True Hypocricy

Ever been impressed when athletes thank our troops for their service? Thought well of them when they praised the selfless actions of fire fighters or police officers? Admired them when they went into war zones to boost morale?

Well, if you want to continue feeling good about those actions, you might want to stop reading right now. Because the hyporicy of some of these "patriots" has been exposed in this story at Yahoo.com. Apparently, agents for some baseball players are trying to find ways to avoid paying extra taxes that might be due under the new president. From the story: "For a big-money free agent earning $10 million in 2009, Obama’s plan could increase his federal tax by more than $400,000."

And just so you don't think baseball is the only sport where this is going on, read this. Seems that that football players might be doing the exact same thing. (Though it is more understandable with them; their careers are shorter and their contracts are not guaranteed.)

So to summarize, athletes making *200 times* the average U.S. wage want to avoid paying an extra 4% in taxes. Taxes that could provide body armor for soldiers or equipment/raises for police and fire fighters, or perhaps pay down the national debt. And, by the way, taxes they would have had to pay before the current president took office in the year 2000.

These guys might call themselves patriotic. I call them hypocrites. "Sure, I'll host a fund raiser for the local fire department, but don't ask me to pay my fair share to equip them." Pathetic.

Maybe this is just agents blowing smoke or working to game the system. But the agents act on behalf of the athletes. And any multi-millionaire athlete who schemes to avoid taxes while the country slips further and further into debt cannot be considered a true patriot.

Any player (or other filthy rich person) who truly wants to support U.S. troops or the fire/police we *all* depend on should not complain about when asked to pay an additional 4% in taxes. In past wartimes, all citizens were asked to make sacrificies for the cause. Just because George W. Bush didn't mind doubling the national debt to pay for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan doesn't mean that that those wars were free. Someone will have to pay that bill eventually, and I think overpaid millionaires are just the people to do it.

But the way these guys treat their country, maybe they should rename it "The Land of Opportunists."

- Scott