Federal income taxes are due today. And in dozens of cities across the nation, demonstrations commemorating the Boston Tea Party will protest … well, it’s not entirely clear what they will protest.

Protesters – like most Americans – certainly don’t enjoy paying taxes. Many of today’s demonstrations, though, seem to be geared directly against the Obama administration and government in general, not taxes. True, Obama’s spending policies will drive up the national debt. Even without them, though, at least some Americans are facing the prospect of higher taxes in order to dig the nation out of a deep hole. The national debt will have to be addressed by a combination of less spending and more revenue, and that revenue comes from taxes.

That’s not what today’s protesters want to hear.

“National Debt enslaves us ALL,” is presented as an idea for a protest sign on the Web site of Indianapolisteaparty.com, but don’t look for a lot of ideas about tackling that debt with anything but spending cuts. The same site lists as a “talking point,” this idea: “Cut Taxes to stimulate the Economy. … Give individuals back their own money: How does punishing a millionaire actually help those that are living paycheck to paycheck? This is emotions vs. substance.”

These protests hardly seemed geared toward promoting the fairest tax of all: A progressive, or graduated, income tax, which taxes Americans with the highest income – those who have benefited the most from the nation – with the highest rates.

No, the protests will have a heavy anti-Obama theme. One national organizer suggested the protesters couple their criticism with positive action. Yet the main organizer of the Indianapolis protest belittled the idea that tax day tea party participants bring a can of food to donate. “ARE YOU FREAKIN’ KIDDING ME!” Richard Behney wrote in response to the idea. “I am not spending my time and monies, putting my job in jeopardy, and not giving my children enough attention simply for another CANNED FOOD DRIVE.”

Expect Behney and others to accuse President Obama of being a socialist out to ruin the country. Don’t expect much intelligent debate about taxes.

And that is unfortunate. No one can honestly defend the current income tax system, with its endless complexities that fuel unfairness. Completing a tax return is more like trying to solve a riddle or find your way through a labyrinth than determining your fair share of financing the federal government.

Fairness is indeed the key. Americans generally understand that they must pay to finance their government. They just want to pay a fair share and see their money go to legitimate expenditures and not waste.

Sadly, it appears little of the attention on this tax day will be about tax policy.