John Q's humor is laced with frustration, anger

If you want to know a little something about what people are thinking, you should probably pay attention to the jokes that circulate over the Internet.

My attention was captured recently by a faux letter to the IRS from my old friend, John Q Public, explaining why he won't be able to pay his taxes on April 15. Copies landed in my e-mail inbox a surprising number of times early this week.

Mind you, John Q points out that he has paid some taxes, including — and this is a vastly condensed version of his facetious list — accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gasoline tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, Medicare tax, city property tax (up 33 percent last four years, he notes), real estate tax, Social Security tax, road usage tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, state franchise tax, state unemployment tax, telephone federal excise tax … "and many more that I can't recall, but I have run out of space and money.

"When you do not receive my check April 15, just know that it is an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you treated" and it lists several prominent national figures, including Congressman Charles Rangel and ex-Congressman Tom Daschle and "of course, your boss, Timothy Geithner. No penalties and no interest."

Those on the lists were embarrassed when it was publicly discovered that they had neglected to meet their entire tax obligation in a timely fashion on their own. (The different versions contained slightly different lists of purported offenders.)

The joke letter concludes with a promise to make a partial payment when the stimulus check arrives.

It's actually pretty funny and judging from the number of times the thing was forwarded to me by friends and acquaintances, it has struck a chord with a great many people. But I think it would be a mistake for our national leaders to write it off as simply humor.

There's a bite to it that says people aren't really all that amused. And it's a bite that surfaces repeatedly when you look beyond the joke and just talk to friends and neighbors and acquaintances about politics or what's happening with the economy and other substantial issues of national interest.