The single greatest threat to American Liberty is allowing voting rights for those who do not pay taxes. They will vote for anyone or anything they percieve will continue to give them benifits without requiring them to work!

greatest threat to liberty is the progressives both left and right

I'm talking to the trees.

Article 1, Section 8, "enumerates" the twelve (only 12) duties of the once-federal government. None of those "duties" includes health "care," retirement, education, mortgages, student loans, bail-outs, subsidies....

When James Madison penned the words, "general welfare," he meant the general welfare to apply only to those twelve "enumerated" duties and, to be certain that future generations would understand his meaning, he authored the Tenth Amendment.

Restrict this government, cum Congress, to spending on those twelve "enumerated" duties, and that government would immediately become "limited."

An attendant benefit would be that Congress would remain in session only as long as it took for them to fund those twelve "enumerated" duties. From lack of occupation, they would adjourn, go home and leave We, the People, alone.

The Texas Legislature convenes every other year for 90 days. Texas leads the Nation in "creating and saving jobs."

I believe the United States Constitution is a document of the highest order, written by an assembly of some of the brightest minds in history. Minds that also understood and reflected upon the written history of a few thousand years that came before. No doubt the Constitution should remain valid in the spirit it was written, inspired by God no less, for at least two thousand years longer.

"We need earmark reform, and when I'm President, I will go line by line to make sure that we are not spending money unwisely." -- Barack Obama

Hmmmmm.

Mr. President, Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader Pelosi: I wonder if there are any government programs we might be able to cut, anywhere we might save money....

Personal Income Tax Division of the IRS

National Endowment for the Arts

National Wild Horse and Burro Program

Dept. of Education

Dept of Energy

FEMA

FDIC

Freddy Mac & Fannie Mae

Administration on Aging (AoA)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD)

Administration for Native Americans (ANA)

Children's Bureau (CB)

Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)

Head Start Bureau (HSB)

Healthy Marriage Initiative (HMI)

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE)

Office of Community Services Block Grant (OCS)

Office of Family Assistance (OFA)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID)

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRS

Indian Health Service (IHS)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

Office of Minority Health (OMH)

Program Support Center (PSC)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Admin.(SAMHSA)

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT)

Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI)

Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB)

Employment Standards Administration (ESA)

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)

Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)

Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

Employment and Training Administration (ETA)

Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)

Women's Bureau (WB)

Job CorpsBureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

Internet Access and Training Program

Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs

Bureau of Human Resources

Bureau of Information Resource Management

Bureau of Intelligence and Research

Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement 

AffairsBureau of International Organization Affairs

Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation

Bureau of Legislative Affairs

Bureau of Near Eastern Affair

Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affair

Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Bureau of Political-Military Affairs

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Bureau of Public Affairs

Bureau of Resource Management

Bureau of South Asian Affairrs

Bureau of Verification, Compliance, and Implementation

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairrs

Counterterrorism Office (which produces the Patterns of Global Terrorism report)

National Foreign Affairs Training Center (former Foreign Service Institute)

Office of International Information Programs

Office of the Legal Adviser

Office of Management Policy

Office of Protocol

Office of the Science and Technology Adviser

Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Office of War Crimes Issues

Bureau of the Public Debt

Community Development Financial Institution Fund (CDFI)

FHA-HUD INDEPENDENT AGENCIES of the U.S. GOVERNMENT:

National health and insurance system

African Development Foundation

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP)

Agency for International Development (USAID)

American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)

Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC)

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

US Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR)

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA)

Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC)

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Export-Import Bank of the United States (ExIm)

Farm Credit Administration (FCA)

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Federal Maritime Commission

Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission (FMSHRC

Federal Reserve (a pseudo-government, semi-private organization)

Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States (FCSC)

General Services Administration (GSA)

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

Inter-American Foundation (IAF)

International Trade Commission (ITC)

Learn and Serve America (LSA)

National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC)

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

National Ice Center (NIC)

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

National Railroad Passenger Corporation:AMTRAC (NRPC)

National Science Foundation (NSF)

National Transportation Research Center (NTRC)

Office of Government Ethics (OGE)

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)

Selective Service System (SSS)

Senior Corps

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC)

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

UNITED STATES TRADE and DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (TDA) BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: 

Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission

Appalachian Regional Commission

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board)

Arctic Research Commission

Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Interagency Coordinating Committee

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

Broadcasting Board of Governors

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

Chief Acquisition Officers Council

Chief Financial Officers Council

Chief Human Capital Officers Council

Chief Information Officers Council

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee

Commission of Fine Arts

Commission on International Religious Freedom

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)

Commission on the IntelligenceCapabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction

Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States

Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Delaware River Basin Commission

Denali Commission

Endangered Species Committee

Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES / ADVISORY BOARDS:

Federal Financial Institutions 

Examination Council

Federal Financing Bank

Federal Geographic Data Committee

Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds

Federal Interagency Committee on Education

Federal Interagency Council on Statistical Policy

Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer

Federal Library and Information Center Committee

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission

Indian Arts and Crafts Board

Interagency Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group 

Interagency Council on Homelessness

Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board

James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

Japan-United States Friendship CommissionJoint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries

Joint Fire Science Program

Marine Mammal Commission

Migratory Bird Conservation Commission

Millennium Challenge Corporation

Mississippi River Commission

Morris K. Udall Foundation: Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy

National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare

National Indian Gaming Commission

National Park Foundation

Northwest Power Planning Council

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board

Presidio Trust

Regulatory Information Service Center

Social Security Advisory Board

Susquehanna River Basin Commission

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Veterans Day National Committee

Vietnam Educational Foundation

White House Commission on Presidential Scholars: "Presidential Scholars Program"

White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance”

Obamacare creates 189 new government agencies.

189

One hundred eighty nine.

Estimates for the cost of Obamacare run to $30 TRILLION -- on top of the $14-point-whatever TRILLION we now owe ourselves and our creditors.

Let's just make it easy and do this the easy way. Just eliminate the I.R.S. and subscribe to the fair tax system with NO loopholes so we can please emperor obama, and maybe everyone else. That way we will all pay if we want to eat!

I would hope for change...and as a tea partier would steal that phrase because change is needed....just not the kind being promoted by Obama racket and political machine. Change should include the forced retirement of most politicians and those employed in high positions in the government. now that is real change, not to mention the great reduction of smog over Washington D.C. All that hot air and smoke they try to blow up our collective skirts....imagine....clear skies and open government....a breath of fresh air and a dream come true.

"Who should determine what amount of tax is fair?"

Hmmm! Seems to me that the Beatles had a pretty insightfull, and prolific take on this:

"Be thankfull I don't take it all.....

Cause I'm the taxman"

"'The Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the Federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf.'"--President Obamba. I'd like to repeat that last part: "...but doesn't say what the Federal government or State government must do on your behalf." The federal government or state government is NOT SUPPOSED to do ANYTHING on my behalf. That is not the proper function of government. It is NOT the government's job to take care of the needy, or the elderly, or the infirm. I'm sorry if that hurts someone's feelings, but that's the bottom line. I've heard it said lately that "if the government doesn't tax you and give that money to the needy, if it is left up to individuals, houses of worship, and charity organizations to take care of them, it won't get done." Or, "If you leave it voluntary, no one will volunteer." I think that says more about a failing of our society and culture more than a failing on the part of government.

Not our corrupt President or any of his Czars. It is the job of our Congress but again we have a worthless Congress right now so really we don't want itin their hands either. WE are in a sad situation of our own making by not election new blood and conservatives always.

Can you think of other taxes than these...?

1. Ad Valorem Tax

2. Building Permit Tax

3. Commercial Driver’s License Tax

4. Cigarette Tax

5. Corporate Income Tax

6. Dog License Tax

7. Excise Taxes

8. Federal Income Tax

9. Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

10. Fishing License Tax

11. Food License Tax

12. Fuel Permit Tax

13. Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)

14. Gross Receipts Tax

15. Hotel/Motel Tax

16. Hunting License Tax

17. Inheritance Tax

18. Inventory Tax

19.  Liquor Tax

20. Luxury Taxes

21. Marriage License Tax

22. Medicare Tax

23. Personal Property Tax

24. Property Tax

25. Real Estate Tax

26. Rental Car Tax

27. Service Charge Tax

28. Social Security Tax

29. Road Usage Tax

30. Sales Tax

31. Recreational Vehicle Tax

32. School Tax

33. State Income Tax

34. State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

35. Telephone Federal Excise Tax

36. Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

37. Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

38. Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

39. Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax

40. Telephone State and Local Tax

41. Telephone Usage Charge Tax

42. Utility Taxes

43. Vehicle License Registration Tax

44. Vehicle Sales Tax

45. Watercraft Registration Tax

46. Well Permit Tax

47. Workers Compensation Tax

"47 Different Taxes We Pay: Can You Think of More?" Godfather Politics Online, 9.14.11

MALFEASANCE n.: intentionally doing something either legally or morally wrong which one had no right to do. It always involves dishonesty, illegality, or knowingly exceeding authority for improper reasons. Malfeasance is distinguished from "misfeasance," which is committing a wrong or error by mistake, negligence or inadvertence, but not by intentional wrongdoing. Example: a city manager putting his indigent cousin on the city payroll at a wage the manager knows is above that allowed and/or letting him file false time cards is malfeasance; putting his able cousin on the payroll which, unknown to him, is a violation of an anti-nepotism statute is misfeasance. This distinction can apply to corporate officers, public officials, trustees, and others cloaked with responsibility. -- The Free Dictionary OnLine

The Constitution provides for impeachment of public officials for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

As The Founders meant it, “high” refers to crimes committed by public officials in “high” office.

Let's begin with Solyndra, add "Fast and Furious," his refusal to legally defend the Defense of Marriage Act, his refusal to close the border. Let's compile a list of what Obama has done to "fundamentally transform the most prosperous Nation in the history of the world" and work our way back over the past 2 years, 8 months, of the Obama Administration.

Let's see if there's anything that qualifies as a "high crime and misdemeanor" against the Constitution and We, the People.

The biggest single threat to American Liberty is the U.S. government. I don't really know how long it has taken, but the citizens of this country have been indoctrinated into the belief that we need the government to take care of us and correct all the ills we face - all the while the government is the one causing most of the ills.

I am yet to hear exactly what our Usurper-In-Chief believes is the "fair share" for all individuals in the 50% who don't pay any taxes at all. After all, if we expect the "rich" to pay their fair share, isn't it "fair" to expect the poor to pay theirs? Aren't we guaranteed equality in this country? Or was I moved in my sleep?

"Should they be required to abide by their oaths"

Nobody is perfect, but unless they are a (fill in the blank)________ hyprocrite, then the answer is:

ABSOLUTELY!!!

First let's correct the BHO lies:

For 2010, from the IRS bulletin:

From: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf

pp. 72-85: taxes for differing adjusted gross incomes under $100,000.

Calculated tax rate examples at $99,000:

21.5%, 17%, 22%, 19% (single, married joint, married separate, head of household).

p. 86: taxes if AGI $100,00 and over.

Tax rates for income if AGI at or over $100,000:

25%, 28%, 33% (depending on filing status and amount of income: higher income = higher rate).

Then let's implement a minimum tax of, say 5%, on EVERYBODY in the USA. After all, folks are already paying sales taxes higher than that.

Then we can talk about "fairness."

The out right lying by Obama and those socialist democrats has been made possible by the liberal socialist democrats that populate our government run education system as teachers/educators when they are nothing more than manipulating our youths minds with false class warfare, junk global warming science and not providing the education needed for the developing minds of our future generations.

The dumb down of the general American population through the government run education system has enabled Obama et al to deceive the ignorant with their socialist agenda.

What our federal, state and local governments have done is, to put it mildly, not only a violation of their oath of office, it is or should be considered criminal by all with a discerning ear.

I am not busy today, and would be happy to take that on. I just need to be compensated like Treaurer Paulson - $ 600 million or so.

What is a fair tax? Would it be a tax that when applied to each American they would feel it was fair? If a percentage of income was applied the same across the board would that not be fair? Seems to me that it would. If I made a 100G and the tax was 10% that would be 10 G in taxes the more you make the the more you pay. Simple, but I guess things can't be simple.

Every election year this claim of tax imbalance is generated. In the past, it has been used by both parties at various times; however, the real problem is with the current tax code. When it takes more pages to explain the tax code than Steinbeck took writing 'War & Peace' something is drastically wrong! Especially when 'War&Peace' is more readily understood by the general masses than is the 1040EZ. It is high time that the tax code be revised, perhaps with a simple flat tax of 10-15% across the board with no deductions allowed. While this may not pay all of America's debts as they are currently configured, but when Congress starts to live up to their oaths and returns this country to Constitutional compliance, these funds should be far more than enough.

You asked what is the greatest threat to American Liberty?

I say the 3 stooges, BHO, Reid and Polesi? not sure how she spells her last name don't care either. These 3 people make me sick to my stomach even hearing their names makes me sick!!!!!

How can we expect biggotted liars to honor their word?

The only way our Constitution will be preserved and protected is to vote in honest,respectable individuals.

The only problem there,is:

1.How do we determine which candidate is

truly "Honest and respectable"?

2. Then, what do we do if they change directions in

the middle of their office?

Our recourse by means of impeachment is a farce.

All we do is slap their hands and say "bad boy".

Here's your retirement money. Now, go enjoy it.

Our voices have not been heard.

There is only one alternative left.

Semper Fi

The FAIRTAX Plan would solve this entire problem. Pass HR 25 NOW!!

The greatest threat to American Liberty it taxation. The Federal Government already takes so much in taxes that it takes two (2) incomes to support a family...which means kids in day-care....which means kids raised without family values, but rather the values of forced association (you know like in prison)! In other words, most of the problems in this country stem from forcing both parents out of the house and leaving the raising of children to others....what can be more immoral than that?

When I inlisted in the US Army in 1959, I was required to take the oath and every time I re-inlisted I was required to take the oath. The Servoce man or women can not pick and choos what part that they like and can support, they are required to support the whole Oath. Office holders should be held to the same high standard.

I think Obabma does have a point in his idea of making sure the wealthy are taxed at least as much percentage wise as the middle class.

My wife and I make 200K and pay 31% in total federal payroll and income tax.

The top 400 earners earned an average of 296,000,000 and paid an average federal tax rate of 16.6%! I and my wife make 200K and pay almost twice that rate. That is immoral!

The major flaw in your analysis is that you leave out FICA tax.

Just my thoughts

Agree or disagree, I appreciate your feedback.

EVERYONE pays the exact same rate/percentage, if it has to be a tax on income. Just WHAT that percentage is should be negotiated. If you make $15K or you make $15M, same rate.

I would actually prefer a consumption tax. But I truly do not know if we could ever get the masses of this country to understand that and get those opposed to said to stop spewing their lies about what it is and how it (really) works.

One thing is for sure; the current system is cumbersome, riddled with loopholes, progressive, and costing our country billion and billions and billions ever year in an effort to comply. I would submit that compliance is not actually possible!

On taxes. I think the whold code needs revising or lets start over. Also maybe no income tax at all, and we ALL pay tax on the the things we consume.That would make the drug dealers, under the table payers and all people pay something toward the running of the country. At the moment they pay nothing and may in fact get money because they seem to be poor and need welfare. Just a thought

The Constitution has been dealt with based on convenience for too long. It is our founding document and a marvel of justice; checks and balances. The level of disregard is the attempt to bring current control of power and is practical betrayal of the voters who must obey the law or rebel and who have put these people in office. Any further decline of obedience to the Constitution falls under the category of treason. An oath not carried out is treason on a national level.

"What is the greatest threat to American Liberty?"

Common sense or a complete lack thereof, call it stupidity if need be.

to rifleman - you are so right it hurts.

Don't forget the taxman in the movie "POPEYE" - 1. tying your boat to the dock tax 2. sinking a boat at the dock tax.

An unleashed government is a mad dog.

They will destroy everything of value and then destroy themselves.

This government needs to be treated as a mad dog.

What amount of tax is "fair"? Because every individual's notions of "fairness" are subjective, defining or attaining objective "fairness" in any category of human endeavor may be impossible. It may be easier to objectively define what is NOT fair - and it is patently unfair (and foolish policy) for roughly half the population to pay almost NO taxes while the other arguably more productive half pays nearly all of them.

I disagree that there is no legal recompense for officers of the federal government who fail to live up to their oaths of office. I submit that failure to live up to the oaths taken are tantamount to treason against the United States, her government and her citizens.

I think Obabma does have a point in his idea of making sure the wealthy are taxed at least as much percentage wise as the middle class.

My wife and I make 200K and pay 31% in total federal payroll and income tax.

The top 400 earners earned an average of 296,000,000 and paid an average federal tax rate of 16.6%! I and my wife make 200K and pay almost twice that rate. That is immoral!

The major flaw in your analysis is that you leave out FICA tax.

Just my thoughts

Agree or disagree, I appreciate your feedback.

Man that is scary. There are some things you just shouldn't do with Photoshop.

