Now that I work in the oil business, I have become far too familiar with the amount of taxation on petroleum products.  There are so many fees, exises, and other hidden taxes on petroleum products that the Government his now the biggest beneficiary of their sale.

There are many other commodities that are secretly taxed as well.  Oil is just a good example.

We also have the income tax withholding that most folks don’t even consider to be part of their income.   Many people just don’t care about it because they don’t deal with it.   Escrow accounts hide property tax as well.

Taxes should never be out of sight and out of mind.  Taxes should be overt.   We should feel the hit every time we pay.  That way we will remember what we pay when we go to the ballot box.  We should properly place the blame for the pain at the pump.  We should know what we are paying our government each time we cut a check.

Thing to make the country better #5:  End the tax shell game.