No tea parties here, thank you very much

The name of the game in US political histronics is "tea party." Virtual and real, people have scheduled tea parties for today, April 15th, the day when US income taxes are due for the previous year. I won't be participating. I don't love paying taxes, but I recognize the need to pay for all the stuff I expect out of my federal and state governments, and I also recognize that our president is doing his best to help with at least short-term fixes for the Big Greedy Mess in which we find ourselves.

Besides, the reason I was counting upon to provide my annual supply of cause for griping failed me this year. We always owe money to the feds and to the state of Iowa, and we are always owed a refund from the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin likes to hold onto the money till the eagle screams. Like, till June. That's when we usually get our Wisconsin refund. 

Not this year. Today I mailed off our checks to the US Treasury and to the State of Iowa - and when I picked up our mail, our Wisconsin refund check was in it. Now I think that is totally reasonable. A refund that arrives on the same day that our payments are due. This is so fair it really disappoints me because I will have to find something else to whine about now.