I'd really like to see the date of our major elections in the U.S. changed...
to the Tuesday immediately following April 15th, just so what people are getting for their money is fresh in their minds. Although, unfortunately, it probably wouldn't have much of an effect on the negative campaign ads (aka negative campaign drivel) I end up watching/listening to during every election season.
PhaedrusZ
Re: I'd really like to see the date of our major elections in the U.S. changed...
unfortunately, your assumption is based on a possibly incorrect conclusion that more than 50% of Americans actually pay taxes on April 15th. Based on a head count of chronically unemployed plus a head count of employed people who receive more back in tax credits than they pay out in withholding, I'm not sure ...
Re: I'd really like to see the date of our major elections in the U.S. changed...
Excellent idea PZ!
I once read a similar idea from an economist. He suggested that instead of witholding taxes from people's paychecks, that the government actually send people an itemized bill for all the services government provides. He speculated that if people truly realized how much of their hard earned money went to some of these pork barrel projects that they would force congress to change.