1584 Pole Taxxx

Governor Rick Perry of Texas has only begun to feel the heat of a nationwide campaign. He's currently being assailed from both the left and right for various stances he's taken over the years. From calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme to proclaiming his Evangelical Christian decision-informing methods, he's stepping on all kinds of third rails.
This and having to live down his daughter Katy's excessive Friday Night partying.
One of Perry's recent decisions has caused him to take a lot of flack from his own Tea Partiers. Seems Perry signed a directive to require all 12-year-old girls to be vaccinated against HPV.
It's a good vaccine. It prevents cancer caused by HPV. But as far as the Tea Partiers are concerned, the bad thing is he required it. That's apparently government intrusion at its worst.
You know, like polio vaccines and stuff. Or cleaning stagnant ponds of yellow fever-infested mosquitoes. Darn government.
But Perry is a pragmatist too. Apparently he hasn't let his Evangelicalism get in the way of creative tax approaches. Recognizing that there can be no forgiveness without sin, and that sin is also an opportunity for revenue, he's helped Texas put the triple-x in taxes.
They earn money with a "pole tax" as it's unpopularly called. As in stripper pole. They levy a five-dollar charge to anyone visiting a stripper bar. And there seem to be a lot of visitors—an average of 81 per day per bar.
Maybe they just go in for the air-conditioning.
The state makes $25 million a year off 169 bars. Talk about a Texas Miracle. This from a guy who looks like a football coach. Who'd have thought you could pull in 25 million on a cover charge?
Or is that an uncover charge?
America, ya gotta love it.