The Life and Times of Michael Shadle

I got a hiring bonus for getting a friend hired. Boy, I was excited for some extra cash. However, when I saw the deposit, I was taken aback. The government took 41.7% of my bonus I got. The bonus I had to fight for to get appealed and wait months to get. What has the government done lately to deserve that? I think that individuals should all be given a "maximum tax amount" or something, and it should be based on a percentage of their income. Or, remove taxes altogether and go with a Flat Tax or a VAT. Seriously. The cycle of taxation on the same dollar is getting insane, now that I am starting to value money more and seeing how easily it is wasted.