Percentiles AGI Threshold Percentage of

Ranked by AGI on Percentiles Federal Personal

Income Tax Paid

Top 1% $380,354 38.02

Top 5% $159,619 58.72

Top 10% $113,799 69.94

Top 25% $67,280 86.34

Top 50% $33,048 97.30

Bottom 50%

No amount of fairness can be determined without budgetary benchmarks set, reviewed and measured. Once budgets are balanced and measured, unsucessful or illegal programs elimainated, can we begin to understand or know what is a "fair tax". Doesn't seem forth coming from this group of parasites in Washington.

There is NO amount of personal income tax that is FAIR. It is illegal, it is a communist idea for controlling the middle class and keeping them, us, pressed down and destroyed. No where in the Constitution does it say the Federal government can take my money and give it to some one or some thing else.

The greatest danger to our nation and our freedom is a chair with many legs:

A president who blatantly lies, e.g., he clains he will raise taxes on the wealthy but plans to increase taxes on high wage-earners and increase inflation until every wage earner is in that wage bracket, but he will never tax his faithful wealthy.

Abortion, pornography, and homosexuality are designed to destroy families because our only real strength comes from righteous homes where children are raised with proper principles by a mother and a father.

Social legislation that is designed to destroy individual initiative by the dole and enslave the industrious with tax burdens that destroy.

All of these are a direct result of ignoring the principles in our U.S. Constitution.

This maladministration wouldn't know fair if it came up and hit them in the face. A fair tax rate is a flat tax for EVERYONE!!! To partially satisfy the libs we could make the first $2500.00 exempt from tax. Then 10% of anything over that is what is paid in tax. Eliminate all deductions, Welfare would be "Work fare" for those that are able. All elected officials and staff are on the same system the public is on.[ no special perks for them ] State tax would be limited to 3% and like the feds they would have to learn to live on that.

To finish what was said. The amount comes to 15.89/hour for the bottom 50%. The reader can take the amount divide by 40 then divide by 52 and you can get a rough estimate as to what the hour rate is per level.

The information came from ntu.org

The US's tax codes needs to be re-done. I would love to see a flat tax code where everyone pays their share. US jobs are not being effected by those making the big bucks! The rich get richer and the jobs keep going overseas. It's that simple!

First, life is not fair. Life is not and never has been a guarantee of "fairness". We are being brainwashed with the idea that "life MUST be fair and equal". This is simply not true.

On oaths: what is the point in taking an oath if one has no intention of keeping it? Was the presidential oath of office not clear? Was it not plain? What part of the oath of office did Mr. Obama not comprehend? He took it; therefore, either he is bound to keep it or he must step down, for to break the oath is the very core of deceit and demonstrates his fundamental unwillingness to operate within the constraints of our system of government.

Clearly, his intent is to change our system of government by any means available to him. In other words, he is a treasonous traitor, plain and simple.

If we were to change our taxation system from an income bases, which has a tendency to cause class warfare along with a multitude of other serious problems including depressing the economy, to a consumption bases, which would increase as the economy grows stronger. The only motivation would be for politicians to want the economy to grow (wouldn’t that be a change) there would never be a need to do anything except work to increase prosperity because prosperity would increase revenue for all governments, Federal, State and local. Everyone knows people who make more spend more. Governments too, however this government under Obama spends more even when it doesn’t make more it just borrows it. Which of course will lead to our demise as a free country before long!

The more the government attempts to control the economy in a capitalist system the longer it will take for the economy to recover. Regardless of what Biden and Obama say it is not possible to spend your way into prosperity. Only an idiot would say that and a bigger idiot would accept it as fact. Government cannot dictate prosperity it can only allow prosperity by not getting in the way.

Since it does seem we are going to be taxed forever, it is easy to see we must move from an income tax to a “ strictly limited” consumption tax of some kind, be it a fair tax or flat tax that is based on consumption and not income, we must make the change for many reasons. But it must be limited forever, and unchangeable except by a two thirds vote of both houses. That is the only assurance a party controlling both houses like we just witnessed with The Liberal Progressive Democrats, does not have the power to singly change it.

In any case the IRS would not totally be done away with but reduced to perhaps 10% of its current size because it would only oversee the collection of funds from the collector (probably the states since they are already set up to collect sales taxes). A consumption base tax would also cause us to do away with all the other “hidden” taxes.

It seems it depends on who you talk to just how large and out of hand the current tax system has gotten. It is possible to get estimates from 25000 pages to over a million pages. In any case it is literally impossible to know everything in it. So why should it not be totally scraped and we start over with something that promotes growth and not something that curtails growth.

It is true there are many details to be worked out but if we started working on it in a bipartisan way it could be worked out perhaps in a year. Just think what a difference a year could make! Changing the current tax system may not cure all our ills immediately, but it is a start that could very well take the United States out of a terribly declining period and place it firmly into a growth period like never seen before. Is it not at least worth consideration?

You may want to take a college level course in logic. You completely fail to indicate the percentage of income generated by the top percentages of society. By not including this figure the remainder of your argument is meaningless. If I make $1000 and pay 20% tax but you make $100,000 and pay 15% tax is that fair? Simply comparing the gross amount of tax dollars is a convenient method to grandstand while ignoring the real impact on society as a whole. Playing to the fears of the ignorant is a sad method of propoganda my friend!

re The fairness issue with President Downgrade -- The whole issue sounds so much like Mr Mowen's diatribe to the young laborer in "Atlas Shrugged", where he used the idea of "fair" or "not fair" some five times. Mowen, like Von Dupnikov, comes across like a whiny little snot who cannot get what he wants honestly - so he figures on pulling the adolescent tactic of arguing over and over that he sees it differently, until the other side simply concedes in disgust.

Since congress seems perpetually incapable of preparing budgets, spending in this country should be as mandated by a 2/3 majority of registered voters. (All voters to be automatically registered and required to vote, upon penalty of a substantial fine each time they fail to perform this civic duty.) That would amount to a line-item determination decided by the people as a congress in total. All Congress would have to do is submit any expenditures they propose on an on-line forum of voters, say a week in advance of a date preferred for passage, and if 2/3 of the entire population of voters approve it, the request is granted. If not, then the line item could not be resubmitted for another session of congress. Oh, did I mention that there should be a limit on the number of words allowed to describe the expenditure? Say, twenty-five per item. Maybe also limit the number of syllables in any word to four. Keep it simple to accommodate the lowest intellectual common denominator--say those in public life who attended Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Duke, U.C. Berkeley....., etc.

Mark... great, insightful article as usual..

Our Blessed Republic is sinking under Obama's deliberate destruction and we need first aid fast.. I pray 2012 will do it but I fear it may be too late.

BTW, your post was caught by my Norton Internet Security as Spam.. which has happened before -- and also to other Conservative News letters.

In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack

Best exposition of Obamaism (Obamism?) I've read.

However, I disagree with this:

"The bottom line in regard to taxes and debt is this: Raising taxes removes revenue from the private sector, which suppresses economic growth and job creation. Cutting taxes increases revenue in the private sector, which promotes economic growth and job creation."

The economic cost (to the private sector) of government is government spending, as explained by Prof. Friedman forty years ago.

Taxation is the most directly painful part, but any spending done by the government is spending that the private sector cannot do.

(Memo to Republicans who counter Obama's tax plan with the mantra, "It's not good to raise taxes during a recession": May I remind you that it's not good to raise taxes, period!)

Agreed.... almost: actually there is one and only one circumstance where it is ok: when the economy is at full capacity, full employment (scarce labor leads to high labor costs and inflation). Then it's ok to cool the economy with higher taxation if and only if the money goes to infrastructure spending and debt payment.

Say you have a cab and it's empty 2/3 of the time. Obots say "raise the flag! Make the rich pay!" But common sense says "drop the flag. Get more passengers (and more tips)." That's more income. But if your cab is full to overflowing and there are more waiting in the streets you have to get more cabs on the street unless the streets are so clogged it wouldn't make sense. In that case, raising the price of a fare makes sense.

"Fair" is such an ambiguous term. What exactly is fair? Nothing is fair, life is not fair and all of these bleeding heart liberals need to get over it! If everyone paid income tax, that would be more fair than the 51% who now pay nothing while the other "rich" 49% pay everything. I don't think it's fair that people make a living off of welfare, that the government rewards those who contribute zero, and that these people actually get a vote is ridiculous. I say if you pay no income tax, you get no voting right. Now that would be fair!

The biggest problem is laziness. A laziness that begins in school with children not desiring to work hard to understand the possibility that the USA offers as a result of our Freedom & Capitalism. But ultimately it manifests itself in the ignorant voters and lazy bottom dwellers that feed off the goevrnment.

If not for this, a man like Obama could not rise to power by offering to destroy that which has made the USA great.

Nikita Khrushchev (1953 - 1964)said it best when he stated we will overthrow you (the US) from within and we voted this bunch of socialist in and that is what they are trying to accomplish.

What is the greatest threat to American Liberty? Ignorance of why and how the Constitution protects you from the greatest threat to your liberty - your own government.

re The fairness issue with President Downgrade -- The whole issue sounds so much like Mr Mowen's diatribe to the young laborer in "Atlas Shrugged", where he used the idea of "fair" or "not fair" some five times. Mowen, like Von Dupnikov, comes across like a whiny little snot who cannot get what he wants honestly - so he figures on pulling the adolescent tactic of arguing over and over that he sees it differently, until the other side simply concedes in disgust.

The first thing that needs to happen is welfare/disability reform. Too many people are sucking the wind out of the budget creating shortfalls elsewhere. If they keep funding these dead beats, we will never get this country straightened out.

BD you are an idiot. It does not matter what % tax on their income the so-called rich are paying, it is still 100% more than 51% of the people pay.

Any tax that is coerced, taken through the use of force if necessary, is not "fair."

What is the greatest threat to American Liberty?

Barrack Hussein Obama!

"fletchrg

I am yet to hear exactly what our Usurper-In-Chief believes is the "fair share" for all individuals in the 50% who don't pay any taxes at all. "

Sorry, but your argument is patently false. They may not pay federal income tax, but they do pay other taxes- FICA, property tax, sales tax, excise tax, etc.

Are you speaking of wage earners, or just people who file a tax return?

People on Social security already paid federal tax on their FICA contributions - would it not be immoral to tax them again?

26% of the population is below 18 years of age and would rarely have earnings high enough to pay much, if any, federal tax.

13% of the population is over 65

So, the working age population is 61% of the total and 15% (9.1%) of those are unemployed, underemployed or have stopped looking for work---so that leaves 50% of the population to potentially pay income tax.

You can thank me for educating you.

Taxation in and of itself is self defeating as a means of building an economy because of the dilution factor (meaning wastefulness). When the Gov't taxes, it then launders the money through its beaucracy, and no matter how well meaning is the purpose of the use of the monies, a very small portion of what went into the Gov't actually makes it way into the market place in any manner of productivity. Whereas all monies left in the hands of the producers, will be 100% employed back into the market in either the purchase of goods and services, reinvestment into a business enterprise, or for philanthropy - all of which benefit the economy and society. We could balance the budget in one year by cutting out the waste in all of the Gov't expenditures, and spending only on that which is warranted and allowed for by out constitution. This would of course mean term limits for politicians because they ALL use the ability to earmark/spend for their constituents in order to get reelected. The Gov't beauracracy simply feeds at the trough and grows itself internally every year, requiring more and more of the "producers yield) for it's own feeding at the trough.

ch

I'm for a Flat Tax on income, one percentage rate for all, no loopholes or exemptions. I agree with Herman Cain that if 10% is good enough for God, then 9% is fair for the Federal Government.

The same rate should apply for business and corporate income, the same flat percentage for all, no loopholes or exemptions.

This ensures that everyone pays a proportionate amount, and no one gets out of paying. It simplifies preparing payroll and filing taxes. Everyone knows what to expect, and can plan their business accordingly.

"Paul Brandner

The first thing that needs to happen is welfare/disability reform. Too many people are sucking the wind out of the budget creating shortfalls elsewhere. If they keep funding these dead beats, we will never get this country straightened out."

This is not even a meaningful percentage of the total budget.How's about you provide some data (NOT FOX news-real data) to support your assertion.

I believe everybody should pay the same rate. No free lunches. Simple tax code for business. Simplify regulations. Cancel the following departments: Energy, EPA, Education, make Social Security and Medicare rules simple. No more wars in foreign lands where the people do not like us.

The People! Pass a flat tax amendment to replace the 16th Amendment. A tax rate with no exceptions nor deductions. Those on welfare would pay the same tax by deductions to their Welfare Checks, Food Stamps, in fact, any program that gives money to people who do not work.

"Lisa

I'm for a Flat Tax on income, one percentage rate for all, no loopholes or exemptions. I agree with Herman Cain that if 10% is good enough for God, then 9% is fair for the Federal Government."

Actually, Lisa, the OT Tithe was 23.33%. 10% to the Levites. 10% for annual festivals. 10% every three years for the "Welfare Tithe."

"We will go through our federal budget – page by page, line by line – eliminating those programs we don’t need, and insisting that those we do operate in a sensible cost-effective way." - - President-Elect Barack Hussein Obama, Nov. 25, 2008.

Would that one of our so-called journalists ask our campaigner-in-chief how many budget lines he actually got through before heading to the golf course, or how many programs he has eliminated, or even how many programs have had their budget "operate in a sensible cost-effective way."? We can start with the Justice Departments $16 muffins. As long as they have that kind of money to throw around, they have no justification to ask for higher tax rates or higher revenues.

The greatest threat to my liberty and freedom is: 1st Obama and his programs, 2nd Harry Reid and madam Pelosi and the left wing liberal democrats who want to control every facet of my (our) life, 3rd the permanently dependent welfare state, a dozen generations old now, who depend on government handouts and also vote in those politicians who continue to provide handouts, even increasing those freebies.

1. Someone else has already mentioned this but I do agree with it. I have always thought that a flat tax rate for all is the most fair for all taxpayers.

2. I believe in our Constitution that that it is the backbone of our country. To see people abusing it makes me sick. We need to turn this around.

3. We need to hold the personnel we put in office accountable. Violation of the oath they take should be punishable as well as permanently preventing them from holding public office.

4. In order to receive welfare or food stamps, you should have to submit yourself to drug testing. In addition, your citizenship should be checked.

5. All illegal aliens should be sought out and deported. This is a huge drain on us financially and they constitute a large percentage of the ones executing crime.

My idea of a fair tax rate would be 10% across the board, no matter what your income level. And absolutley no deductions (i.e. "Loopholes") for anyone, corporate or private. Privatize Social Security (that in itself is such an oxymoron). A flat tax rate would be the fairest of all bitter pills to swallow, however I would see accountant firms and corporate attorneys screaming bloody murder, as this would impinge on their usefulness. Think of all the careers lost at Jackson - Hewitt or H&R Block. Expect a fight there.

Marx’s plan to overthrow Capitalist countries included as his number two point that needed to be incorporated into ‘law’ to accomplish his purposes: “A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.”

That is exactly what we have in the United States now and have had for many decades. The Marxist concept of ‘paying more taxes if you earn more money’ is so heavily indoctrinated into the minds of even patriotic Americans, that they can’t even discuss the rights and wrongs of taxation outside of this Communist Manifesto concept.

Article 1 Section 9 of the Constitution states: “No capitation, or other direct, tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.” Income taxes, Social Security taxes and any other tax that is directly applied to one’s earnings is a DIRECT TAX.

What Article 1 Section 9 means is that EVERYONE is supposed to be equal UNDER THE LAW. No one was intended to have any more privilege under the law than any other. Therefore, each person’s obligation to the Federal Government is to be equal under the law as well. ANY direct tax is to be levied by apportionment according to the census. What this translates to is that if I make $50,000 a year, and if you work two jobs and earn $100,000 a year, or if another only earned $10,000, then all of our tax obligations to the Federal Government are still the same – levied according the census. Constitutionally, every single citizen’s obligation to the Federal Government as far as taxes are concerned was to be EQUAL.

Who determines fairness? Been asking that question alot lately. Where is the office of tax fairness, where is the person behind that door? Who makes these arbitrary decisions about income thresholds? How do they know what anyone's particular situation is and whether more taxes are affordable? More importantly, where is the discussion of fairness in regards to spending? I think any good business man would look to what spending cuts are possible before they raise their prices. Cut until you cannot cut anymore before you come and ask your customer for more money. Or better, cutting spending would be akin to a tax increase. Will this revenue be used solely for debt reduction? Sorry, lost my head there for a second...We're dealing with Liberals.

Flat tax - ok. Reform code and remove deductions and lower rates - ok. Combination of income and sales tax - NO! See what other countries have done in that scenario....both grow.

To Chris Schene - what's in that overall Fed rate? If it includes capital gains, you are not comparing apples to apples, and that is what the Leftist liars are hoping for.

Should they be bound by oath? Hell yes. Why is their oath no different that what our military takes? What makes the military oath more binding and subject to discipline? Of course, if they went AWOL, I wouldn't want them back.

"Fairness" outlined in our Declaration of Independence- another operative word is "pursuit" of Happiness. You have the right to Life and Liberty (unless you violate the Rule of Law), but you only have the right to pursue Happiness, not the right to achieve it.

