Samantha Weinberg
Largo, FL – 02/06/26.
Everyone remembers getting their first job, but more importantly, receiving their first
paycheck. Opening the envelope and seeing the number you worked so hard for. But you are
immediately disappointed to see that that number is much lower than you had expected. Taxes. I
vividly remember the first time I realized a good portion of my paycheck was taken for federal income
taxes. I also remembered the smirk on my parents’ faces as they said, “Welcome to the real world,
kid.” Now, fast-forward 50 years: you’ve worked hard, built a career, raised a family, and had done everything right. As you approach retirement, you eagerly await the money you have worked for your entire life. However, you realize that our government collects 500 billion dollars a year in taxes from senior citizens. What we all truly need is freedom from federal income tax, specifically for senior citizens.
The importance of senior citizens
Our senior citizens paved the way for the lives that we have today, literally and
figuratively. They paved the roads, built the schools we learned in, and so much more. We could
not live the lives we do today without them. Even so, many senior citizens are working well into
their golden years just to pay for their medications and Medicaid Part B, and they are facing
affordability challenges like never before. These are our parents, grandparents, and loved ones,
many of whom have worked for well over 50 years. They have contributed more than their fair
share to federal income taxes. So why are they bearing the burden of paying higher federal
income taxes than the wealthy corporations in the United States?
Why is freedom from federal income tax so important for senior citizens?
Americans over the age of 65 are paying a higher tax rate than the billion-dollar
corporations in this country. By looking at the S&P 500, you can see that these wealthy
corporations are only paying a miniscule 4% in federal income taxes. Compared with small
business owners, who pay an average of 19%, this includes our electricians, plumbers, home
builders, and restaurant owners. These people keep this country afloat and empower the working
class. A common argument in this case is that these wealthy corporations deserve a tax break
because they employ so many Americans, but this is simply not the case. Small and mid-sized
businesses account for 82% of jobs in this country, with large corporations making up the
remaining 18%. Implementing a 3% flat tax on these wealthy corporations would generate
enough revenue to fully eliminate the 500 billion dollars in federal income taxes collected from
senior citizens each year.
Our solution to this issue
This issue is bigger than a left-versus-right debate. It is time to provide our senior citizens
with genuine freedom from the burden of federal income taxes. This is why John Fay is running
for Congress in Florida’s 13th district; he believes in a better way of doing things. Specifically,
he believes in protecting our senior citizens and granting them the freedoms they have worked so
hard to earn, both literally and metaphorically. If you agree with this matter and want to learn
more about his other ideas, specifically addressing affordability, holding large corporations
accountable, restoring decency to our political discourse, and investing in mental and emotional
strength building for our children, visit votejtf.org to donate, volunteer, or learn more.
