Letter from Jyri:: Government on furlough? Foreigners baffled

A View from Finland:

Hunter, 
I’m by no means worried about you and yours (you guys’ll probably survive the Flood), but the situation otherwise over there seems to be nothing sort of mind-boggling.  Most times I don’t love government any more than the next fellow, but you have to keep the thing running whatever the country and place, just in ivew of things like emergency services,  the continued functioning of basic infrastructure, the safety and health of citizens etc. There’s a hell of a lot more to it than just tax collection.

Speaking of which I just got my tax decision for 2012 in today’s mail – I’ll be paying them quite a few euros,  and some, but on the other hand it went almost exactly the way I calculated it back in the spring. I had originally counted on deductible pension fund contributions that I wasn’t able to pay in until early January 2013, of course too late for 2012. But such is life. The good news is that I can work out an instalment deal with the tax people – plenty of experience of that and they’re quite reasonable. I’m also trying with live with the irony that my wife will be getting a refund of 71 euros.

A basic civics lesson concerning the government shutdown over there would be greatly appreciated. It would seem to me that the Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot  with this one. But please enlighten me when you have the time.

Warm autumn here – we’re still out in the sticks. A month to go before returning to the city, but I’m no great hurry. I sometimes miss my pals at the public sauna – the thinking man’s thinkers on all topics under the sun – but that’s about it. City lights do not beckon this boy. 

Best wishes,
Jyri


HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq / 
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk 
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO

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