Dear Rifleman,

Nice list of National Go't agencies and departments, now you have to ADD to this LIST all of the State and Local agencies and departments for ALL of the states, that are created solely to interact with and administer all of the "stuff" handed down to the States for compliance etc.

As to the list of taxes, what is impossible to calculate is all the "costs" of Gov't taxes/fees/compliance expenses etc. that is embedded into the costs of goods and services we have to pay for that is passed on to the consummer from the creation of the raw materials through out the process of getting it to market and in the hands of the consumer. It is mindboggling.

ch

For the most part, this is an excellent editorial. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 is how the normal , everyday cost of government was to be funded. The other article regarding taxation is Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 and it takes the debt incurred by congress and apportions it amongst the several states according to the percentage of representatives in congress. That is why the census was important..... not to see what kind of toilet you have in your house.

So, what part of the constitution allows for taxing incomes?

This is where the article fails to complete the explanation of taxes. Did the 16th amendment impose a tax on income? Not according to the arguments held by the supreme court.

The editors note does us a disservice by offering us 'excellent alternatives' that are themselves unconstitutional. Out best alternative is making government live within it's constitutional limits and taxing us according to the law. Even following the letter of the law in USC Title 26 would be a good start, since the tax code does not even tax the income of U.S. Citizens living and working in the united states.

To: Rifleman

Excellent commentaries. Thank you.

Consider the fact that America is a representative republic under a Constitution. We are a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. We have no monarch.

You talked of Obama's malfeasance, or his high crimes and misdemeanors.

In that context, Dictionary.com lists the following definitions for "treason".

1. the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign.

2. a violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or to one's state.

3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.

With the numerous examples of Obama not following the law, some of which you recounted, what does that say about how Obama is treating our government? Remember that we have no monarch so Obama is not our sovereign.

With as many times as Obama, and his Democrat henchmen, have legislated and ruled against the will of the majority of Americans, what does that say about the veracity of their service to the People?

Does anyone think any of these definitions apply?

I do.

Institute a national sales tax at a level sufficient to maintain infrastructure, defense, Interior, and maybe a few others. Other entities like CIA and FBI should be left to stand alone. Abolish Depts of Education, Commerce, and a few others.

Establish income tax rates based on the savings generated by slimming Govt bureacracy.

If obama and the democrats/socialists think the tax rates are unfair and/or uneven, why don't they submit legislation to go to a flat tax - everyone pays the same 6% or 8% or ??%. ?

2012 is too late.

THE ONLY FAIR TAX WOULD BE A FLAT TAX. WHETHER YOU MAKE $ 15,000.00 OR $ 15,000,000.00 YOU WOULD PAY THE SAME PERCENTAGE. NO LOOP HOLES, DEDUCTIONS, ETC.

To: RK Sprau

I have responded to you. See yesterday's Patriot Post.

Greatest threat to American Liberty?

Sir,

I believe that the greatest threat to American Liberty is the complete lack of knowledge and understanding (by the vast majority of Americans) of the duties and responsibilites that are incumbent upon all citizens of the United States.

Few Americans know that We the People are the authority that empowers any government and that the elected and appointed officials of government work for us and We the People do not work for them. I base my remarks on the fact that in far too many public schools the subjects of "civics" or "government" have long disappeared from the curriculum.

I have been against BHO from the gitgo but do not bash him but rather the democratic party and their thinking. Hillary WILL run I am convinced and there goes those democrats that have lost hope in the savior, but not the progressive ideology and that is Hillary. She WILL get their votes. I'm afraid that she can't be beat by any one on our stage at this time. Possibly Newt, or our New Jearsey 'don't-want-to-be'. Other than that it is going to be a tough slog for the conservative thinkers. I believe our only chance is to begin to push hard on the economy and the reasons it is failing, i.e. the Kensian economics, and THAT is a hard sell to those who are the half of the country that are takers and not givers. Milton Friedman needs to be pushed hard as his economic ideas' are easy to understand. He was taped in a debate with a liberal and was superb. That needs to be on the web and make the rounds there and on TV.

Social security is a potential area for 'us' to gain ground, but it needs to be handled correctly, not as a Ponzi scheme to be discarded, but rather fixed. Milton Friedman can help here may he rest in peace.

Another weakness is the tie between the progressive agenda and Karl Marx who I think leaves a bad taste in most peoples mouth. Yes, many think (me included) believe at heart BHO is a muslim thinking person if not an out right muslim. This is a hard nut to crack also as it is politically INcorrect to bash them as they have the press that won't print any bad events unless really pushed and will spin almost anything in their favor. "Radical Islam" seems to be something that is even off the table. People don't want to be told that the USA is following Europe down the tubes in spite of the vast amount of evidence.

The world stage is another potential weakness that will be laid on BHO's door but Hillary will sweep that clean in a heartbeat so even the disasters we've seen under the administration so far won't be much help in 2012.

The unions are another potential weakness as is the colored vote, but again Hillary will counter that with her to-fer-one position. We get her and Bill the 'first black president' automatically.

I have Fox News on now and all I hear is BHO bashing. The wrong approach in my view.

There is more I'm sure, so we have to keep working HARD or we and the country lose. Don't bash BHO, bash the idea of the democratic party.

Barack Hussein Obama!

Everybody ought to pay at the same rate. The FAIR TAX would accomplish true fairness. There is no way to game the system. Everybody who buys anything in the legitimate market participates. Black market sales would still escape, but that would not lose as much revenue as our present system.

DanDan - I agree. If you go to any library the has Title 26 USC on its shelves, and look at the title page of this so called tax law, you should see where it specifically states that Title 26 has never been passed into law. Title 26 USC is merely a compendium of statutes, and there is a reason that it was never passed into law - The Constitution!

The biggest threat to our way of life & freedoms is the total lack of education and basic common sense. Far too many people just take the lies from mainstream media and actually believe them. They refuse to think - this apathy is the real demon. When coupled with the total disregard of the Constitution by the current administration, by giving the vote to Non-citizens, by increasing the invasion into ordinary citizens lives and the almost unbelieveable increases of government destroying free enterprise.

The greatest threat to American Liberty is apathy. There are a dangerous amount of people who do not care about or care to learn about the bigger picture and how decisions we make know affect the future of our country. Most Americans, unfortunately, believe what they see on television and are not diligent in researching facts and learning history on their own. What we do and think and how we vote DOES matter!

I believe Article 8 of the Constitution should determine taxes assessed on the people, to wit; The Congress shall have the Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all (include taxes in this area)Duties, Imposts, and Excises SHALL BE UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

frjm

Something less than 10%.....God doesn't evn ask for more than that

While maybe our elected officials aren't legally required to uphold their oaths, I seem to remember they all swore an oath before God and man to do just that. So once elected it appears you have the opportunity to disregard God and split 'is' into constituent parts as needed. What hubris!!

The greatest threat to our liberty is an uninformed and unengaged electorate. During the founding of our country the citizens were very engaged and kept themselves informed in public forums. Tocqueville mentioned in his book how surprised he was that Americans were engaged even at the frontier. As our country grew to its present size, the populace became more disengaged on matters other than local ones. The people relied on their federal representatives to manage the business of the country. These representatives found out over time that they could manipulate the will of the people into legislation that strenghtened the role of the federal government to the detriment of the people. The TEA party has been a tremendous asset to the people in awakening the spirit of our founding fathers.

I believe the "Fair Tax" is a good replacement for the tax system we have now. It needs to be put up to an education for the nation to understand it and a vote by the people without any changes by the the three branches of govt. This is a start.

"Sandra

There is NO amount of personal income tax that is FAIR. It is illegal, it is a communist idea for controlling the middle class and keeping them, us, pressed down and destroyed. No where in the Constitution does it say the Federal government can take my money and give it to some one or some thing else."

The constitution was designed to be changeable...heck, the original defined a black man as 80% of a white man..do you still think that is OK?

The 16th amendment provides for income tax.

What say you to that?

Should they be required to abide by their oaths? Absolutely! Who, though, is to determine whether they've done so? The mechanisms to remove oath-breakers from office exists and we get to exercise it every two years, tho' many of us choose the easy path of single-lever voting or not voting at all and it's this unthinking attitude that has saddled us with the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Occupant.

Taxes should be determined by the funding that is "needed" to provide the services enumerated in the Constitution of the United States of America as the responsibility of the federal government; anything above that is confiscatory.

Paying a flat rate tax as a percentage of one's earnings, without deductions allowed, still doesn't negate the Marxist concept of 'taxing the rich', or of the progressive taxation scheme. Again, we are all supposed to be equal under the law and our individual tax obligations to the Federal Government are to be equal as well.

APATHY...without a doubt. We the people, have become so accustomed to excusing our political inaction in the name of futility that we are about to relinquish rights that may never be regained.

"The TEA party has been a tremendous asset to the people in awakening the spirit of our founding fathers."

I kind of see the Tea Party as the attempted rise of the WASPS to regain their former power and advocates for the wealthy.

The single most dangerous thing to America is the dumbing down of our youth and purposefully not teaching them about the responsibilities of a citizen in a limited self-governing republic.

The next thing is the overwhelming debt that we have put on our children.

We simply must stop equating the word "fair" with the word "just". Justice is one of the bases of the Republic. But, income tax is neither fair nor just, and, in addition, it is un-Constitutional. Thus, there can be no possible concept for an amount of income tax that is "fair".

The primary physically observable danger to the Republic is the lunatic Progressive (Marxist)exemplified by the ventriloquist's dummy, Obama, and his partners in crime. Obviously then, the primary behind-the-scenes danger is Obama's ventriloquist owner, Soros, the front-man for the international bankers.

However, the even more important danger to the Republic is an intangible. It is public ignorance and apathy. There is no doubt in my mind that the Republic can recover from the damage that Obama has caused. I'm not so certain though that it can recover from the mindlessness of the millions who elected him.

If we continue to sow Marxism, it should come as no surprise when we reap Marxism, and its inevitable catastrophe.

There is one drawback to taxing within the bounds of the constitution - it does not allow government to be as big as it has become and it does not allow for it to get even bigger, as they would like it to be. Big government has been around a long time, but it popped it's head out in 1913 and has been spreading it's tentacles out into every part of our lives since then. It's time to put this gigantic octopus back where it came from, one tentacle at a time. That is what www.truthattack.org is about!

The real problem in America is the same one Israel had throughout their entire history..............With overwhelming success comes apathy and a lack of our apparent need for GOD........and mankind relaxes his grip on the things that are most important.

We have gone from a country where we recited the pledge of allegiance in class, prayed together in school assemblies.........to a nation that has rejected God on a national level.............

Reap the wind, sow the whirlwind---------We need to get on our knees!

What is the biggest threat to American liberty?

That's easy.

The biggest threat to the American liberty and the welfare of American citizens is:

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!!!!

Time to put our legislators to work for us doing what they do best. Tax federal campaign funds at the same rate as ordinary income, with no deductions. Obama says he is going to raise a Billion dollars. That would result in $330 Million going back to the treasury, or a little more than half of what this administration squandered on Solyndra. Perhaps if it came from the fruit of their labor, they wouldn't be so quick to squander it. They might even reconsider raising the top rates.

Should they be required to abide by their oath?

Of course they should. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land and the foundation for all the duties/obligations/limitations of the federal government. The fact that they are 'required' by the Constitution to take such an oath in order to occupy their office inherently requires that they abide by it as well. This isn't rocket science. Liberals love loopholes and will consistently, in the absence of something being literally spelled out in the most elementary terms, ignore even the obvious bindings that any reasonable person would attach to any reasonable rule or law. They are like little children who cleverly try to use what you didn't say to undermine that which you did.

Re: Hamilton, Wed Post, last 2. I highly recommend everyone go to archive and read them. I would like someday to have a cup of Joe with you and listen to some of your views. I think you should run for office.

I also highly respect Rifleman, VA Patriot, and others.

I concur with most of the list Rifleman has set forth in this comment section. (Read both of them.) Until he pointed them out it never occurred to me that just how much we are being taxed and some of it is stupid crap.

He even hit BIA. (Burrow of Indian Affairs.) Tribal problems are close to my heart yet they are mismanaged. As I posted, I, along with the clan I belong to, sued for mismanagement. Rifleman, they are mismanaged and my fathers people has this thing about living in the past or as the tribal elders would say ( Neaa oshoaa,) (Sorry we don't have a written language.) Basically it is "to keep the ways of our ancestors." Get off the Reservation, go to school and make something of yourself. To stay there and have taxpayers pay for you to stay there in lower income situation is a choice you made for you don't want to change your ways and live in a stone age society. Keep your heritage your spirituality, your sacred places but phase help out over 10-20 years, if the treaty will allow it. They say the white man keeps them down. That is so 60's. They are not. You are keeping yourself down. My father became a businessman and for that he was for a time (made a ghost, a non person for he became to white) they believed he became a white man, a traitor to his kind. The lesson I'm trying to give is to better yourself is not being a traitor to your heritage. Yet also to be dogmatic is just as bad.

Rifleman, did I point it out to your satisfaction?

To the best of my knowledge every program he mentioned have duplicates, inane laws as Hamilton well knows and he has a good one about a fence. read it. I am all for killing the stupidity and saving taxpayer money.

My only concern is my tax cuts will expire, this along with deep cuts in medicade/medicare (Which I will post at the appropriate time) will not personally do us any favors.

What Hamilton is referring to about the ranch. This is serious and not the acid lake. We had a gov BLM official come to our home and tell us, one of your cows has calved therefore there are to many cows per acre so remove them all or be fined. Not remove a few to bring us back into their quota for my wife's family has been ranching that same ranch for a literal 100 plus years. They know everything about the land to include overgrazing. My wife and her brothers does not need a bookworm who has never seen a ranch tell them jack....They know. He's a secret. To take a cow to market you buy a cow per pound on the hoof.to keep up with government regulations and some of them are good, most aren't, about .11 cents. Now factor in food, fuel, maintenance, to break even is about .18.75. Note the difference in who grabs the most. To explain it further. drop most of the stupid regulations, steak which is 7.00 p/p now will be about 3.25 p/p, ground chuck about .99 p/p

RIFLEMAN, does that story sum it on along with Hamilton? The fools on both sides of the isle are running the show? This dude thought he knew it all for he took a land management course in Phoenix. ASU. He's a city boy. He knows nothing about ranching or farming yet we have to bow to the dictates of this bookworm.

Is this for all cases? No but it is for most. Again, what size government?

Watch the debates tonight on FOX News.

There is one drawback to taxing within the bounds of the constitution - it does not allow government to be as big as it has become and it does not allow for it to get even bigger, as they would like it to be. Big government has been around a long time, but it popped it's head out in 1913 and has been spreading it's tentacles out into every part of our lives since then. It's time to put this gigantic octopus back where it came from, one tentacle at a time. That is what www.truthattack.org is about!

I think the most serious and frightening issue is the current justice department's complete disdain for open free voting. Not just Acorn and other voter fraud, either. After King Shamir Shabazz and his "kill white Christian babies" thugs dressed up in paramilitary uniforms and brandished clubs, intimidating white voters at their polling places; they were convicted for election law violation.

Eric Holder subsequently reversed the conviction. He said (and I actually heard him say it) 'that election laws were only designed to protect blacks and other minorities.'

If we don't have open and free elections, our republic is certainly doomed.

The greatest threat to our Liberty is the Obama cadre of Marxists in power today. We must eliminate them to regain Rule of Law if America is to survive.

When will we put Obama in jail for his crimes?

I used to believe in a fair tax...one percentage, fair to all. But there are still those who will hide or not report their income. Best alternative: flat state and federal sales taxes. If you can afford to buy it, you can afford to pay tax on it. Rather than being written off as a "corporate expense", luxury yacht buyers will pay the same percentage as a family buying a ski boat. The wealthy won't be able to hide in loopholes when they are buying designer shoes, expensive furniture, jewelry and luxury homes--which they will continue to do. We will all continue to spend as we can afford, and pay our fair share along the way. Additionally, income from previously unreported sources (cash under the table, ebay, illegal drugs, purses on street corner, etc) will finally pay their share as they make their regular purchases. (Oh, and if you buy it overseas, pay the tax at the border. Good try, though.)

Fairness in taxes? A flat tax, 9% across the board on every American who earns an income. Period.

Fair tax = flat tax, plain and simple. No "tax breaks" or subsidies for green technology or any other pet projects. Everyone pays the same percentage, no matter what their income. It doesn't get any fairer than that.

What is the greatest threat to our nation?

One word: Lethargy

The greatest danger is that we citizens have not recognized that there is a revolution in progress but we are not invited or participating. The revolution is in the actions of our leaders, much as it was in the revolution that formed this country. The founding fathers led the revolution from their firmament, the citizens were not involved in the planning and all were not in favor. We were taught that the revolutionaries were those that fought in the various battles, that's not completely so, they were the tools used to enact the plans of the true revolutionaries. It's much the same now, the true revolutionaries, our leaders, are using the citizens again, not in battle, but by buying their backing through promises of plenty through programs requiring little effort, welfare is one and unemployment is another, the latter being extended not on personal need but on election time need. The revolution is here, the proponents in government do not have the lofty ideals of the founders, it's power and pelf for themselves and their conspirators in the here and now, not future generations.

