Step 1 In The Program – Opinions from E. Curtis Johnson

The 12 Step Program is a common addiction treatment. The first step to recovery is admitting the problem.

Many people were surprised to discover that the PGA, NHL, and NFL are tax-exempt. I got a concussion when I learned the NFL makes $9.5 billion per year, tax-free. As reform, I’ve long favored a flat tax, but that won’t fix the problem.

There’s an old finance axiom that states: expenses rise to meet income.  Our government isn’t at step one and won’t admit it spends too much.

Denial is negative step one. America’s tax rate could be 100% and we would still run a deficit because we can’t stop spending.  I’m E. Curtis Johnson. Collecting more taxes, before we admit that we spend too much, is like ordering another round before we admit we’re alcoholics and that our lives have become unmanageable. Collecting more taxes, before we stop wasteful spending, is like severing a major artery. Then, instead of stopping the bleeding, we get a transfusion under the delusion that we’ll replace the blood supply before we bleed out!