Ads "Don't Pay"

There are numerous ads that say they can reduce your debt by 60-90%.  What happened to actually paying what is owed?

There are ads telling people that they can reduce the amount owed to the IRS (read US Government).  There are other ads telling us how the credit card companies are keeping us in debt, so they will reduce the amount owed.

Other ads tell that we can get what we "deserve."  Meaning a new car, new TV's or whatever.  That people "deserve" the great life, not because they worked for it but because they exist.

I pay my bills, I pay my taxes (though reluctantly), I save for my large purchases.  I use our credit cards to pay for food, necessities, etc..  The credit card companies are not forcing me into debt, i.e., I pay my card off completely when it is due.  The advantages are that I don't have to carry a lot of cash with me, I get a compiled list of my purchases each month (which I check against my receipts), & there is a rebate after a certain level of purchases.

All the people who take advantage of the above ads are raising the taxes, credit card rates, etc. for the rest of us, the conscientious.  I believe in paying for what I get, there really is no free lunch, you or someone else pays for it.  The stimulus bill will be paid by our kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, etc..

advertisement (n) a notice or announcement in a public medium promoting a product, service, or event or publicizing a job vacancy : advertisements for alcoholic drinks | we received only two replies to our advertisement. • ( advertisement for) informal a person or thing regarded as a means of recommending something : unhappy clients are not a good advertisement for the company. • archaic a notice to readers in a book

Law of Unintended Consequences

There is a talk show host who often talks about the Law of Unintended Consequences.

A good example is the Ecological imperative that using less gas is good.  Oregon has proposed adding transponders to cars so that the cars which are hybrid (OR has the highest % of these in the US) can be taxed per mile when they fill up since they get more mpg.  Here a good thing buy less gas (less pollution less cash to overseas, etc.) has led to lower gas taxes so government "needs" more tax.

In other states, since gas use has decreased the price has decreased which leads to less tax revenue from sales tax or proportional gas tax.  So other states are looking at OR for inspiration!

Many states increased cigarette taxes to reduce the amount of smoking (let me state for the record I am against smoking!) so as people have stopped smoking, the tax revenue is going down.  Smoking brings in a lot of taxes (of course the "costs" of smoking in terms of health care, etc. are also high).

As people get healthier they live longer, so medicare costs increase, so taxes go up.

Makes you wonder, what can we do that won't increase taxes?

consequence (n) 1 a result or effect of an action or condition : many have been laid off from work as a consequence of the administration's policies. 2 [often with negative ] importance or relevance : the past is of no consequence | he didn't say anything of great consequence.
• dated social distinction : a woman of consequence