Yep, I hear it all the time as well, especially during my time as a tax accountant in retirement. Do you know how many clients had no idea what was required of them. They were always shocked and surprised at every turn. Ask them for receipts, records, sales records--nada, zero, zip, zilch. We must keep records???

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When I sold my businesses, the best store of the bunch was out of business in 18 months. That store had over a 20-year track record at that location. The other store did better until they moved from a prime location to an out of the way location to save some rent. They lasted about three years.

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I supposed they finally understood why I insisted on a cash sale up front. Do you think the burden of taxes did them in? I think taxes are a convenient excuse for failure.

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But then I'm not a libertarian. I don't believe taxation is evil. I believe in pooling our tax dollars for the greater good, but that's a lost cause these days. After all, “taxes are for suckers” says the tax cheat president elected a six years ago. Unfortunately, the greater good for our government is our bloated war budget. Our biggest socialist program and no one seems to mind. We pool our money and spend it on war. Spend it on people--bad socialism, spend it on war--good socialism.