You may think this is crazy, but I’m a big fan of April 15th. Go ahead and hate me for this, but I actually think we should turn it into a       national holiday.

Yes, I realize I am nuts. No, you’re right. I should hate the IRS like most everyone does, and I should hate everything about our annual day of tax collection.

But I don’t. I kinda like it and I think we should celebrate it. Just like the Fourth of July. Maybe not with parades, but certainly with fireworks and alcohol. Lots and lots of alcohol…

Here’s the thing. As Americans what’s the one thing we enjoy as much as our freedoms? Our services. Very few people around the world get as many as we do, and at the level of quality as ours.

Think about it. We have great protective services, free public education, and probably the world’s most reliable infrastructure. From our libraries to our National Parks, our national highway system to our public airwaves, our quality of life is far better than most because of all the services we receive from our government.

Yes, I know it’s unpopular to give love to the government when many want to shrink it down and strangle it in their bathtubs (thanks, Grover Norquist).  But where would we be without the millions of people our government employs to look after the safety of our food, the efficacy of our medicine, the accuracy of our weights and measures, and the quality of our air and water?

So if I have to pay a percentage of my hard-earned money in taxes each year to cover my share of all this, well, to me, that’s a pretty good deal. Would I like to pay less? Sure. Do I want my tax money spent more wisely? Of course I do. But I absolutely do not mind paying my share. In fact, I celebrate it.

Every year on April 15th I think about how fortunate I am to have done so well to have to pay taxes. And if I haven’t done so well, I’m fortunate to get money refunded back to me. It’s a good deal for my family either way, and I always feel grateful.

So would you please consider celebrating with me? If you’re getting a refund, awesome. If you did so well last year that you have to cough up a bunch more this year, even better. You rock!

Let’s count our blessings and start celebrating. April 15th should be a Federal holiday, and we should all go out into the Public Commons (all those nice places our tax dollars go to build and maintain), dance to  live music, have a few stiff drinks, and celebrate our good fortune.

Anyone with me?