READ, WEEP, AND PRINT AND KEEP!

[OHCHUTE 0]

READ, WEEP, AND PRINT AND KEEP!




Charley Reese's Final column!
A very interesting column.. COMPLETELY NEUTRAL
Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...
He has been a journalist for 49 years.
He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral,
neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel,
has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis
must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day.
It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People
-By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ...

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish;
to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators,
to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like
"the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from
doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax


STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . . BE AN AMERICAN!!!

[ibx 2]

You had me at "completely neutral" and "poem in the end" ...

[ibx 2]

Quote

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

So you would rather have child labor, limited to no female education, regular famines where people literally starved to death, lynchings. A much lower life expectancy and on and on...

How on earth can you be so ignorant ?

[Quagmirian 40]

>"completely neutral"
>"be an American!"

[regulator 0]

Anyone else think its funny ibx called himself ignorant?

[ibx 2]

Yeah I replied to myself. You are defending your position nicely.

[Gravitymaster 0]

Quote

Yeah I replied to myself. You are defending your position nicely.

Explain how raising taxes solved all those problems.

[ibx 2]

Well a lot of these taxes are used to pay for infrastructure like roads you use every day, 100 years ago your horse did not need a road. They pay for schools, police, the fire department and lots of agencies that control that you are not being poisoned by food suppliers or medical suppliers. Fly in unmaintained aircraft.

I'm not saying that taxes are spent efficiently and that is where debates starts, but there has to be some form controlling body for all these people to live together more or less peacefully. Enforce the constitution which guarantees your rights.
And that controlling body has to paid for.

I pay over 40% of my wages for taxes, health insurance(which is involuntary) and social security. And I do it gladly because my country and I benefit greatly. I never have to worry that an unexpected illness will make me miss a mortgage rate. And since I consider myself patriotic I will gladly pay for my less fortunate country men because as society, we all benefit.

If you would just use your brain a little bit even you could comprehend that the world has changed dramatically over the past 100 years and the quality of life has increased vastly.

I'm not going to look up statistics, but think of the keywords, infant mortality, maternal mortality, life expectancy, literacy(though I don't think you consider this an improvement) and violent death.

edit: I accidentally a word.

[regulator 0]

so by pointing out you called yourself ignorant that is somehow 'my position'?

I just pointed out the obvious...feel free to draw your own conclusions on that.

[ibx 2]

Thank you for adding to the discussion.

[Gravitymaster 0]

Here's what you said:

Quote

1. So you would rather have child labor,
2. limited to no female education,
3.regular famines where people literally starved to death,
4. lynchings.
5. A much lower life expectancy and on and on...

So please explain how raising taxes solved all these problems as you claimed.

[rehmwa 2]

Quote

Here's what you said:

Quote

1. So you would rather have child labor,
2. limited to no female education,
3.regular famines where people literally starved to death,
4. lynchings.
5. A much lower life expectancy and on and on...

So please explain how raising taxes solved all these problems as you claimed.

He's so much more enlightened that all of the rest of us drones. Using statements like "If you would just use your brain a little bit even you could comprehend" indicate his superiority over the rest of the plebes of the world.

Really, why should he even try? He's already so completely open minded about everything.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[skypuppy 1]

If you would just use your brain a little bit even you could comprehend


In a just world, I guess we would all be speaking German.

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[wmw999 2,583]

Back to the original, there might be a point to the thought that things weren't necessarily better across the board in the early 1900's, before income tax.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Quote

Back to the original, there might be a point to the thought that things weren't necessarily better across the board in the early 1900's, before income tax.

Wendy P.

The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

I pay over 40% of my wages for taxes,...

...and you have no problem with your goobermint spending 140% of your wages...and STILL not getting the job done?

Sorry, but I have a problem with that...a major problem.

How about your personal income then? You get to spend 140% of what you make! WoooHoooo! You wouldn't want to change that, would you?

See the correlation? Goovermint doesn't want their honey bucket to change that either.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Back to the original, there might be a point to the thought that things weren't necessarily better across the board in the early 1900's, before income tax.

Wendy P.

Of course! No-brainer.
That's not the point though.
We started out fiscally lean...and now? And Why? The writer says "politicians". I have to agree at this point.

Nobody is saying "go back to the day"....well, IBX thinks that was said and dragged the thread off on a wild goose chase.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[wmw999 2,583]

The thing is that when we were that fiscally lean, a lot of that stuff wasn't available. Industry was unregulated to a degree that most would find unacceptable now, there weren't any safe housing regulations, much in safe food regulations, no regulation of financial markets.

Why does regulation cost? Well, you have to enforce it. And much of the time, the more you leave it to enforcement rather that prevention, the more expensive it is in the long run.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)