I can't label Obama a traitor but that's the way

I think of him. The only way to use the Constitution

definition is to call him the enemy personally

but he clearly is destroying the Nation as our

Founders carefully structured it.

H.R. 25 -- The Fair Tax Act.

The greatest threat to our liberty can be identified by two words: Barack Obama.

Call me crazy, but I don't believe Obama is the biggest threat to American liberty. The biggest threat to American liberty comes in the form of a citizenry that is too lazy to seek out the truth and a media that has been willingly co-opted by the left. Too many people simply accept what they are told as fact and truth, which is how the libo-fascists have been able to take control of our government.

Elected officials should most certainly abide by their oath "to defend the Constitution from all enemies - foreign and domestic." There is a very large contingent of domestic enemies in power now. We must see to it that they are not put back into power a second time.

Biblical ignorance is the biggest threat to America.

To really understand it in the shortest amount of time is to read Daniel chapter 3

The people mentioned are ENEMIES of G-d

These same people are the ones that oppress the people !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Obama doesn't think the Constitution is the right document to govern America (USA), it seems that he is a liar or at least an hipocrit to take an oath to support and defend it.

I perceive a number of current threats to our liberties wrought by the White House socialist, but the one I find chilling is how close we are at any time to outright dictatorship: As I understand it, if Obama feels threatened at any time, he can declare martial law, shut down the courts, suspend habeas corpus, pull the plug on the Internet, seize the media, and begion to take political prisoners. Given this man's unbridled narcissisism, I find this prospect most disturbing, particularly in view of the total inexperience the legislative and judicial communities have with dealing with federal martial law. Conservative legal scholars, take note!

Jon Schulte

To Chris Schene - what's in that overall Fed rate? If it includes capital gains, you are not comparing apples to apples, and that is what the Leftist liars are hoping for.

I reject your straw-man (do you know what that means?): I am not a leftist Liar. Please stop the childish Adhominum attacks and guilt by association. We are discussing ideas. Are you adult enough to discuss maturely?

I am aware of the cap gains tax rate and div tax rate.....I just think that they should not matter: If the overall tax rate of the uber wealthy is lower than the middle class, use an AMT type approach to even it up.

If they were people of honor they would not have to be forced to keep their word.

More importantly we should require them to discuss their interpretation of the Constitution during their campaigns.

In the flurry of media coverage over the weekend, I kept seeing the screens flashed that Buffet paid 17% in income taxes and his secretary, whose annual income was $60,000, paid 29% in income taxes. The source for the figures was cited as being the Center for Tax Justice, who I've been unable to find. My interest in finding them results from knowing that nobody in this country making $60,000 pays anywhere near 29% in income taxes. I look at multiple income tax returns daily, and most individuals making in that range pay anywhere from zero to 15%, depending on what their household size and deductions. So, where are these numbers cited in the media coming from? I guess gone are the days when the media would do a little investigation on what they report.

America has only 2 problems. Bad weather and liberalism. Bad weather includes earthquakes and other natural disasters. Every problem that is not a natural disaster is either caused by, exacerbated by or a solution prevented by liberals. A conservative looks at a problem and asks how can we get this fixed? A liberal looks at a problem and asks how can we use this to grow goverrnment, increase our control and advance our agenda? Name a problem: the economy - overspending is the root cause. Crime - liberals coddle criminals and hamper the police. Terrorism-compare the Jimmy Carter approach to Muslim attacks and what happened when Reagan was inaugurated and they couldn't release our people fast enough. Liberalism and welfare have damaged the American family and marriage as an institution. Again liberals only cause problems, make them worse or make it impossible to solve them.

End all taxes with a simple national sales tax.This will end the control the creeps in Washington have over us.

What troubles me most deeply when on the subject of how The 0ne has executed his office: where is the enforcement of the "rule of law enshrined in the Constitution"? It is not the "living constitution" concept of the liberals, nor the actions of activist judges that renders the Constitution null and void in the present world; but it is the apathy with which we all sit back and watch it go by...

What good is law if it cannot - or will not - be enforced?

Obey the oath, or be removed..... easily or permanently..... well, probably not the second one.

The greatest threats to our freedom are career politicians and activist judges who choose to ignore the enumerated powers given to the President, the Congress, and the Judiciary by the U.S. Constitution. That basic law is still valid and can only be changed my amendment by "We the People" and not by the personal whims of the politicians and the judges.

After the signing of the Constitution, Mrs. Powell asked Benjamin Franklin, "What have you given us?" Franklin replied, "Madam, a Republic, if you can keep it."

I would like to think that a flat tax would put us back into the 'fair' game.

Mark,

Thank you and staff for this reliable and excellent source of information, insight and history. I don't generally respond to things, but I felt compelled to do so this time. Thank you for the opportunity.

Should they be required to abide by their Oath? We sure expect our military to do so. No one FORCED these elected people to take the Oath, except as a condition of their "employment". Not only should they be required to abide by their Oath, but also they should be prosecuted at a level higher than any other for failing to do so! Why? Because they are SUPPOSED to be looking out for our Country and making decisions which are in the best interest of America and citizens. A novel idea, I know!!

What is the greatest threat to American Liberty? Complacency, blind trust, voting in ignorance... obviously, I (we) could go on...

We say "God Bless America" or "God save America", but America is ignoring God and doesn't want to be bothered because we're going to the mall or watching the one-eyed idiot box in the corner that is destroying America with its Hollywood versions of truth, history, and all the horrible sins of America.

Can we change it by ballots... I hope so. But, I don't have a great deal of optimism because there are just too many people voting without knowledge of facts, effects, etc., but far worse than that, are the people who are voting for personal gain.

Joe Lamb, DAV, Oklahoma

I find it extremely curious that when a person who is in court to testify at a trial can be charged with perjury should they lie, "under oath."

Placing your left hand on God's Word while raising your right hand to God and then not doing what you swore to do is literally taking God's name in vain.

If a person who enters the military, they swear a similar oath; should they disregard it, they can be arrested and incarcerated. The same should be true of ALL who take the oath to uphold, support, and defend the Constitution. If the do not do as they have forsworn,then they should be held accountable for their crime against the citizens of the United States.

A fair tax is a tax that is levied on "WE the People". Have never heard of "We the rich people". Taxes that George Washington imposed applied to all the population. Period

The greatest threat to American liberty is the current educational system in America. The institutionalized liberal indoctrination is creating an ever expanding pool of kool-aid drinkers who are too stupid to hold the Republic that was created for them or appreciate the rights God gave them.

Any elected member of government that does not honor his oath to preserve and protect should be tried in a court of law and emprisoned.

Before raising taxes, let's try, at least for a time, not just reducing the size of, but eliminating entirely, a few bureaucracies. Let's start with all the Czars and their departments. And don't forget to stop all benefits and retirement for all of them. The First Lady employs how many-23 I think? That number could be cut back to 2. Oh, so many ways to save without raising taxes that it boggles the mind.

The present system HAS to go. The IRS needs to be phased out, the Federal Reserve must go also.

A set % needs to be phased in as a FAIR TAX system.

However, Not Income Tax AND Fair Tax both. Income Tax was an evil and destructive system from day one.

Don't underestimate Obama and his administration's capabilities and determination to hold their Socialist grip on the country.

Obama and his team have launched a "LinkedIn" questions and answer session so they can spread more of their half-truths and lies.

They are now seemingly going after the 'business and professional' people of America to try and sway them about the Jobs Spending bill, the economy, and Taxing the Rich.

They will use the technology of the internet to garner a larger and more influential audience, and perhaps, to keep tabs on those who do not agree with the administration's policies.

These Socialists are very smart, are manuvering well, and they are very determined to hold on to power!

A word to the wise conservative trying to unseat him; you had better match them if you want to win.

Obama and his socialist agenda! He should be impeached for violating our Constitution.

We the People. It should be put on a ballot and voted on sensibly.

The greatest threat to liberty is the failure of Justice to prevail. The breaking down of law and order and the ignoring of the Constitution.

Obama and the other Marxists never mention that the rich are the ones who actually contribute more than anyone else in that they invest their money in corporations and businesses which offer jobs to others who are unable to do that. The ONLY thing government should do in the way of "job creation" is to create a climate (limited regulations, limited business taxes, etc.) in which jobs are created by the private sector. Taxing those who create jobs is a job killer, NOT job creator. Stop with this classist rhetoric already!!!!

Yes, to the letter. There is no other way to rightfully do it.

"Who should determine what amount of tax is "fair"? Post your opinion"

God knows what a proper tax rate would be, why doesn't any body ask Him? It's sad to see so many people in our national government who are self-described to be Christians, yet so many horrible laws and policies are passed by them, as if they hardly ever, or never, read their Bibles.

I think 10% is a fair tax. Afterall that is what the church says is fair. The government is not deserving of more than GOD. When I watch on TV and see day after day what this president and members of our government waste and pay off their cronies with it makes me sick. I am on social security and am taxed on (85%) of my social security payments. This law that was passed back in around 1981 needs to be removed. We are being taxed twiced on this money and as an 80 year old I need that money to live on now.

The Liberal Left

John

...... My interest in finding them results from knowing that nobody in this country making $60,000 pays anywhere near 29% in income taxes.

I believe Buffet was referring to the sum of both fed income tax + FICA. I and my wife make about 200K and we pay around 31% combined FICA + fed inc tax.

The top 400 income earners in 2007 made an average 296,000,000 and paid an average federal tax rate of 16.6%. That information is easily accessible on the IRS web site.

Major Stu I agree with you. right on

Discussed for centuries and implemented everywhere except when taxing income, the Flat Tax is totally equitable, fair and sensible.

Everyone pays the same sales tax, excise tax, tobacco tax, property tax, etc. Of course they differ from state to state and county to county but the rate is consistent in a given location.

Obama

Four things in my opinion.

1. Gonernment spending

2. Our national debt

3. Excessive government regulations

4. Tax code

The biggest disaster to hit this Country has been and always will be the obama. He has spent more money than any other president in history. He has made it aso that out health care will go up so high that people will NOT be able to afford it and he has made the government so large that 3 in 10 work for the government. What we need is a much, much smaller government. One that will listen to the concerns of the people NOT one that says "to hell with the people".

The one thing that we must do is to get this pres. IMPEACHED for all the damage that he has cause to this country and it's CONSTITUTION.

its time to start over. we have orginal intent in the consitution nothing more and nothing less. then the flat tax with nothing else. no IRS no tax but the flat tax. we are where we are because we will believe anything a politician will say and when he doesn't keep his oath we say oh well and go on like nothing can be done. a man's word is his bond if we can't keep it shame on us. enough is enough lets start over.

There should be a Tax overhaul by Congress and a Flat Tax should be implimented where every American pays his/her fair share! The Federal Income Tax should be abolished because the Tax Code is too bloated and complicated, and is unfair!

The greatest threats to our status as citizens rather than subjects are the members of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government who do not abide by their oath to preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States.

In the words of John Adams "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." The greatest and most enduring threat to our liberty is, and will be, ungodliness.

09/23/11

PATRIOTS,You think we have"TROUBLES NOW"JUST wait

till we have afew THOUSAND MORE ISLAMIC immigrants

and they BEGIN TO VOTE.Already we have car bombings

in Michigan.And it won't be too long,We'll have

SHARIA LAW the ISLAMIC THIRST FOR BLOOD LAW,That

a few PERPETRATORS have already gotten away with.

Whan someone raises his/her right hand and takes an oath to do something, this person should be held accountable for their actions. If the oath is broken, something should be done to correct the problem.

The only appropriate remedy to a violation of ones oath of office by subverting or demeaning the constitution, is impeachment.

Obama is the greatest threat to our Liberty that we have and ever had.

The greatest threat to American liberty is an uneducated, apathetic citizenry who has no knowlege of the origin and history of our country. Couple that with the rise of a lack of personal responsibility and an expectation that government exists to provide unearned largesse and we are in for a rough ride down the splintered bannister of the near future.

Ralph

Mr. Alexander,

In your essay, you mention "talk of a second American Revolution."

In reality, that would be the third American Revolution. The first began with the Declaration of Independence. The second which overthrew the Articles of Confederation and PERPETUAL UNION was the peaceful demise of a restritive Confederation in favor of a Democratic Republic. The truth is, the Philadelphia Charter as appointed by the Confederate Congress was NOT to draft a new constitution. In fact, the AoC and PU did not prescribe "Ratifying Conventions" as a method to disolve the AoC PU and create a new Democratic Republic.

Interesting that the "winners" were named the "Founders" when they wouldn't even sign their own names to the "Federalist" Papers.

So, sir. We should get our history correct and talk of the third revolution if there is to be talk of one.

Mr. Cain is almost right with his 9% plan. His problem is that he is taking 9% twice. Eliminate the income tax, start the sales tax at 18%, and reduce by 1% per year until we get to 10%. That gives the politicians 9 years to reign in their spending. Going lower than 10%a is fine but we can never go back over it.

I believe if we implemented this plan, revenues would explode. But bottom line, if 10%we is enough for God, it is more than good enough for government.

Perhaps there should be a flat tax for everyone. Eliminate the shelters and deductions. Alternatively, a use or consumption tax on what one purchases. With this alternative, the rich that purchase more things would pay more taxes. Those that buy less, or do not have the capacity to buy more would, then, pay less taxes.

IO BELIEVE FOUR WORDS CAN COVER THIS TOPIC;

1)APATHY

2)IGNONRANCE

3)STUPIDITY

4)GREED.

FRANK PHIPPS

If we would just have the guts to adopt the "Fair Tax" the problem would go away and the country would experience unprecedented prosperity and growth.

Fair is when everyone pays the same, we should lower all taxes to 10% on gross, 5% to fed's 5% to states and every one pays. One and only one tax, no loop hole, no deductions..

That it, no more no less, government has to live within that amount..

We have to live within our means, why shouldn't

government.

try to argue that is not fair.

I think that "zero" is the fairest number imaginable for a tax rate of any kind. I don't mean to be simplistic about this, but think about it: I do not concede that there is ANY expense a legitimate "government" has which cannot be adequately handled by voluntary contributions. Making every "tax" VOLUNTARY includes the vital element of FEEDBACK. The politicians must do a good job with our money so that they will continue to attract donations! (I am myself a member of a large charitable organization, and the local hospitals we support got the message real quick: they'd better USE our money well, or they stop getting it!). I realize that even under such a "voluntaryist" regime, the politicos will still lie, cheat, and steal-- it's the nature of the beast-- but with adequate public disclosure laws (I also do not concede that governments have any legitimate reason to be secretive with what they do with "public," meaning "our," money), the harm will be vastly reduced.

A flat tax of 10% for every one would be fair.

I'm no genius, but, I believe that if everyone who pays taxes would pay 10% tax and we would cut off about 99.999% of the foriegn aid that we send to countries that hate us, we would probably have a surplus of cash.

The tax rates should be determined by duly elected and responsible representatives of the electorate. The present congress is dominated by an elite corps of professional politicians who have lost their right to claim that they are duly elected representatives of the people when the determination of their pay is in their hands. No congressmman should be allowed to serve more than 12 years consecutively.

If we are to have a Republic, all members must paytaxes and must pay the same percentage. If 10% is good enough for God's Church, then it should be enough for the goverment. No deductions, no loop holes, every one must pay taxes. The, my fine elected fools, stay within the revenues, PERIOD. Then each person will have skin in the game and pay attention to who and what and where the money is used.

Since the pretender is creating a class war with taxes, I have to wonder why he himself, for 2009 at least, did not file a Form 1040 with his Schedule C income while not claiming any itemized deductions, 1/2 SE tax, a retirement deduction or Foreign Tax Credit? If paying more is so noble, why not lead by example and simply report his gross income with no deductions?

Fair share should be in direct ralationship to what that indivdual receives in direct benifits from his government. In no case should any person be taxed in total in one year from all sources at greater than 50%. Above that is confication and not taxation.

In the most abstract of terms, I am reminded of basic human psychology.

In my judgment, as a country we have arrived at the current economic/social/political precipice, through the vice of ignorance. Couple that ignorance with the basic attributes of we human beings - i.e. the conceptual manifestations of our pleasure/pain mechansim, and you have a national "tribe," once united and cohesive by its embrace of its common attributes (rooted in political/economic freedom) now increasingly broken into smaller "tribes" wherein seeming "differences" are elevated to the point where they are acted upon as if they are more important than our basic cohesive humanity - all the while eroding our political/economic freedoms upon which our cohesiveness rests.

If true, then it is clear we must relentlessly focus on the proper vision/values and relentlessly make their case. We should only utilize the consequences of failing to pursue such values, as logical evidence in support of our position - NEVER out of the desire to invoke fear and apprehension for the failure to embrace such values.

