‘GOVERNMENT MONEY’ IS A FAIRY TALE
I NEVER understood what the Tooth Fairy did with all those teeth.
Still, it was none of my business really. I left the tooth under my pillow and next morning there would be a shining sixpence in its place, which was not a bad deal considering you could get two big Wilson’s toffees for a penny. (They probably caused more teeth to fall out, so the fairy was onto a good thing.)
Of course, as I grew older I discovered there was no Tooth Fairy, or Easter Bunny, or Father Christmas. All that loot – the chocolate eggs and brightly coloured toys – was from my dad, who had worked hard to earn it.
Mom’s job was to spend it. She had to decide how much went on groceries and clothes and school shoes, and how much to set aside for tooth fairies, Easter bunnies and Father Christmas.
It must have been a tough call. By the time we go to school, most of us children have come to the age when we realise the world is not full of generous fairies and bunnies handing out free stuff. Somebody has to pay for everything.
One myth, however, refuses to die. Even into adulthood many people stick to the belief that there’s a big daddy called “The Government” who hands out free money to those who have been good. If I were a teacher I would put a great big poster on my classroom wall, saying: “There is no such thing as government money. Only taxpayers’ money.”
When people demand houses or water or jobs, the government has to use our money – tax money – to pay for them.
The government has to act like mom and decide whether the Tooth Fairy will use grocery money or school shoe money to pay for your tooth.
The Tooth Fairy doesn’t actually have any money. So when angry people burn railway carriages there’s only one way to buy new ones.
The government has to decide whether to take money from the school fees or the housing account or the pension fund.
It’s time the train burners realise their malicious flames have taken away somebody’s chance of getting a decent house, or of having proper toilets at their school, or of having a medical clinic in their neighbourhood.
There’s no such thing as government money. Only taxpayers’ money.
As taxpayers we have to decide how to spend our money. We can build schools or hospitals or fix broken Eskom generators. Or burn trains. Our money; our choice. It looks like a no-brainer to me. Last Laugh
Freddie took up tennis to try to lose weight and get fit. He was explaining his progress to a friend in the clubhouse.
“My brain gives the order: run to the net, jump high to smash that lob, race back to the base-line, stretch out for that tram-line shot, swing your body to put weight behind that smash.”
“And what happens then?” asked the friend.
“My body says: ‘Who? Me?’”