with Uncle Sam. No one was going to do it for me. I'm accountable and held responsible to pay my taxes annually.

And tomorrow I will celebrate with millions of other followers of Christ around the world. I will remember our Saviors death, burial and resurrection. I'm thankful for a Savior who willingly paid my death sentence for me so that I can live.

Death and taxes. I can't do anything about my tax problem. Uncle Sam has to be paid year after year. But I can do something about my death problem. Father Time is a defeated foe. This is what Easter is all about.

In a year of bad new - the flood of 2009, the economic melt down, vanishing retirement accounts, high unemployment and global terrorist threats - I'm ready to celebrate some good news.

He is not here; he has risen. just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:6

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18