The HAPPY Act

In the ever growing and ever widening use of the tax code for vote buying there is a bill being introduced into the House by U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter (R-Michigan). It is House Resolution 3501, aka the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years, or HAPPY Act. This bill if passed would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow an individual to deduct up to $3,500 for qualified pet care expenses.

I like tax deductions and I'll take them anyway I can get them. You have to wonder though, how long will it be before we start hearing the cries, "Veterinary care is a right" or "we demand free pet care". Next election cycle, both sides will be finding pet care sob stories to draw on for emotional based support. Stories of vets amputating legs for a quick $20,000 or Obama telling us how he watched on as his childhood dog die helplessly while he called from the dog's bedside trying to find good quality care for the pooch. The opportunity here for pandering and drawing on the old heartstrings is endless.

Let's not even state the obvious, OK let's state the obvious-they don’t even let you deduct the first $3,500 in medical expenses unless you make under a certain income level. I would imagine the guys making over a certain threshold will not qualify for this deduction either. You know, all those tax cuts for the rich. I have to wonder how long before there is an earned income pet credit also. Why not? Pay the guy who doesn't pay any federal taxes for having a dog or other "qualified pet". (Section 224, article d)

Lunacy like this is the reason we have a tax code of more than 67,500 pages. It is time to stop tying bills to the federal income tax code and time to stop buying votes with it.