My Son is a Republican

The other day my son wanted to go to Wal Mart to buy a DS game using money he had saved up. After picking out his game we went to pay for it. He was surprised by the amount of taxes added to the price of the game. As I was explaining the purpose of taxes to my son, the cashier added a little bit more to the conversation that almost ended us being kicked out of the store.

I was trying to keep it simple for an 11 year old by simply saying the taxes we pay go towards paying service men, police, firemen as well as fixing the roads. The cashier added into our conversation the importance of the welfare system. This caused my son to get an angry feeling about him. As the cashier explained more about people who get paid money every month from the government which led my curious son to ask questions? 

This is part of their conversation

Son: Don’t they have a job?

Cashier: No.

Son: Don’t they want to work?

Cashier: Why work when they get paid not to.

Son: So my taxes pay people not to work

Cashier: Well, yeh.

Son: That’s stupid. It’s my money. I want to help firemen. My cousin is a fireman.

Cashier: Well you just don’t understand how things work in life.

Son: They need to fix it.

Cashier: It can’t be done.

Son: Stupid waste of my money.

Cashier: Well if you don’t like it then that’s tough.

Son: I’m going to spend my money where it’s not wasted.

Cashier: I think you need to be quiet and leave now.

Me: You did put your two cents into our conversation so…

Cashier: Do I need to call the manager to have you thrown out of this store?

Me: Good luck with that.

She called the manager up front like we were criminals. We already had our receipt as the manager wanted to know what was going on. I played it cool and allowed my son to talk. He basically said the cashier wanted my tax money to pay welfare people instead of my cousin who is with the fire department. I told the manager the cashier kept talking about supporting the welfare system. The situation didn’t get too out of hand because an unexpected event took place.

One of my cousins was already in the store doing a fire inspection of the building, saw us and as we said our hellos, the manager looked like he wanted to hide under a rock. He apologized for the cashier who looked like she wanted to bit nails as my cousin, son and I left the store. I told him everything that had happened and we all had a good laugh except my son who was still upset that the taxes he paid on his game was going to pay people not to work. And again we all had a good laugh.  I still see the cashier working there as does my son who reminds me many times that he wants the government to stop wasting his money.