The grim determination with which Barack Obama and his minions continue to pursue tax increases for Americans brings to mind a story told of Mulla Nasruddin, a satirical Sufi sage thought to have lived in the 13th century.

The tale is told of a tax collector who fell into the reflecting pond on his way into the Treasury building. Unable to swim and weighted down with the gold he had extracted from the local citizenry, he flailed about wildly while crying for help. A group of men formed a human chain, hand-to-hand and reached out to the tax collector, imploring him to: "Give me your hand!"

The tax collector ignored them and continued to thrash about. They again entreated him to "Give me your hand!" The tax collector continued to ignore the men and began to sink beneath the surface.

Finally Mulla Nasruddin saw the commotion and approached the scene. The men told them of their inability to rescue the tax collector and asked the great sage to help them. Agreeing to help, Naruddin installed himself at the end of the chain and reached out to the tax collector saying:

"Take my hand." The taxman did and was safely pulled to solid ground.

The lesson, of course, is to realize that one can never ask the tax collector to give you anything: he only knows how to take. Obama and his allies in the Party of Take are the modern personification of the tax collector interested only in what they can take from the American people: Automobile companies, the incandescent light bulb, our national pride and now, even greater taxes are in Obama's line of sight. I suggest we follow the Biblical wisdom of the synoptic gospels and render unto to Obama what is Obama's.

Based on his performance in office thus far, the only thing Taxman Barry has coming is a permanent vacation from the Presidency starting in 2013. It can't get here soon enough.

Ralph Alter is a regular contributor to American Thinker.