As but one relevant example, we must make the case that Obamacare is WRONG - morally. It is anathema to our baisc values of human freedom. We should not make the focus of our argument that it will result in "death panels" - although it is logically certain that it will. Making that argument the focus of your position is an appeal to fear, not the value of love of human freedom.

This is a tough assignment because each of us has a tendency to "make our case" in any manner our minds can conjure up. Speaking for myself, I know I still do this at times (cite the consequences of our current political path with the intent to appeal to fear) although never as much as I used to.

Don't know if this offers any insight or value, but it represents my thoughts on such things.....

Dave

I think the current rate for high earners is about right. However, I do believe EVERYONE should pay something, even if it’s as little as 5%. If you do not contribute, you shouldn’t have a right to vote.

Your oath, written or verbal, is binding; It is the politicians contract with the people who put him into office.

every body should pay the same persentage

The democratic socialists or marxists(read democrates) are the biggest threat to our American Liberties and it's time we take back our country!

The whole income tax system needs to be changed - to a Fair or Flat tax. Taxing what you spend and not what your earn would be fairer.

They should be impeached if they do not live and die by their oath or at the very least be restricted to one term. These individuals (both parties)need to be replaced, go Tea Party....

Almost all Democrats in Washington DC are members in the American Communist Party. This became known earlier this year when its membership roster was made public. Communist have been and still are, the greatest threat to this country. Why be amazed (that they) are doing so much that is destructive to our constitution and nation as a whole?

there should be a flat tax so everyone is paying the same amount when are we kicking this retard out????

yes that is what the oath of office is for

You appear to use "pledge" and "oath" equally together as you refer to the statements of support and defense of the Constitution required, under that Constitution, by the members of the various departments of US Government.

IMHO, a pledge is like in the boyscouts with the 3-finger salute pledging allegiance to some order that you are currently supporting and/or a member of, or the "pledge of allegiance" to our flag. If you break the pledge, so what, of no consequence.

However, the oath (or affirmation) to protect and defend our great Constitution, is a matter of law under that Constitution, and those that break that oath (or affirmation) are subject to "the rule of law" whereby they are potentially judged as traitors, or potentially guilty of "high crimes" against the state.

I don't see anywhere that a "pledge" is so equally charged.

Be careful in your rhetoric, a pledge is for boyscouts, an oath is for men, and the difference is the gallows.

Ron Holloway

Cocoa, Florida

The two greatest threats to our Liberty are the media and apathy.

The two greatest threats to our liberty are ignorance and apathy.

BARACK OBAMA

The Marxist-Socialist-Muslim in the White House and a spineless traitorous Congress that worship at his feet.

Just put all "require" politicians into the millionaires tax brackets ......

if this bunch of ignorant bullies & such don't like america the way it is they can always go someplace else & make their own laws (we could be so lucky) if the stupid one is as bright as he said he is, he certainly read the constution????? & if he didn't like it why did he take the job?????

Hell Yes!

Lack of trust and confidence in our leaders and fellow citizens will most certainly restrict our Liberty.

Ithink obama is the greatest threat to our liberty.

obama is about to create a nation of outlaws.

Barrack Hussein Obama and his solialist, marxist, communistic kronies Reidtard and Piglosi!

A flat rate tax is probably the fairest for all concerned (except for our government, which continues to grow at an alarming rate, needs increased funding on a daily basis, no longer fears the people and continues to operate outside the law without retribution.) Anyone who thinks that existing tax rates are fair should move over to the left. Please note that We, the People are now referred as a separate entity from our government. Government is no longer controlled by the people and the question of who should determine what amount of tax is fair has become irrelevant.

Exactly what would be wrong with a 10% tax across the board, excepting no one, no matter how large or how little their income?

Everyone would be contributing their fair share: ten percent of everything I own, will go to the government, to pay for those legitimate things that are determined to be for the common good.

Hundreds, probably thousands of tax codes (read loopholes) could be eliminated and IRS forms could be simplified. Probably this would save billions.

the greatest threat to america is the breaking up of the family, doing away with god everywhere, making welfare so luctrtive, allowing illegal aliens to come to america any time any way , pay no taxes but collect, our own government working against us & royally screwing our armed forces also-doing nothing

The greatest threat to America and our Constitution is the unbridled growth of Government and our debt as a result of their spending binge. When you consider that the major profession in all three branches of Government are lawyers one has to wonder. Then consider that now some 38% of all workers are employed by the government and that there is another 40% who are on the government entitlement addiction and it will be very hard for the minority of educated, private industry workers to ever reduce the size of government or its spending because they will not approve any bills, legislation etc that will eliminate their jobs or entitlement. The most significant concern is not Obama but the mindless people who could not see through his veil of deception and socialist strategies and associates prior to being a Senator, and voted for him. When every bill/law must pass judges who are activist and very progressive and rule by empathy and social justice instead of Rule of Law it kind of puts the final nail in the coffin of our constitution. The storm clouds are indeed dark and ominious and I am not sure America can be saved and returned to freedoms and liberties as originally designated.

The greatest threat to our country is the socialist agenda being pushed by Obama, his socialist cabinet, his union thugs, and the liberal democrats. In addition, the moral decline in this country is frightening.

"Who should determine what amount of tax is fair?"

If your talking about income tax, no one, because there is really no need for it. The Sixteenth Amendment invoked the income tax and created the IRS in January of 1913 in anticipation of the passage in December that same year of the Federal Reserve Act. The income tax was, in actuality, invoked to pay the interest on the debt created by the operation of the Federal Reserve Bank... the same debt we're grappling with today. Re-institution of Greenbacks (tied to some reliable valuation benchmark) and repeal of the Federal Reserve Act would solve the entire problem in short order. But that would take control of our economy away from the private banking cartel that is the Federal Reserve Bank; and that has lineage going back to the Rothschilds (Germany), the Morgans (Bank of England, though JP was actually born in the US), and the Rockefellers. But Presidents have been assassinated that have tried to do just that. It will not be an easy thing to accomplish.

I think the oath of office is binding upon whoever submits to it. Same for those instances where anyone is required to "tell the truth, the whole truth, so help me God"... and anyone who abdicates these sworn obligations should be summarily dismissed, and never again allowed the honor of public service.

While I disagree with most of the Democrat ideas, to not close loopholes for the wealthy and make the rich bear more of the burden is just bad news. This is why this country is in a mess. The damned congress and the rich could care less about the country. Dems and Reps both are out for themselves. The first place to start overhaul is with congress healthcare and retirement. It is just supid to say a congressperson gets the kind of retirement they do. Who cares if you listen to your constituents. They will pay your retirement anyway. Obama, Boehner and the rest are a bunch o hardheaded, no compromise fools. If a revolution started today it would not surprise me. It would not be all right or all left. EVERYBODY is really angry and frustrated.

There is only one way to satisfy the tax situation, that is a fair tax, congress won't stand still for that as there would NO lobbyists and freebies, also all people would pay a flat rate no matter who or what income bracket you're in. It is way past time we put the flat tax in effect.

Of course! Why take or require the taking of an oath if the individual is not reqired to keep it?!!

The People are the only one qualified to impose tax. The President and Congress lacks competence and intellegence.

The 'Oath' to God and Country is only thing that makes sense and hamstrings the politician's from greed and power.

Liberal Progressive socialism. And the current administration.

Government Intervention is the greatest threat to our personal freedom and our liberty to uphold the Constitution and stand up for the Bill of Rights.

Barack Hussein Obama.

The greatest threat to our liberty? I could go on for the next hour, as could many stout Americans. Short of that, the greatest threat boils down to one word: PROGRESSIVES.

Will someone please get the FLAT TAX program going? Where everyone pays their ten percent, or whatever percent is required.

Got to stop this bickering and money rates that develop classes.

The socialist White House staff and their supporters who are aided and abetted by the so called MSM.

A 15 member panel of Americans covering the entire spectrum of rich, middle class, and poor should determine the percent of earnings that can be taxed.

I think the lowest income folks should determine the overall FLAT or FAIR tax rate. Essentially, these people can name a rate that they consider "fair", but they will be subject to the same. No one should have the power to define "a fair rate" unless they have skin in the game!

When in the course of human affairs the ignorance of people finds them debating a tax rate while at the same time willing to pay atrocious fees to have their taxes prepared society is in deep trouble. The current attack on the wealthy is favored by so many because they are not rich themselves. If our political leaders had managed the affairs of our country properly tax rates could be but a pittance. They didn't so now they use the wealthy as a way to escape the results of their folly. What is fair is a thing that will never be established.

The greatest threat to liberty is all of the "isms"

Socialism,Communism,Environmentalism,Feminism. The latter two have been corrupted by the socialists over the years and lost "original intent". They threaten our liberty and soverignty as a nation by tying us to the UN (Usless Nations)mandates such as Agenda 21 and global warming initiatives. Socialism always fails. One has only to look at Greece to see our future if we don't change.

Is that first graph also saying the bottom half of all persons with personal income earn a total of 12.8% of the total American personal income; well… it’s saying something on what half of all persons with personal income are taking from employers in hourly wages.

The one way to correct this sense of tax unfairness is going to a flat household income tax. Going to a flat federal sales tax on consumption is how you destroy a nation; especially as you have noted in circumspect, personal income is not the same as household income when talking about the wealthiest in America.

Where would America get its federal taxation income if expenses can not change appreciably and those that can invest income while avoiding a flat federal sales tax? Certainly not from the 12.8% income pie of the lower 50% of personnal income earners. Flat sales tax to support the federal tax budget will come from those who are middle class and not wealthy enough to put income in investments as the cost of living drives our country to madness. If you want to be fair it has to be a flat income tax without investment loopholes.

Mark Risley

THE U.S. CANNOT AFFORD TO GO TO A SIMPLE TAX SYSTEM. JUST THINK OF ALL THE IRS EMPLOYEES THAT WOULD GO ON UNEMPLOYMENT; MANY OF THEM ARE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OF POLITICIANS.

The answer to that question is of course our newest elected and his clan-and like minded for over a century. -HOG

Well wait a minute who spent us into the hole Harry Reid? Quit buying votes with our tax money and you wouldn't need to raise taxes

The socialist agenda being pushed by Obama, his socialist cabinet, his union thugs, and the liberal democrats intervention is the greatest threat to our personal freedom and our liberty. We should not rest untill him and his followers are taken out of power and put in prison to uphold the Constitution and stand up for the Bill of Rights.

the biggest threat to US is Pres. Obama alias pres. zero. He is anti-American.

A truly fair tax would grossly upset the Democrats, because it would have to reduce taxes on the wealthy, & increase taxes on the so called poor. It is time for the flat tax, or the national sales tax.

Thomas Galda

What do I think the greatest threat is to our American Liberty is? Many of our so-called representatives!

God help us all!

The story goes like this: If the owner of the orchard doesn't produce fruit, IE profit, then the people won't eat or have jobs picking fruit. If it does produce fruit but the government and unions begin to demand and rule the way the orchard owner will run his property and workers then the owner closes the orchard and warehouses the fruit for his family to live on. To own and run a company is hard enough without some third party telling you what a bastard you are for taking and eating some of the fruit for your labors and liability. After all it was the owners property and idea in the first place.

Food For Thought, Peter Mercure

"Don wrote

I think the current rate for high earners is about right. However, I do believe EVERYONE should pay something, even if it’s as little as 5%. If you do not contribute, you shouldn't have a right to vote."

Yep....the KKK and John Birche would love that. That was the whole idea behind the poll tax---keep the poor and the Blacks from voting so them that has the money can keep all the power.

The greatest threat to liberty in America is growth in the size, scope and power of the federal government

Should they be required to abide by their oath of office?

You're damn right they should!

Anyone who can be shown not to have done so should be recalled.

What would be "FAIR" is that everyone pays the same % no matter what they earn AND spending is brought under control.

You're losing votes for the Republican Party by constantly harping on taxes on the wealthy. That's why voters believe the Liberals when they say the Republican Party is for the rich. Do you think the

average wage-earner cares about the rich,when he sees everything around him sinking? Hammer on Eric Holder and the murders committed because of the boondoggle on the Mexican border and the myriad other violations of the Obama regime.

Greatest threat to the constituion are the "ceasars" making laws without representation and not being accountable to the people. The government in DC is out of control and not following at all the constition.

Clark Garvin wrote

"The greatest threat to our country is the socialist agenda being pushed by Obama, his socialist cabinet, his union thugs, "

You all should stop embarrassing yourselves and the country by showing that you don't know what Socialism is. My goodness get some education!

A socialist country is one where ALL means of production are controlled by the government.

The biggest danger to our liberty:

The usefull idiots who applauded when Barack H. Obama, declared, "We are fundamentally transforming the United States of America".

The single greatest threat to American liberty is the total disregard on the part of elected officials and, subsequently, their appointed subordinates, to understand and abide by the limitations imposed on them by the Constitution.

The resultant attempts to expand their authority and control over their various areas of influence are a constant and incrementally corrosive reduction of the liberties spelled out and guaranteed by the founding documents of this country.

This long-standing tendency (probably in action since the first leader/ruler/?? was put in a position of authority) needs to be held somewhat in check by imposing term limits on the length of their tenure. The remainder of this control has to be in the application of constant and vigilant exercise of the checks and balances afforded by a watchfull citizenry.

Nobody said the care and feedng of this Republic was not going to require some effort on each citizen's part. So - read the rules, watch the game, and don't hesitate to call the balls and stikes as you see them!

1) EVERYBODY pays the same tax

2) No more automatic withholding

3) Taxes due before election - in cash or other Fed Funds October 31st of each year--

4) NOBODY gets a refund of ANY kind: esp. "aid for dependents children". "earned income", etc.

5) No "credits, exemptions, etc.

5) NOT EVEN GOD demands more then 10% !

1) EVERYBODY pays the same tax

2) No more automatic withholding

3) Taxes due before election - in cash or other Fed Funds October 31st of each year--

4) NOBODY gets a refund of ANY kind: esp. "aid for dependents children". "earned income", etc.

5) No "credits, exemptions, etc.

5) NOT EVEN GOD demands more then 10% !

The greatest threat to American Liberty is the general departure from the Christian faith. America is apparently very religious, but not very Christian. We have become a nation of personal religion based on personal preferences. We say we believe, but we do what we want. We have a plentiful supply of politicians willing to buy votes to get elected, and plenty of voters willing to see their vote to the highest bidder. Our country is lost, and I fear we have passed the point of no return.

In your article today, you stated:

The whole body of our elected and appointed officials in the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches must be legally required to abide by their oaths. To that end, we introduced a measure to enact a legal mandate either through the courts, or, if that fails, through the legislature.

Using the courts to 'create law' is a tactic of liberals. Rather than 'enact[ing] a legal mandate through the courts, we should be seeking redress for our public officials for violating the verbal contract they made with the American people when they took that oath.

On a second front, we should be lobbying the legislature to enact laws to ensure that our elected officials obey the constitution (like requiring them to cite constitutional authority in legislation) and providing penalties for them if they don't uphold the supreme law of the land.

Since the 1950's when my Parents taught me how the Constitution is supposed to work, I knew I hated those who want what they did not work for.

Madison addressed this topic in the Federalist Papers. Listed are the ONLY basis for taxation. While it never happened as he wanted it to, his input was valued.

Tariffs collected by the federal level, imposts (Fees of various means), and finally what we recognize, the taxation of the People.

BUT HOW?

The federal level received most of the money it needs to operate from the States on an apportioned method. And Income Tax and Property tax were disallowed.

Sales tax was approved. The state collected the revenue, then shared a portion with the federal government. Instant balanced budget. As Congress could only operate in 3 areas (Treaties with indians, foreign nations, and defense) the cost was manageable.

Government does NOT have the right to collect from us directly and spend more than it takes in. It cannot spend money on what it has NO right to be engaged in.

Read Sir Alexander Taylor's paper on the Limits of a Republic (!786). Pay attention Chris. Wally

These socialist evil-doers should all be impeached, recalled or whatever it takes to get them out of our government. If they don't obey the Constitution, replace them with someone who will.

These people are a greater threat to the USA than BO's muslim friends!

I stood by my oath for 21years in the Air Force, including Viet Nam and Desert Storm. In the 60s when young men went to Canada rather than war, most of us did our duty. We thought we were doing the right thing and proudly wore our flag into battle. Many of those in power now never served and seem to see themselves as royalty and in positions none can question. That's what the Constitution was created to prevent, so naturally they will work against it. We need to make them do their duty by us and uphold their oath! If they can't or won't, then we need to elect individuals who will do the job properly.

I think a flat tax of 10 to 15 percent for all earners should do. The idea of taxing high income earners at a higher rate than others is immoral and obscene. Most million/billionairs do not earn incomes because their work consists of earning capital gains and, therefore, pay no income tax but are taxed on capital gains.

The greatest threat? Obama.. what else.

The only true fair tax would be to divide the expenses by the number of US citizens or residents and send everyone a bill for their fair share. Wealthy people use fewer government resources. They don't use food stamps, welfare, medicaid, subsidized housing or Planned Parenthood. More than likely they don't use public schools, public colleges or public libraries. They don't use more roads, bike paths or parks than a middle class American.

