Sarah Palin attacked Joe Biden during the recent vice presidental debate for Biden saying that paying higher taxes is patriotic.  She went on to say that for her, her husband, and the middle class, that was not patriotic.  She and her running mate, John McCain, have championed variations of this theme, especially lowering taxes for all income levels, during this election season.  Judging by how warmly such declarations are met in their campaign stops, it is obvious that the abhorence of taxes is something that is near and dear to many, if not the majority, of Americans.  I find this disheartening.

Taxes are what pay for government services and infrastructure.  When juxtaposed with the concept of “you get what you pay for,” by paying more taxes we receive higher quality government services and infrastructure and by paying less taxes we receive the opposite.  So, if a person sincerely wishes to pay less taxes that person is essentially saying that they want lower quality government services and infrastructure because there will be less tax money to pay for those services and infrastructure.  While one might admire the sense of thrift that motivates such a stance, one needs to wonder if it is foolish thrift, such as when one neglects to change the oil on a car and risks paying for the replacement of the engine that has been destroyed from a lack of essential maintenance.

Patriotism is love of or devotion to one’s country.  Government is an essential element in defining, creating, and maintaining a country.  Without a government, there is no country.  The quality of a country’s government, including the services the government provides and the infrastructure maintained by the government, is strongly related to the quality of the country.  If one wants better government and a better country, one needs to pay for it through increased taxes. 

Based on these important relationships, I am perplexed how a large portion of voters who loudly proclaim their patriotism can be so opposed to paying for the essential element of government that allows their country to be a country.  It is as if they are celebrating their profound ignorance of economics and the essential elements of what makes a country a country.  As a citizen of this country, I am profoundly distrubed by this implications of this widespread and celebrated ignorance for the future of our nation.