TAX FREEDOM DAY

Each year the Tax Foundation calculates how many days it takes the average American to pay his or her taxes and start working for him\herself. The date for 2006 is April 26. You have to work from January 1 until April 26 just to pay your taxes. About one-third of your salary will go to the government instead of yourself and your family.

"Despite all the tax cuts that the federal government has passed recently,” says Tax Foundation President Scott Hodge, "Americans will still spend more on taxes than they spend on food, clothing and housing combined."

So, while your congressman is funding the Jake Pickle highway and the Alaskan bridge to nowhere, you are working to pay for it. Those pork projects that will not benefit you at all, but will help someone get reelected somewhere you don't live, will take away from your standard of living, your kid's education and your retirement.