"I Potato You" (along with the tax day blues)

I cried today… I had to go to the Post Office and mail a few envelopes. That’s right; I don’t send my taxes in till they are due. And I don’t send them electronically either. Since I pay quarterly taxes, I never get money back from the IRS, but this year was down right painful, it was the equivalent to paying two quarters at once. I’m now looking forward to Georgie Boy’s little give away—his popularity incentive, but I swear it’ll take more than $600 to buy my support. At least it’ll booster the saving account. Personally, I have a problem with giving away money like this and really think they should have extended unemployment benefits instead. This is the second time he’s done this (and he keeps saying he’s conservative). Of course, what’s 600 bucks? I’m really feeding out of the wrong federal trough. I’d like to lunch out of the one from which Bear Stearns got fed. Fiscally, he’s the most irresponsibly president in my lifetime, even passing Tricky Dickie’s economic shindigs when he was trying to save his butt during Watergate. But as much as I complain, my banker will be glad to see that check deposited. After all, she’s (yes, the manager of my bank is a woman) probably needs that money back in my account so she can cover so bad real estate loans.

While I’m complaining, I now hear McCain has an idea to forgo federal gasoline taxes this summer… At least that’s what I think I heard on NPR this afternoon. I’m going to have to wash my ears real good tonight. That can’t be so, can it? If we don’t pay gas taxes, who is going to pay to fix our roads? We have had a pretty good winter here and there are potholes that could soon become a subway to China. Of course, if we don’t want to fix our own roads, we’ll probably feel an obligation to fix those Iraqi roads that keep being blown up.

Of course, I’m not very happy with the other two candidates either. I can’t stand listening to Hillary. She has none of Bill’s Southern charm; she’s perfect as a senator from New York because she sounds like a Yankee. And then there is Mr. Obama. I’ve got to get this posted so I can read the Good Book and then get my shotguns out of the gun safe and oil ‘em up. They’re getting a little rusty from being clutched so much lately. It’s hard to be excited about politicians on a good day; it’s especially hard on tax day.

As for good news, I was making potato soup Sunday afternoon and came across the spud in the picture. I think I will put this boy up on EBay and see if I can make enough to cover my taxes. I hear Cornflakes in the shape of Indiana are hot; I wonder what a heart-shaped potato will bring? Too bad I didn’t discover this before Valentine’s Day; it would have probably been more valuable then. Some fat-cat Idaho potato farmer could have brought it for his wife. “I potato you, Honey,” he could have told her. Now wouldn’t that be romantic.