SO, THE ONLY FAIR TAX WOULD BE TO DIVVY IT UP SO EVERYONE PAYS EQUALLY

The way I see it,A flat 3% consumption tax should be all the Federal government should need to do it's Constitutional duty.That's Fair,if no tax on real food groceries.

IT should be collected by the states and remitted to the Federal gov. quarterly.That would put the feds back in perspective and dependant on the states.

The whole welfare, socialistic way of life is the greatest threat. But the fact that we have so many in Congress who are complicit and willing to "go along" in order to retain their position is the most disheartening factor. We need to restructure our setup for Congress and bring them back to the level of short term representatives before returning to their prior way of living. Reduce the pay. Stop the pensions and fringe benefits. Only send those who are interested in working for the "people" should have a chance to go to Washington.

The only fair tax is for everyone to pay the same amount, not the same percentage. The government is supposed to treat everyone equal,so how is demanding different amounts from everyone equal? A good amount is ZERO. It worked up to 1913 if you forget about the tax Lincoln put in place (the supremes ruled it unconstitutional). 2013 is the end of the century of infamy. 1913 brought us the 16th and 17th amendments and the Creature from Jeykl Island (FRB).

We need to disband the IRS, do away with the tax code and move directly to a fair tax somewhere between 15-20 percent paid by everyone regardless of income.

There are numerous threats to our liberty today, but the most serious threat, by far, is our nation's abandonment of our Judeo-Christian roots.

One word: Socialism.

And if we went back to this way of funding the Federal Government then I would predict that 100% of the Socialist dependency programs would have to be eliminated.

"While quoting Washington, Obama failed to mention that a tax on incomes was expressly prohibited in our Constitution. The taxes Washington spoke of were limited to those in Article I, Section 8, Clause I, "taxes, duties, imposts and excises ... but all duties, imposts [customs taxes], and excises [consumption taxes] shall be uniform throughout the United States."

But like all good Socialists they will twist these words to fit their platform.

Dead on!!! Howard Last

"The only fair tax is for everyone to pay the same amount, not the same percentage. The government is supposed to treat everyone equal,so how is demanding different amounts from everyone equal? A good amount is ZERO. It worked up to 1913 if you forget about the tax Lincoln put in place (the supremes ruled it unconstitutional). 2013 is the end of the century of infamy. 1913 brought us the 16th and 17th amendments and the Creature from Jeykl Island (FRB)."

The greatest threat to America's liberty is Obama. How can we stop him? Can he be stopped before he ruins this great nation? I love my country but it is becoming increasing difficult to find access to good health care, jobs, and be able to save for my retirement.

Why not a 10% flat tax for everyone? Then we wouldn't need the IRS, the tax code or an argument over who pays the most. If we were taxed at the same rate, our payments would be relative to our individual income but be an equal burden on everyone. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the easiest.

Our Judeo-Christian heritage says that we should tithe 10% to God. I would think that God is a lot more important than the government at any level, so we should only pay 10% of our income to the government (that's total government - federal, state, and local). All governmental entities need to learn to cut back on their expenditures, and live within their means; after all, they certainly expect us citizens to do so.

I've got it!! To be absolutely FAIR in

EVERYONE'S mind, we should all decide for

ourselves what's the fair and right amount.

Hmmmm. That just might catch on.

Kruthammer, Forbes, Heritage Center, Glenn Beck, Limbaugh, Bloomberg, Hannity, Morriss and similar

"Hauptman wrote"

If we are to have a Republic, all members must paytaxes and must pay the same percentage. If 10% is good enough for God's Church, then it should be enough for the goverment. No deductions, no loop holes, every one must pay taxes

Oh yeah: There is not one single instance in the levitical law where the or were commanded to tithe. Every tenth animal was to be given to the Lord but if the man had 9 or less no animal tithe was required. Only products of the land (grain) and animals were specifically included in the Levitical tithe. Find me a place where it commands artisans, craftsman to tithe (you won't because it is not there).

President Obama has become a broken record, visa his tax-the-"rich" rhetoric. Being from the farm belt, I equate his lunacy to bypassing the harvested corn in favor of consuming the corn seeds set aside for future plantings. To me, his spending binge(s), which historically have only produced temporary jobs and footed by taxing the real job producers, is insane. Supposedly he is a highly educated man. Perhaps he was able to pass up econ 101.

The sooner we get rid of this useless piece of nonsense in the Oval Office, the better off the country and we all shall be.

Jake, jake, jake,

You silly person you. What a silly idea. What would the accountants do? What would all the former IRS agents do? Do you realize that with that silly scheme, everybody would have skin in the game? Where would the Democrats get voters?

"Mark Kent wrote"

Our Judeo-Christian heritage says that we should tithe 10% to God. I would think that God is a lot more important than the government at any level, so we should only pay 10% of our income to the government (that's total government - federal, state, and local).

Mark, if you are referring to the OT Tithe, that was 23.33% not 10%. 10% went to the Levities (this was their salary). another 10% was required to attend to religions festivals and another 10% (a welfare tithe for the poor) was required every third year.

The US is not a theocracy BY DESIGN, so the Christian or Jewish "laws" and customs don't apply in a legal sense.

We need a FLAT tax that EVERYONE, including Corporations, pays - I would start with 12 per cent.

NO deductions!!!

Biggest threat to the United States is the huge debt facing our children.

God only asks for ten percent.

Well Done Rifleman

Your comments reflect the Welfare State hard working people are subsidizing. When will people realize that someone has to pay for all these programs?

Isit also not fair that many citizens pay no tax at all...I say everyone should pay some tax, at least a $50.00 minimum or so for those with a low income. This would be a legimate way of being a part of the support for our country and not just a "taker". As far as the upper income people, I am curious as to how much income they really require for their lifestyle. Life is not just for stacking up money.

No idea what would be fair, but if you can't make it on 10 million,(for example) you are just being greedy, and maybe you should contribute more to the revenue.

The greatest threat to America is Americans abandoning the Judeo-Christian framework of our Declaration and Constitution. To paraphrase a founding father, our type of self-governing is fit only and will succeed only within that framework. Americans must pray and repent, or we are doomed to go the way of other republics in history: corrupt and decayed; useless and enslaved.

Obama and his regime have done more harm to our country's liberty and way of life than all our enemies, foreign or domestic since the Pilgrims landed . They have cost far more than all the wars we have fought, by executive fiats to tax us to support businesses and unions deemed to big to fail. This lawlessness has frozen business activity, since the future and and government itself have made it impossible to safely put money to profitable use. Therefore, I see nothing to mollify my anger or fear. He must go from power, and so must the wrongheaded ideas that he has borrowed wholesale from the Democrats and the Communists.

It may be that the biggest threat is that we have eaten away at the Constitutional Requirements over many years until we now only pay verbal obedience but not "act"ual obedience.

There is another large factor that is probably as destructive the the successl of the Nation. That was defined by one of the Founding Fathers, I am not sure which one, who stated that the Constitution and the Republic form of Government in the US would only work properly IF the great majority of the people lived by the Morality of Christianity... I'm sure his exact words were more accurate that my "paraphrase" but we have now degenerated to the point that there are movements to remove the right to speak the name of God or his Son in public conversation (except is a church building), remove His name from our money, our government and almost everywhere else. We have already declared public prayer in Jesus name illegal in school, in the Military and generally in any public gathering.

If we adhere to these beliefs and ideas there is no way a Constitutional Government will work. In fact, Jesus is our only hope. He said, "I am the way, the truth and the life.." so if He is removed there is no truth or life - ONLY DEATH.

That is where Obama, the Liberals, and the Socialists are taking the country.

The Oath must be strictly obeyed.

The only "Fair" way to collect any taxes at all, should be the "Fair Tax". (www.fairtax.org) SALES TAX and NO Income Tax! No taxes for anyone except for the final consumer, a person that buys an end consumable, and only then pays a sales tax. No business that provides a product will pay any taxes. (Oh the horror!!!) Only those who buy the business's product, an end consumable by the consumer, will pay the sales tax.

Got your attention? Your questions about "The Poor People" are answered on the website. A trueAmericann economy under such a form of taxation would thrive, businesses would thrive, and people would have jobs again - and thrive!

Don't dis the Fair Tauntilll you check out www.fairtax.org.

Hey - let the United States be renamed to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait, or even a new middle eastern country. That way, we don't pay ANY taxes. Then, we can depend on Europe, China, France, and others, to GIVE us foreign aid, and all will be well. It obviously works - look what we've done for those countries over the last 60 years; that way we can begin to hate them like some hate us.

This guy is so out of it. I can't understand why anyone listens to the guy.

Those of US who have taken the Oath to uphold the US Constitution "against all enemies" should adapt a signal amongst ourselves, I suggest each of US obtain a US Flag lapel pin & a Gadsden "Don't Tread On ME" Flag lapel pin & wear them both Proudly every Day when You wear a Lapel.

Instead of another form of taxation why not look into Contract Insurance? It would give the government a huge incentive to support all levels and sizes of business enterprises.

We need to do away with all taxation not explicitly spelled out in the Constitution. And that includes the 16th Amendment. (The Supremes have held that the 16th provided Congress no new authority regarding taxation, but properly put income tax in the category of indirect taxes.) What we endure now is a perversion, an evil form of fraud.

OR collar, or jacket.

Rifleman ----- You are a true patriot. I agree with your correct interpretation of the constitution and limited role of the federal goverment. Those of us of like mind must choose a state or states to congregate in, then secede from the parasite class and criminals that infest the governemnt at all levels. Our new republic will honor the constitution to the letter and spirit in which it was created. Any political leader in the new republic that breaks their oath to the constitution will be exiled. We will need a high wall to keep them out.

SIMPLY STATED: COMPLY WITH THE EXISTING PROVISIONS OF OUR U.S. CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS.

There is so much wrong with Obama and his utterly despicable actions to restructure this nation into a socialistic democracy. There's simply no place to take a definitive position on issues with this administration.

The plain and simple truth is that we; the Armeican People, need to oust Obama AND his henchmen/women. We can no longer just sit idly by and expect this leper to cure himself, he is not so disposed and we are not so disposed as to wait and see if he tries.

Get him out. Tonight's Republican Debate showed a few moments of excitement as the #1 & #2 candidates on the stage attempted to cut each other's throats.

The only calm and collective presence among all of them was Newt Gingrich. He is also; without equal, the most intelligent, most versatile and by far the most highly qualified of all the Republicans now running for the nomination.

America needs to wake up or we will be blind-sided by the Soros backed Obama and crew and will wake up to "Hope to Change" episode 2.

The Constitution is the basis of our democracy. It defines our freedoms and should never be treated as "just a document" by those who would deny those freedoms and thus the people of their liberty.

It is relatively easy to become a millionaire. They are not all that uncommon. Inflation since 1913 has made it a lot easier as well as giving it a totally different meaning than it once had. It is offensive when politicians lump them with billionaires who are one thousand times more wealthy. Most of us can get by with less, but that is beside the point. For all practical purposes, those who acquire great wealth do so by providing great service.

10% flat tax on everyone; no exceptions.

It is not the the Liberal Socialists do not know alot.

They actually know a great deal....problem is most of them can't spell!.

As the 1040 forms of yesteryear said:

How much did you make last year?

Send it in!

Molon labe.

none

I wish to take issue with the statement, "... the bottom 50 percent of income earners pay less than three percent..." While true this statement tars some taxpayers with a dole brush.

Thank you for another on point commentary.

re: Criss Schene: You are a hundred percent correct. You however forgot the special tithes, first fruits, Shoshanna, Temple Tax besides the Levis, I could go on. On a typical year, it could reach as high as 60% and we thought we have problems.

re; Hamilton, I said I've read your post and I invited others to read them. I love both your incites and Rifleman's. Above I've read blood law. This is an offshoot of the O.T.. this is why they had cities of refuge. what this means, draw your own conclusions for I have none.

I was just readying your latest composition: Alexander on the Socialist 'Tax Fairness' Rhetoric; very well done, as usual. I saw the link to oath of accountability, which I have been meaning to sign for some time. But as I’m deployed and using a government supplied computer, it might (or, more likely, might not) come as a surprise that your link has been blocked by the government network. And today here is the message I received when I tried again: “The site you have requested has been blocked by Team CONUS (C-TNOSC/RCERT-CONUS) due to hostile content.” As an officer I have taken the same oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States as our elected representatives. The current run of form from our government officials is both appalling and mindboggling, and I’m extremely alarmed by the potential outcome(s). Keep up the great work! I’ve even got my essential guide to liberty over here with me. Thank you for all you do.

cut spending. eliminate lifetime benefits for politicians who serve only one or two terms. even an ex-president can work at a different job

Biggest Threat?? It's not Obama, it's an electorate that would put a man like him in office. The electorate has degenerated to that point primarily due to government run public schools. The schools in our country should be giving our children the skills and knowledge needed to become productive, functioning members of a free society. Instead of training our children to be CITIZENS, they are training them to be SUBJECTS.

The fair tax is the only sane answer. It will stimulate business investment in our country. Every illegal will pay taxes. "Created equal" should ring a bell here. EVERYONE pays the same percent...no loopholes anywhere. Gov't regulations need to go away. All green crap needs to go away. We can't afford it. Drill everywhere possible now..tell OPEC to pound salt!

Jeff

SC veteran

The greatest threat to our nation is the government, the largest organized crime syndicate in the world. The only difference between the government and the mafia is that we get to elect the people in government.

Every person born in the US or lucky enough to come to this great nation and become a citizen is "rich". What you do with the wealth that this country has available for you to EARN is entirely up to the individual.

GOD does not require more than 10% for his domain !

Why should we pay the Goverment any more than that.

Is the Gov't. above GODS law? Stop The politcians "Entitlemenst" like free health care and bloated pensions for life. When they are voted out, ALL Taxpayers monies to these greedy bastards must stop at once ! Is a Modern day REVOLUTION close at hand ? I hope so !!!

Flat tax 15% on everyone even if you collect welfair. Everyone should pay taxes. everyone over

the age of 65 should be exempt from property taxes

which is a local problem I know.

elo

Yes they should be forced to abide by their oath to uphold the constitution.

Simply, taxes must be simplyfied! We must go to a tax system such as a flat tax or sales tax for all! Personally I like the sales tax. Everyone would pay..even those who currently pay NOTHING in taxes!

The wealthy, buying high end items would pay more in taxes, while the poor would still pay something!

Regulation and regulators. You do not have to own something if you can regulate it. Regulation is control.

The lack of a cohesive religious family unit is the biggest threat to our Liberty; Liberty that makes this Country great and different from all others.

Most if not all of what liberals and progressives dispense is not only unconstitutional, it is also evil and can be attributed to the lack of knowledge of what Christians believe.

If we look at only one issue, that of taxation and re-distribution of wealth, we see that an examination of these issues is in contrast with what we know about God, Jesus and Christianity. "Thou shalt not covet they neighbors house or anything in it." is one of the Ten Commandments.

If you covet what your neighbor has, and you say that it's not fair that he/she has more than you, I should have some of that; then you can buy into the re-distribution of wealth theory. If you know that you have just then committed a sin, you know how wrong that is and you will be committed to thinking differently than that. You dismiss those thoughts and move on.

Stop looking to the schools to educate your children. They are too far gone down the road to collectivism that they will never change without some serious funding restrictions. You must educate your children by first taking them to Church, every Sunday. You must teach them right from wrong so that when they are exposed to evil they can call it out for what it is and when they get to be old enough to vote, they won't be swayed by snake oil salesman who will sway them with Hope and Change.

Sons and Daughters need Fathers and Mothers who are present in their lives everyday. Not just on weekends. Sit down to dinner and before you partake of what you have, say grace. Set the example for your children of a loving couple everyday.

Yeah it's hard, harder for some than others, but you must do this for the betterment of your children and our Country!

I will not ever use the word FAIR when talking about taxes and government. Attempting to be "fair" is like trying to hit a moving target. One person's fair is anothers injustice. In the matter of taxes, I believe we need to ask ourselves one simple question. And that question is, "What is the purpose of the tax code?" The answer, for me , is the tax code exists to fund the government. If someone recieves the benfits of living in this great country, they should , in some way, help to pay the bill. We have a complicated system that sets the table for poloticiians to engineer themselves permanent poisitions of authority. When only half the folks are paying all the bills, then all one has to do to get elected/re-elected is to promise more to those who get a free ride, and promise to take what is needed from the hard working producers.

I am astounded at the amount of simplistic so-called thinking expressed in both the article and the comments. Whether your thinking is right-leaning or left-leaning, if it is monolithic it is simplistic, delusional and dangerous. It is logically absurd to assert that any single thing is the cause or the solution to a problem or to all problems. This is as true of government as it is of any other topic. Government is not always the solution but neither is it always the problem. The United States became a powerful country because it has, through a difficult process of conflict and resolution played out over time, arrived at a balance. We are not and have never been purely capitalist. And we have obviously never been purely socialist. Woe to us if we become purely one or the other. The first would result in a dog-eat-dog world (and those who advocate it, would be in for a rude awakening if they actually got it. The old adage, "be careful what you wish for, you may get it" applies here.) As for the second choice, a purely socialistic state, it is obvious that the people who frequent this site are aware of the dangers of that and do not need me to enumerate them.

