But while it is clear and obvious that Americans think it is
patriotic and American to not make our country’s athletes pay taxes on the
Olympic prize money, it is worth a minute’s worth of consideration for the basis
in logic, principles and fairness. So let’s take a minute and consider.
The athletes represent America voluntarily and in the spirit
of serving the nation as our ambassadors to the world. They have spent years
training and competing to attain their status as the best in their sports. This
dedication and drive is exemplary of American values: working hard, struggling
against the odds, and let’s face it succeeding. Often these athletes pursue
their ascent to the top positions in their sports in relative obscurity where
only those intimately knowledgeable about the sports know who them, to the
American public they are not household names. [Note: there are some exceptions
like NBA stars and women beach volleyball players. Who make decent money and
really need the help from the political brain-trust.]
Are athletes in some way truly unique in representing America
to the world, and thus warranting of a special exemption? We don’t want to
consider the military personnel that are deployed in both larger numbers and in
more countries? They represent America every day in situations that are
substantively more important and centric to American values than sports. Should
we tax them for fighting and protecting our nation because it’s not
entertaining and the medals often won are not for things that anyone would
strive to have happen to them? Surely this is more aligned to our American values;
and thus the tax exemption is not justified on the basis of representing America.
What about scientist and Nobel prize winners? Do they represent American values
less honorably, less importantly or less meaningfully?
So it’s hard to come up with the specialness that makes the
exemption so appropriate here?
Now if the politicians wanted to show their recognition of
the significance of the athletes’ accomplishment and believe that the athletes
deserve the full value of their prize money, they could be (what do you call
it? Oh, yeah!) smart. They could think, perhaps for the first time, about an
issue before they choose the simple-minded and good old political answer to
everything: let’s pass a half-baked, half-considered, half-assed law that creates
an opportunity to look like they are doing something good (a rarity in itself).
Why not insure that the athletes get to keep their prize
money by making the solution a true American approach to solving the dilemma?
If they can’t think of any, they could consult with people who could show them
how to handle the problem. They could turn the solution not into a government
mandated solution but into a patriotic recognition consistent with American values.
This doesn’t require the politicians to do anything, so they could continue to
do what they are good at – doing nothing. They could tell the public how the
athletes could keep the prize money without them having to take credit for it,
but then they couldn’t take credit for it.
So why do I think it’s wrong for our politician’s to rush into this issue which
they seem ill-equipped to handle? Because the politicians should be true
leaders and just try and take credit for charging to the rescue when they are
just seizing the spotlight.
