The Patriot Post® · Politicians Are Dummies Thinking Americans Are Dummies

The most common GOP argument against ANY new taxes is summarized by this quote by a conservative on the Internet: “When the government confiscates more of our income, we have less to spend on goods and services, which slows the economy. When the economy slows, government income drops, so they raise the tax rates to compensate for the ‘loss’… Liberals will never understand that.”

That assessment has merit under normal fiscal conditions but America is faced with the combination of rampant unemployment that is double the calculated rate as it ignores a million workers who stopped looking for non-existent jobs. Though there are more jobs, the average workweek has declined due to the preponderance of part-time jobs caused in advance of the implementation of ObamaCare that does not require employers to provide health insurance for part-time workers.

Grover Norquist imbued the GOP, conservatives, and perhaps a majority of the public against the idea of ANY taxes to solve the problem. The underlying reality of the $17 trillion debt – actually closer to $100 trillion and growing with $1+ trillion annual deficits – without considering the devastating possibility of the coming rise of interest rates, and unknown undetermined losses caused by full implementation of ObamaCare, with no plan for containment or repayment, is troubling.

Figures don’t lie, but liars figure. Lying about the growth of the economy and then revising old figures downward so the new figures can be stated upward? Is that what the new generations call upward mobility? Government, be it Party A or B are serial liars and their only goal is incumbency, re-election for life, and perhaps the big guy is scheming his way into channeling FDR and his unprecedented four terms that might be the goal of the current White House resident. Oh wait … he just checks in there to re-gorge himself on goodies for his next campaign jaunt in his private Air Force One that is faithfully standing by for his next re-election campaign, something at which the man is adept.

Mark Twain said, “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics,” but of those, government statistics are the most egregious. If it were not for lies Obama spouts, he would be speechless, or is that an oxymoron? Mark Twain also said, “Vote the rascals out.”

The conundrum since the Obama Presidency is that, despite the insurmountable debt and deficit, Democrats continue to spend like there is no tomorrow, and they may be right, while Republicans echo the Bush I refrain, “Read my lips; no new taxes.” Congress broke for their August vacation – not that they are not on constant vacation as they never manage to finish anything – and what they do finish turns out to be disastrous. Congress gets an “I” for “Incomplete” but they think the “I” is for “Incumbency.”

This retired CPA offers a “Three-Page Tax Plan” (TPTP) that attacks the problems by first involving 100% of the people as taxpayers via a 3% National Sales Tax (NST) that taxes every product and service, at every level, with no exceptions or exemptions – the kiss of death for K Street lobbyists. NST includes a proposed ½ of 1% tax on Wall Street Type Transactions. NST is estimated to net $12 trillion annually, and is divided equally between Current Budget, Debt Reduction, and Automatic Universal MediCare (UMC) for every legal resident of the US.

Coupled with NST is a revised Simplified Income Tax (SIT) based on a graduated 20% maximum and treats all income equally regardless of source. SIT applies to individuals, business, and every type of organization including church, school, foundation, not for profit, and government. NO exceptions, NO lobbyists, No lawyers; NO accountants to play games to chisel away for special exemptions and deductions.

The basic philosophy driving the “Three-Page Tax Plan” available from [email protected] or hotmail.com is to offer realistic solutions that work, or at the least, be honestly debated.

Negative comments have come mainly from the Conservative Right that is adamantly against any tax increase, and as with all things, have some serious basis in fact. Their arguments are also national arguments and the problems are constantly discussed by pious politicians but precious few solutions are offered, except to cut increased spending as the can is constantly kicked down the road. Overlooked in the negativity are the overwhelming debt and deficit problems that are only getting worse with every passing minute.

The main objections are that NST will cause prices to rise, affecting everyone from the poor to the wealthy and retirees. However, UMC Health Care would be included at no charge.

The validity of the TPTP remains to be seen, but not to worry, politicians are addicted to spending but are not interested in the cure. Addicts always say they will reform “TOMORROW,” but never never never “TODAY” starting NOW.

The country, led by its enabling politicians interested only in reelection to continue their perpetual incumbency, talk the talk to stop fiscal insanity, but not here and now, and not in this lifetime. St. Augustine put it in his inimitable way, and it is certainly appropriate for today’s fiscal bankruptcy and spending problems. Before making a lifelong commitment to God, Augustine offered the following request: “Lord give me chastity and temperance, but not yet.” And so it is with the politicians and the populace in general regardless of political affiliation.

Congress implies, “Give us fiscal spending sanity and a balanced budget, but not yet… Let it begin with our unborn children as the price they must pay for the favor of not having been aborted.”

There is a real threat of collapse of the US monetary system that is a bubble of Quantitative Easing (QE) building up dangerously due to the unending printing of Monopoly Money to the tune of about $85 billion each month. Presently the national debt – $17 trillion divided by 300 million population, not counting about 30 million illegal alien immigrants – is $566,667 per person in the US, or upwards of $1.5 million per household. But politicians are concerned about low interest on collage loans that cannot be repaid with “Fast Food” jobs.

That $17 trillion debt ignores the real debt, that according to generally accepted accounting principles, is about $87 trillion, or as high as $222 trillion according to Prof. Lawrence Kotlikoff of Boston University.

BeforeItsNews.com reports: “Think the U.S. national debt stands at roughly $17 trillion? Think again. If this outrageous amount wasn’t bad enough, the actual national debt is closer to $222 trillion, according to Prof. Lawrence Kotlikoff of Boston University.” This is the real debt when you count all of the federal government’s unfunded liabilities for programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

What does a football team do on fourth down when pinned back against its own end zone? PUNT, kick the ball down the field to get breathing room, and so for the umpteenth time, Congress once again punts, kicking the airless ball down the field one last time, always one last time, until the next one last time ad infinitum. Speaker John Boehner has passed Continuing Resolutions in lieu of Constitutionally required annual budgets that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to consider or allow debate since 2009.

House Speaker John Boehner had multiple chances to be a hero but he is now in the infamous company of Manning and Snowden who openly defied their country while Boehner is doing it behind the back of the people but they will not be fooled for long. Someone step up and choose another Speaker who has the courage of their convictions.

To paraphrase President Reagan, it appears that the second oldest profession, politics, bears a remarkably strong resemblance to the oldest. As Lord Action, English historian and moralist, so aptly and accurately stated, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely; Great men are almost always bad men. … I’m only guessing that this applies to the female sex as well. Tell me, is there a more corrupt entity in this country than Congress?”

Congress splitting hairs about cutting trillions in spending over a decade seems a farce as the cuts are to “increased spending,” thereby offsetting the gains. Politicians are dummies thinking Americans are dummies, but if Americans are politically dumb, they’re not stupid. Eventually there is an awakening, and it may come sooner than later.