On the roles of the separate states, the federal government and the intentions of the founding fathers, the first misconception that must be cleared up is the notion that the founding fathers represent a monolith of thought. They do not. They disagreed on many points and especially on the question of how much power the states and the federal government should have. The constitution is an example of the dynamic process of conflict and resolution I mentioned above.

For those who would like to see the states reign supreme and the federal government reduced to a minuscule role, I would remind them of two things. First, that this was the original model which our country tried under the Articles of Confederation. It did not work. That was the principal reason that the Constitution was written. The founding fathers came to agree (more or less -- not completely, of course -- there is never complete agreement) that our safety and prosperity required a strong centralized government.

The second point is this: history proved them right. The United States could never have become the superpower that it is if it had remained a loose confederation of states, each following its own course, sometimes cooperating but more often than not competing with each other. Not only would such a confederation never have achieved world dominance, it probably never would have been able to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It is entirely possible that it would not even exist today.

One final thought. No government can exist that does not levy taxes. If you endorse the notion of absolutely no taxes (as Mrs. Bachman did last night during a presidential debate), what you are actually calling for is anarchy.

I feel that the greatest threat to our nation is from within. And that internal threat is our unwillingness as individuals and as a nation to help ourselves and each other. We should not and must not look to the governement(at all levels) to help us.

what is meant by "fair"? N my 18 years of teaching social studies, I have never had a negative answer to the following questions: "Please raise your hand, & explain the reason why, if you someday do NOT want to achieve success (based upon your own definition) & accumulate wealth & good fortune? Are there any limitations, that you can think of, placed upon you by the Constitution of the United States of America to secure the success & wealth you desire? Is it fair to you that you must give some of what you earn, legally, to people who do not earn??

please explain how men, such as sen. reid & sen. kerry , continue this "triad" against the limitless opportunities available to anyone in the nation, when the very "blessings of liberty" they condemn have rewarded them tenfold & beyond their wildest dreams??

The subject of finding a fair way to tax the nation's citizens resurfaces more often now that the economy is in the basement, and our 'leaders' can't quite understand that reasonable budgets, based on income, will work with discipline.

Why not implement a flat tax on all spending? It wouldn't matter if one made a million dollars or forty thousand. Each would pay the same tax rate for whatever they purchase. (It might teach us all a good lesson at the same time). Or how about a flat income tax? Same as above; if you make a million you pay on the million...no loopholes. If you make forty thousand you pay on that....no loopholes. No deductions for kids. No deductions period. The rate for a flat tax in either of the above would be the question mark. How much?

Let's face it. This government has spent recklessly pretending to 'fix' the banks, big business, and the rest of the world's spending. A citizen panel could work on the actual amount; with perhaps one representative from each party.

I don't know that it would solve our problems right now, but, people may have more incentive to work even harder when they know their 'bottom line' depends on them and not the government. Maybe we would stop being so self indulgent and develop an 'attitude of gratitude' for what we have. Seems fair to me.

The wealthy would still pay more than most because they make more, and, their way of life leads them to spend more, so if it is a consumption tax they could regulate what they spend, as most of us try to do. It would be their choice though, and not the government taking from them because they have more.

There would be no death tax....not necessary. Everyone goes to sleep at night knowing they have paid no more or less than they should have.

We do still live in a country that believes in our right to make our own choices; if we can choose to buy expensive items, we know we will pay tax on what we spend. Oh, and if we think all of those IRS agents will be out of work and added to the rolls of the unemployed, well, they could be hired by the businesses to do any added paper work. The government would be paid the accumulated taxes and even the government would have to think before they spend on stupid self interests. On larger purchases such as homes, etc., the amount of tax to be paid up front would be adjusted into the actual mortgage payment as it is now.

I'm not a mathematician; and it appears our present leaders aren't either, so maybe we would all learn how to manage and plan better. And hopefully it would be a group effort to get this country back on track. It's time we grow up and take care of business. I know the entertainment world would have us be deluded into thinking we are all players in the reality show to end all reality shows. Well, that isn't the case. This is our reality right now; our government is leading us down the wrong road to....perdition?

To: RK Sprau

I was curious. You said that if one of your wife's cows has a calf, and that one extra cow causes you to exceed the government quote per acre, then the fool, or bookworm, or idiot, whatever, from BLM, comes out and makes you take ALL the cows out of that pasture. Is that correct? Can you tell us how they justify you having to remove ALL the cows instead of however many it takes to get back to the limit? Do you have to keep them out for a certain time span, or something? How does it work?

Not to get back into the politics of this, but I can't help it. There's another point to be made here. In your example about the over-grazing, what is the BLM doing? They are not telling your wife that she can no longer ranch the cattle, but they are, relating to population density of cows in a pasture, telling her how to do it. And for all I know, there are probably other ways that the BLM is dictating procedure to your wife, concerning a host of other common tasks around the ranch. Could I be correct? Anyway, I can't help but think that if the BLM doesn't like the way your wife (or anyone else for that matter) is managing her ranch, the next logical step would be for the BLM to tell her no. To tell her that she can no longer ranch her property. So in the big picture, this transcends telling people how they can do things, into telling them what they can and cannot do. And that, my friend, is not socialism. That is communism. With our country's current propensity for government overreach, I'm afraid that your ranching experience all by itself, is just one illustration, of many all across the nation, of just how close we are to losing everything. Either that, or civil disobedience and whatever may follow.

I am not a rich man, but I do own subchapter S businesses. This puts me in his socalled rich, above $250,000/y income level. I don't take this money out for my personal pleasure, I use it to grow my businesses. Huge corporations pay a lessor tax rate on theri income than I do. If they want to creat jobs, they should only tax the income removed from the S corp's as personal income. Any money left in the company for growth should be tax free.

The biggest threat to freedom is The people who profess to be our leaders. All branches Thanks larry

I think the biggest threat to our nation is the breakdown and re-definition of the basic unit of society...the family and turning over the upbringing and education of our children to government. The second biggest is the unethical, dishonest, greedy, self-serving individuals that this breakdown has spawned who are now in government and will not honor their oath of office to protect and defend our Constitution. Honor and integrity are disappearing from the face of the earth.

Public officials should be held to the highest standards of anyone in our country. These people have been entrusted with running our country. There is very plain language in our Constitution which states what the responsibilities of the government is. Anyone taking the oath of any office in our government should be held in contempt, removed from office, and be criminally prosicuted for not upholding that sworn duty.

I don't know why he is worried about a little thing such as the US Constitution. He has already ignored it. Justice will be served if and when he is seen in an orange jumpsuit neaded for federal prison for treason!

The greatest threat to our Country tooday is our present administration and their socalist ideas. This country was built as a Republic base on the rule of lay. These ultra rich liberals who are trying to tear down our Republic are doing it to line their pockets even further. All you have to do is look at the EU to see what socialism does to people and economies.

Our own Government!

the greatest threat to our "American Liberty"? difficult question to consider - based upon the writings & comments of the men who fought & sacrificed to lay the foundation of our nation, we can surmise the largest threat to our "American Liberty" is our constant moving away from the Biblical truths, Judeo-Christian morality, & the emphasis on changing the definition of "freedom".

When did lavish expense accounts for politicians become the tax-payer's burden? Secret service, private jets, lavish parties and limousines all weren't part of our Founding Father's vision. It grieves me to see the GREED in our government, a government representing the Greatest Nation on earth.

I believe the biggest threat to our nation, at this time in it's history, is our collective willingness to accept the idea of 'political correctness'. Who determined that? Since we do have the right of speech, why have we buckled everytime someone calls us on the carpet about something we have said? It doesn't take a nuclear scientist to know words spoken may be taken out of context, or twisted to suit the 'offended'. I value my right to use whatever words I choose. Of course I realize it is my responsibility to use discernment before I speak. Especially when provoked. I also believe we behave like a bunch of 'wusses' when it comes to the lone individual who wants change our basic mores to suit their own perverted ways. When did we get that yellow strip up our backs? This is America people. Stand up and respectfully say what you mean.

One of the best ways to make sure that yoke is not going to slip off is to take away our freedom of speech. Uh uh! We have to stop allowing ourselves to 'fold' everytime someone calls us a racist, or liar, or some other such label. Labels are meant to confuse and embarrass. If you aren't what you are accused of then ignore the stupidity of those who are trying to rile you. I say consider the source.

Divide and conquer. Remember? Divided we fall. United we stop be a whipping post for our present government. We need to stop allowing 'them' to push their agendas on the rest of us when they are so opposed to our American way of life.

So, that's my main concern right now. There are lots of others too. I am older now and I say what I mean; the advantage of age is that I have learned to do it with finesse more often than not now. And, we do have the good Lord on our side when we think to look to Him first. So, let's. And it isn't politically correct to ignore HIm. He is a major reason why this nation has succeeded in it's grand experiment up to now. We must not let them take that from us. We are millions, they are a few. Our voices need to be heard. The next time we are told we can't pray openly at a public function we need to drown out the dissenters voices with our own. All it takes is a few to begin....what will they do..arrest us all? I know I am not the only one who 'sees' it this way...am I?

As Thomas Sowell said, "What is your fair share of what someone else has earned?" When those who want their "fair share" can answer that question, we can take their assertions seriously.

The 'Oath of Office' is quickly forgotten by most congress critters and the POTUS as soon as it is sworn to. You will rarely see an honest politician rise to the ranks of Representative or Senator that has not perfected their ability to lie under oath to the American citizenry. This obvious character flaw speaks volumes as to the lack of personal integrity of the elected and the low life that put them there.

I'm not sure how effective it would be, but Mr. Cain's proposed 9-9-9 seems fair. Perhaps even a slightly higher number will be needed, but that would be fair if all citizens were required to pay that level of tax, including welfare, unemployment food stamps, etc. Afterall, I paid social Security taxes on all income from 1952 to 1999 and still pay income taxes on my Social Security income. Even my wife pays taxes on her disability income (she had a stroke and just barley walks with a cane but mostly uses a wheelchair - how fair is that?)

No one should be exempt from paying taxes. Everyone needs skin in the game. Enact the Fair Tax. This puts everyone on a level playing field. Everyone pays his "fair share" with the Fair Tax.

The answer to Mr. Duncan's question is to point out the fallacious assumption that he makes when he speaks of someone "earning" something as though his achievement were his and only his doing.

"No man is an island entire of itself." (John Donne) None of us, if we are honest with ourselves and humble, can take complete credit for what we have. One quick and easy to understand example: We would be hard pressed to find a business in this country, large small or medium sized, that does not benefit from the interstate system, which was built by the central government and funded by the taxes that all of us pay. There is no such thing as the self-made man. We are all in this together.

As for the person who compared taxation (an activity without which no government can exist) to coveting one's neighbor's belongings, they are not the same thing at all. Moreover, if you want to bring a Christian perspective to bear, Jesus was quite clear on the matter when asked if the Jews should pay taxes to Rome. "Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's and unto God what it God's."

In recent days I have heard people accuse President Obama of thinking that it is not good for people to have too much money. I have no idea whether Mr. Obama thinks that or not. But I do know of someone who very clearly believed that wealth was a spiritual impediment. Do I really have to say his name? You might look up the following passages from scripture: Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:21 and John 21:1-17.

The Biggest Threat to Liberty is the federal government.

The federal government republican & democrat repeatedly chose to ignore their oath, restricted power (per the Constitution) & responsibility to the people. Instead the elitists in washington use their position to enhance gain for self, financial supporters & special interest groups while forcing their socialist agendas on the American people. How many more terms of ignoring their oaths, socialist policies, run away spending & unlawful regulations/restrictions, will Americans tolerate before we wake up to the fact the majority of those in washington do not care about America & its people.

Significant positive change will happen when Americans regain control of this country by restricting the powers of the legislative & judicial branches in washington (per Constitution) & returning the power to the states/people. Our founding Fathers warned of the dangers associated with excessive power by a federal government & they were right.

It is time for Americans to take action if this country & the liberty we all enjoy is to survive. A good first step, read the play book that directed the greatness of this country for several hundred Constitution & Bill of Rights.

The worst thing for this Nation, is having a President who has no respect for our Constitution, nor the effort's of our job creators who would if they could, put this nation back to work, but are being hinder every step of the way, by a person who has a whole different agenda for himself, and is not interested in doing what his "Oath" requires him to do.

There is nothing he has done that has been good for this nation.

TO: MARK ALEXANDER

The two bar-graphs included in today's Patriot Post really blow the Liberals' "tax the rich" cries out of the water. Thank you.

I'm not sure I fully understand the first one. From the blue bars, I understand that, for example, the top 1% of Americans pay 38% of all federal personal income taxes while the top 50% pays 97.3% of all federal personal income taxes. That's clear. But can you explain exactly what the green bars represent? Thanks.

God only asks for ten percent, the government in it's entirety (federal, state and local) should only ask for ten percent. Also, like every sane house hold in America, of which there are probably few, should spend within it's means and save/ plan for the future.

Their oath to support/uphold and defend the Constitution is as fundamental to their elected post(s) as blood is to life. If they fail to do so, they should be removed and/or prosecuted. To me, it is treason to seek office and not be educated enough to have read, studied and understand completely the constitution and apply it to all situations without regard to any party affiliations.

Without a doubt the greatest threat to liberty in this country is the "progressive liberal". Truth, facts, reason, logic, science and scientific theory, they have no place in their mind when pursuing the problems this country faces. Also, they come up short in the morals, honesty and integrity departments when trying to further their political agenda. Lying is a perfectly acceptable means of achieving their goal. Passing the blame to someone else is another. Deception is another trademark. Their so called "Living Constitution" is the height of hypocrisy, another one of their character traits that I forgot to mention. They are quick to quote the Constitution when they need it back up their side of the argument (like freedom of speech when burning the U.S. Flag under the 1st amendment). But when the words of the Constitution shoot down their liberal ideas and philosophies (like gun control) they turn to the "living constitution" and say that is what they wrote but not what they meant, or that it is old and outdated and no longer applicable to this modern age (the 2nd amendment and the right to bear arms). I say bull_ _ _ _!! What is not applicable is the "progressive liberal". They want to regulate, ban, restrict, control every aspect of our lives. That is not what this nation and the Constitution is all about. That is why they are, in my opinion, greater than any threat we face or have ever faced in the history of this country. And Obama and his cadre of mindless lemmings are the ultimate example of that, along with Nancy "drain the swamp" Pelosi.

I submit that those who are relatively wealthy AND paying taxes in the United States are American citizens just the same as the relatively poor. The constitution calls for equal treatment of all under the law.

Now beware how even those of us who are regulars at the Patriot Post use reckless speech in casual conversation. When I hear the words "fatcat" tossed out by someone it is usually to denigrate someone who has money and a judgement is being made about them. I just want to cringe!

Then there is loop hole. There's no such thing when the words are used in reference to the current, lawful tax code. I didn't say it made sense but that it is lawful.

What are the origins of these words and thoughts? Words have meaning. The two examples above when used by anyone is engaging in class warfare.

We the people should decide what is fair, and by that I say we the taxpayers who provide revenue to run our government. Those who don't pay should have absolutely no say, since they have no skin in the game. Further, I wait for the day when those who are on welfare, or public dole, will forfeit their voting rights, which is exactly how it was when this great country was formed.

To: Phillip F. Eisner

Very well said. Yours is an excellent summary of what the "Progressive Liberal" is all about.

That the Liberals often call themselves "progressives" and refer to their ideology as "progressive" is one hell of a nauseating irony. At its birth, by the inspiration, fortitude and integrity of our original patriots, the Founders, they created an American Constitutional government to protect us from the age-old tyranny of the rule of men. We made REAL PROGRESS back then, progress towards true freedom for America and for any who would choose to follow our path. And witness today's Liberals who subvert the Constitution whenever it suits them, and tear down liberties as readily and adeptly as a beaver fells trees. And they call themselves "progressive".

I submit that those who are relatively wealthy AND paying taxes in the United States are American citizens just the same as the relatively poor. The constitution calls for equal treatment of all under the law.

Now beware how even those of us who are regulars at the Patriot Post use reckless speech in casual conversation. When I hear the words "fatcat" tossed out by someone it is usually to denigrate someone who has money and a judgement is being made about them. I just want to cringe!

Then there is loop hole. There's no such thing when the words are used in reference to the current, lawful tax code. I didn't say it made sense but that it is lawful.

What are the origins of these words and thoughts? Words have meaning. The two examples above when used by anyone is engaging in class warfare.

Taxes should be as was intended in the constitution until modified by the Socialists, the same for everyone. That is, a flat tax.

And that tax should not be based on what we now owe through overspending, but on what is NECESSARY to operate the government.

