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Yesterday, I did what I do every Wednesday-- I logged onto the Payless employee website, and took a look at my paycheck stub so I could start budgeting out groceries and bills and the like. And then I realized a new option. I could actually look at the whole stub and print it out.

And then I realized exactly how much I was paying in taxes.

I work forty hours a week at $7.75-- more than minimum wage. I'm lucky. And yet, I pay almost $60 dollars in tax every week out of my paycheck. Federal, Medicaid, State tax... it's ridiculous. Why on earth is it that much?

Why do I pay Medicare if I don't have Medicare? Why should I have to pay for health insurance for other people who can't afford it, when I can't afford it myself? Shouldn't I put that money towards my own health insurance? Oh wait, I know why.

Because I can't afford it.

And what about the federal tax? Almost $40 alone in federal taxes. It's my damn money, why should the government have the right to take so much from me? Pay a little? Sure. Pay a third of my paycheck?

******** no.

Louisiana's state tax is higher than most because they are still trying to compensate all that they lost in Katrina. Again, why should I have to pay for this? Was I here for Katrina? No. Did I cause it? No.

So why do I have to pay for the damages?

Oh wait, I know now. Because the government is in debt, and they can't afford to fix it themselves.

Taxes suck us dry.

I'm missing out on almost $250 a month in taxes alone, money that I could use to pay for groceries, or that health insurance that I can't afford. The government complains that our economy is bad, and that there are so many people who don't make a lot of money, or can't afford to live.

Well, these high taxes don't help on bit.

It's ******** ridiculous.

I hate America.