We all need to pay for the government - Derek Thompson writes "We need higher taxes, and not just for the rich": "President Obama is going to have to break his campaign promise and raise taxes on Americans making under $250,000. There's really no way around it."

While I agree with the statement that Washington has a spending problem and not a tax problem, that doesn't change the fact that we need to cut spending and raise taxes. And it's not just a matter of revenue (which is considerably higher if all tax rates are increased); it's a matter of equality. If everybody has "skin in the game" it might force Americans to re-focus on how much government they want and whether they're getting a bargain for the money.

Howard Dean was on NPR yesterday and although the ex-DNC chair is a highly partisan player, even he acknowledged that: "...the middle class tax cuts that President Obama is defending that George Bush put in are not compatible with the balanced budget. ... Everybody has to pay more taxes."

We're living in a fantasy world where Americans are paying only 60 cents for every dollar of government received. It's time to bring the cost/benefit ratio back in line.