Re: Hamilton

It is definite government overreach. They are bookworms. The legalese in the regulations are so complex that anyone can make anything out of them. You are correct, they are telling her how to ranch for after all she was born on a ranch so therefore to them who has never seen a ranch, believes they know more than her. ( case in point, the rep from NY said my state has to many cattle guards so fire half of them and save money.) If you know how absurd that is. cattle guards are a set of rails going across the road. the cattle cannot walk on the. She believed and wanted to pass legislation to fire half them for they we people guarding cattle. (Good move in this economy.)

I made a point about a 1.1. acre 50 ft deep acid lake. We turn to the EPA to help clean it up. BLM gave them permission to put it there as an experiment in leaching copper from freestanding ore. It is government overreach by both government and big business. I/we are not blaming the corporation, we blame the government.

They are telling her one calf to many, it violates there overgrazing policies so therefore the land has to recoup before any cattle can graze on it. This is utter BS. They under number the amount of cows by about .33 percent. I know of no rancher who would push it up to the maximum for they LOOSE MONEY WHEN THEY DIE OR THEY HAVE TO FEED THEM.

There is more than BLM, it's also the EPA. One has to have your disael stored 300 feet away from any building, only so many gallons, chickens and horses 300 feet away, then you can only have x amount. The same with gas. It's not just us, any of you out there who ranches know this to be true.

They allow a acid lake which may leach into the water supply, kills wildlife and cows, may kill you if you breathe it but God help us if we spill a literal pint, yes I said a pint of oil on the ground. They will and I kid you not send out a haz mat team to clean it up and then they charge you. The haz mat team also charges you.

End the subsidies and kill most of the regulations and quit being so anal. I honestly believe part of the problem is what someone posted a few days ago. They won a lawsuit but a judge threw out the award.

I think we ticked off the wrong people by making it a federal case.

Hamilton, you said Pasture. They want to do it to a ranch, 20 miles by 30 miles, 8 wells, 2 holding pens, 3 corrals, roads my wife's great grandfather built and has been improves upon by her grandfather then her father. This is double dipping. Thee land, they improved by pens, wells, roads. They tax them on every single well, road, pen then tell her to keep it all maintained. More money.

This is a good one for just you. he has (when he was alive) haul water up the the ranch not because the wells were dry but because only x amount of gallons could be pumped from them a year. reasoning, lowering the water table. Now think about this, go into Safford, fill up monstrous tanks on trucks and haul it up there, (same water table,) or let the windmills do what they do. The bizarre way is the legal way.

This has been going on since about 91, big time. It has always been going on but not this bad.

They regulate and you farmers know I'm shooting straight, how much fertilizer to put down, can't feed hay to the cattle if a certain fertilizer is used, if you spread it to close to a well, thousands in testing and you pay for it. By to close, I think, 150 feet, though I could be wrong.

The farmers and ranchers are regulated to death. Again, those of you out there who do this for a living know I'm shooting straight. Some regulation make sense but .99% of them do not. We do not need a Love Canal or the Ohio River burning but Calves and water, then being charged? Com on.

One last thing, if your cow is sick and you give is penicillin, you cannot sell the cow at market for 120 days. I understand some people are allergic to it but penicillin only lasts around4 days. Dr Timms would know more about that than I.

for those of you who care, she refuses to use growth hormones in her cattle to bulk them up. She uses grain in a holding pen.

The greatest threat to American liberty is the United Nations and those who subscriber to its anti-American policies. Giving legitimacy and our tax dollars to the UN and these members of the UN who would destroy the US is the greatest folly of our age.

Tim Robbins--- I read John 21:1-17 as you suggested.  The lesson of Christian charity is clear.  The disciples fished all night and caught nothing.  Jesus helped them by telling them where to cast their net.  They promptly caught 153 large fish.  Jesus instructed the disciples to share their fish and bread with the others on shore for breakfast, which they did.  An excellent example of man helping man.  No where in the scripture did Jesus tell the disciples to send 35 percent of the catch to Cesar so he could take his cut and then dole out a few fishheads to the needy as charity.  I believe I will follow the example of Jesus.

I'm coming to the conclusion that the greatest threat to liberty is from the ignorance of what our liberty really is as granted by the Constitution.

It has become less hard to conclude from Obama's endless speeches, how and what he says is complete crap to us who now know better and are becoming better informed from sources that prove socialists' crap is king (The Patriot Post being one of the best sources).

It is really frustrating that our side does little to nothing to counter. Isn't it fair to say that, even our side's representatives in government have become ignorant of the Constitution's constraints to check and reverse the usurpations to the nation's "law of the land" and the people's liberty to the point of a possible no return?

Granted, the President has the bully pulpit and the MSMedia is complicit bordering on collusion, but this should be all the more reason to go on and stay on offense.

To that end, sites like this one, Fox news and conservative talk radio have greatly educated and thereby influenced a larger portion of the electorate. Our government knows now that more of us now know and have become more wise.

With the One's continuing rhetoric spews says that he and his base are still relying on reaching their side to keep in the game by playing the game of politics with the masses. The 08 election with a lot of money along with a fair amount of hype, illusions to hopeful citizens (that he really was and still is the One), and fraud gave the left their victory. The economic crisis didn't help the right of course. And the left sure didn't let it go to waste. What led up to the crisis and it continually being used for taking advantage says more than anything: too many are still being duped. Being played the fool has a way of informing whom you can't trust and why.

An anger from innocence and with righteousness is justice served.

It is our turn for hope. In that the course of recent events has awakened, educated and spurred people to action by a genuine grassroots movement is inspiring to say the least. When things get real bad, all the inspiration has come and all the more we can get, will have to come from within by what we know and what to do about it. To have liberty requires the means to preserve it. We must know what we have lost if we are to restore liberty in order for our children to know it is too precious to ever lose again.

(this comment and especially the last sentence was an inspiration from Heritage Lectures; Rebirth, Revival, or Requiem: The Return of the Forgotten Man by The Honorable Janice Rogers Brown. I highly recommend it at: http://report.heritage.org/hl1175

when Obama made a disparaging comment about people in rural Pennsylvania "cling to their guns and religion", it was a revelation of what a socialist (would-be) dictator fears most: the ability of the citizens to defend themselves against their government and the religious conviction of God-fearing men.

Beejay

john98 wrote, "Then let's implement a minimum tax of, say 5%, on EVERYBODY in the USA. After all, folks are already paying sales taxes higher than that.

Then we can talk about "fairness.""

5% of what? Income is NOT your wages! What remains after subtracting deductions, exemptions, exclusions, etc. is supposedly income, that is, your profit or gain after subtracting expenses of keeping yourself alive, healthy, equipped and ready for work. But the laborious and invasive process of calculating income cannot lead to a fair accounting of profit or gain since each individual's costs differ. Very few people can actually survive on the standard deduction and exemption presently allowed - this is manifestly unjust to all taxpayers.

Taxing wages and salaries is a direct tax on labor - a notion considered so antithetical to liberty by the Founders that there are two provisions in the Constitution expressly prohibiting it. Direct taxes, if they exist at all, are to be shared equally via apportionment by state, but are otherwise not permitted. "Income" taxation under the 16th Amendment is supposed to be a limited exception to the general prohibition on un-apportioned direct taxes, not a license to tax anything Congress can use to calculate a tax.

It would be better to junk the income tax, and the too-easily-abused 16th Amendment right along with it. Let the federal government get by on a 5%-10% sales excise on otherwise-untaxed non-essential goods, and current excises on fuel, alcohol, tobacco, etc.. (At present, the wastrels in Washington have run up such a huge debt that we'll have to pay a much higher rate to retire it - but this should be the goal for what we want the next generation to have.)

It's time to chastise the politicians who speak of tax cuts as "expenses" or "expenditures". Such money was never theirs to spend. Rightfully, taxes are what we the people LET the government have, not something they are entitled to take before we get any of the fruits of our labors. Conversion to a sales excise on non-essential items only will make this a matter of practice as well as principle; anyone who doesn't want the government to have any of his money can forego the purchase of things he doesn't need for basic subsistence. Those who think the wealthy ought to pay more should consider that the wealthy spend far more on non-essential goods than the rest of us. What could be more fair than a truly voluntary tax with no personally invasive accounting requirements?

The greatest threat to America today is Congress.

They should be tried and punished for violating their oath of office. If they can't abide by their oath how why are we suprised by all the other criminal acts they commit. There must be no more compromise which is a code word for violating the Constitution. If your position is that we should abide by the Constitution then compromise is not an option.

As far as fixing the tax situation, we have legislation in Congress the FairTax HR 25 that solves our problems. It taxes consumption while avoiding basics in a way that can't be abused. It actually gives the poor a boost as they improve themselves. It frees up business to thrive in the US again and gets the IRS and the income tax out of our lives forever.

If you oppose it I would submit that you don't understand it or you believe that the government is responsible for taking care of you. If you believe in individual liberty and responsibility the Fair Tax HR 25 will take us in that direction.

It is existing legislation that can be enacted right away. See the details at www.fairtax.org.

If Congress doesn't remove Obama from Office for treason as we voted them into office to do so as to protect us from such tyranical actions then we the people will be obligated to revolutionize and do it by whatever means it takes to protect our country from totally collapsing to Socialism.

I have read many comments from people suggesting that a "fair" tax would be to tax everyone who earns a living at "X" percent.

We have all heard the term "Living Constitution" used as an excuse to come up with novel definitions and applications of words and phrases used in our supreme law. The fact is that a tax upon income is patently unconstitutional; indeed, to place this burden upon the good citizens of once-great America required an amendment to The Constitution, an amendment that many believe was never ratified as required by The Constitution.

That those "in power" at the time were willing to risk being found out in their subterfuge in order to implement this onerous load upon American workers is telling about how important our government at the time believed it to be to take a path not envisioned by the wise, God-directed men who established the country. We have, since then, strayed badly.

Today's America would not be recognized by Washington, Madison, Jefferson, and the others; it bears very little resemblance to the country and system designed by them and defined in The Constitution. They would be utterly amazed that we honestly believed that we were still using their document as the arbiter of what is and what is not within the sphere of federal authority.

May they forgive us.

Apathy and ignorance, either by themselves or combined together to create moral cowardice. The cure for our problems is in plain site and we as a people refuse to take or use the cure. Truth is the most beautiful word in any language, it is the most powerful word in any language. it is also the most despised, reviled and hated word in all languages. Truth is our greatest weapon and too many refuse to learn and used it. The greatest threat to the survival of our liberties is the cowardice of we the people.

The greatest threat to American liberty? It's the entitlement society that says to all others, "You owe me." Nobody owes anybody a d****d thing. The sooner we get over that, the sooner we can rescue this country. Rescuing the country begins by booting the Fascist Obama out of office before he pulls a Hitler on us.

Our tax system is exactly backward. We should be sending the largest share of out tax money locally to our City, then to the County, then to the Feds. Total taxes from all sources should not exceed 22%, which has shown to be the optimal maximum rate for raising revenue while maintaining voluntary compliance.

They should be held to obey the oath they took to assume whatever office or position they hold. If they do not abide by their oath, they should be removed from their office/position.

APATHY ON THE PART OF CITIZENS!

Apathy on the part of citizens brought us to this situation, but were compounded by an eighty year long struggle under the surface and behind the scenes to undermine the American way of life. They are just about to the finish line. The Blood of Patriots will likely flow before the end of 2012 if things continue in the direction they are currently. Sad, unnecessary, but oh so true.

Anything that takes more than what is Constitutionally mandated is unfair. After all, this is America, a Constitutional Republic, not socialist Europe. I do not want to pay taxes for non-workers, Dept.of Education, EPA, illegals, NEA, Dept. of Housing, Dept. of Agriculture, Medicaid/Medicare, Social Security, workman's comp, taxation by regulation of small businesses, foreign aid for countries that hate us, the U.N., any amount up to 18% of GDP, limited to Constitutionally mandated roles of this government. Socialism/Communism/Marxism, what-it-is-ism, is not wanted/legal according to the original intent of the Constitution. Government needs to be limited by the chains of the Constitution.

Baroke Huisinsane Obama!!!

Yes they Sured up hold the oath that they take for office!!

The greatest threat to our liberty is the lack of personal responsibility to educate oneself as to what liberty means and what the US Constitution affords us as Americans. It sure isn't taught through public education and is treated with disdain by the extreme leftist socialists in most higher learning institutions (most likely those receiving federal dollars). Therefore it is incumbent on each individual, regardless of class, to thoroughly study and think for oneself on these matters and not be led by the nose into a state of enslavement by smooth talkers who will promise anything. (Hmmm...isn't this how Satan operates?) It is said that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. But it goes far beyond that with the absolute necessity of personally understanding ones rights, what is morally right, and what is not, and then stepping up to defend ones liberty and that of his/her fellow Americans in any and all legal ways possible WITHOUT doing harm to others. If everyone understood this, we could position this country to find its true self again. Maybe the best way to do this is to "clean house" and freshen things up with people who do understand and are willing to defend Liberty.

We need HERMAN CAIN!!! His 9/9/9 plan makes SO much sense....even the "dummies" should be able to "get it"!

Battle Cry for 2012

After his "shellacking",

Let's send obama PACKING!

I wonder how much more money Harry and Nancy will pay? We need to go into their bank accounts, trust funds, and property owned to get the money that they talk about being owed to the middle class and the poor. Obama will need to give us a large cut of his money, that is if they really mean tax everyone until they only have what the middle class has. $50,000 is what I have each year to live on and unless my husband gets a raise on his military pension or social security I stand still for another year in my yearly income. Why do we not clean out all the trust funds? Let us get fair. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth let us take it all!!!!! I would love to see all the progressives, socialist, and demos living on my average bank account balance. They would be horrified. Put your money were your mouth is demos!!! I have voted since I was 18 years old for republicans and they could have changed this country and they did not. Put not your trust in men. They always fail.

It is not the welthiest of those who produced income for other and earned it on their own that bothers me. It is political officials who have passed laws that have made their families wealthy while stealing from us through legal dictat. Example is Diane Fienstiens desert protection act benefiting her wealthy husband or a Jerry Browns father who made us buy Knox exaust systems manufactured by a family or friend firm . If this has happended several times during our lifetime, will they pay their fair share?

What's a "fair" tax? Let me digress for a moment.

First, we must abolish this monstrosity called the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and all deductions and write-offs, especially the home mortgage. When that happens, we can replace it with a consumption tax. What's a "fair" rate, you may ask? How about 5%? That seems fair.

With a consumption tax, everyone (rich and poor alike) has "skin" in the game because everyone consumes things. Everything anyone purchases is taxed at 5%.

What's not "fair" about that? A consumption tax affects everyone, even blowhard politicians like "Dumbo" and "Plugs".

Of course!

All politicians, even scoundrels like "Dumbo", "Plugs", "Dirty Harry" Reid, "SanFranNan" Pelosi and "Screw-U" Schumer take an oath to uphold the Constitution. When they fail in that obligation, which they have been doing for years, they should resign because of their stupidity and incompetence.

If they don't step down immediately, they should be forcibly removed from office, taken into the countryside and shot as enemies of the United States.

Is the Alien and Sedition Act still applicable? After all, we are still at war and their actions are "treasonous".

It is supposed to be up to the citizens through representation but those who are elected come to believe they have a right to confiscate whatever they wish.

As far as I am concerned they are STEALING!

Obama is the biggest threat to liberty.

The biggest threat is our current president and his cadre of "living constitution" politicos who prey upon the great mass of uneducated peoples. Our "people are destroyed from lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). God help us.

The greatest danger to the U.S.? 1. Adolph Obama and his suck-ups. Thke Liberal Left. 3. Labor Unions.

The greatest threat to our American Liberty is -

APATHY

Turning our backs on the God of the Bible and not honoring Him. The more we move away from Him and living according to His principles, the more the nation will deteriorate.

The shift from self reliance to intitlement during the last Three generations

I am an 84 year old veteran WW2. I have limited income and have a reverse mortgage that we live on plus a retirement of $400 plus we both have social security. I don't believe Obama and a fair share should include all the people not just the rich. Through their investments that is how people work. when they tax the rich more, then young people will be unemployed.

In the editor's note at the end of today's essay, where is the FAIR tax. The best proposal yet to reform our tax system.

The greatest threat to liberty is

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think everyone should pay some % of their earnings

as tax. A flat percentage would be fair, better yet

the consumption tax would be even more fair. It would tax based on consumption not production and take the power!!!!! of taxation away from the political elite.

I agree with Ronnie. If my tax rate is 35%, I believe that a person that earns $1,000,000 per year should be 35%, and I believe that a person that gets $24,000 per in welfare checks should pay 35% as well. That is the only "fair" way to do it.

I also agree with Bill Hanson (THANK YOU FOR MY FREEDOM TO COMMENT, BILL!) If you tax corporations at 35%, then they wil go out of business and no one will have a job. Likewise, It is not fair to tax someone living below the poverty level at 35% either. We need just one elected person in Washington to STAND and LEAD. Volunteer to cut their own salary by 5% and their budget by 5%, and submit a bill that would make that volunteer cut real and mandatory for all on Capital Hill.