Back-to-School Blues

From the Heritage Foundation comes a fantastic/distressing graphic showing why the kids shouldn't be the only ones upset while back-to-school shopping this August.  Indeed, mom and dad have plenty of reasons to be miffed too:

Nothing like adding a few hundred unnecessary bucks to American families' back-to-school budgets to really start the 2010 school year off right, huh?  Although I'm sure that these working moms and dads will, like, totally be comforted knowing that their hard-earned dollars are going to line the pockets of America's well-connected shoe/t-shirt/lunchbox/etc. producers and their unions. 

Riiiiiiight. 

And (as I've repeatedly noted) let's also not forget that these taxes are highly regressive, costing poor Americans a far greater percentage of their paychecks than wealthy Americans.  So the next time a protectionist talks about how these tariffs are necessary to ensure "fair trade," try not to laugh in his/her face, ok?

Happy shopping, everyone.

(h/t Andy Roth)

p.s. I've been traveling for business and the internet connection here hasn't afforded me much ability to blog since last week.  I'll be back online soon - there's plenty of new stuff to complain about.