The U.S. is Effed Up

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admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
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St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
I know we have a rule against political posts, but it's my freakin' ball ...
I usually do not participate in "send this to all of your friends" email circulation crapola, but I thought this one was worthy of posting.
Charley Reese's Final Column - Orlando Sentinel
Charley Reese is retiring. His last column is this one. I know many will miss this southern gentleman. He had a great run and we are all better off for it. Farewell, Mr. Reese, and thank you. Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.
Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.
This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be - read it!! The article below is completely neutral, not anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!
555 vs. 300,000,000
EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST HAS SCRIPTED IN THIS MESSAGE. READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT POLITICAL DEBACLE.
555 PEOPLE--By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.
You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.
You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 555 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but PRIVATE, central bank.
I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
Those 555 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who WAS the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She WAS the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 555 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 555 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 555 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.
If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 555 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 555 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,

Tax his bed,

Tax the table,

At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,

Tax his mule,

Teach him taxes

Are the rule.

Tax his work,

Tax his pay,

He works for peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,

Tax his goat,

Tax his pants,

Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,

Tax his shirt,

Tax his work,

Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,

Tax his drink,

Tax him if he

Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,

Tax his beers,

If he cries

Tax his tears.

Tax his car,

Tax his gas,

Find other ways

To tax his ass.

Tax all he has

Then let him know

That you won't be done

Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;

Then tax him some more,

Tax him till

He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod in

Which he's laid...

Put these words

Upon his tomb,

Taxes drove me

to my doom...'

When he's gone,

Do not relax,

Its time to apply

The inheritance tax..
Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL licenseTax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Excise Taxes

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)

Gross Receipts Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Personal Property Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service Charge Tax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

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

Can you spell 'politicians?'

 

fredvegas

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 2, 2010
192
0
Why does this stuff always end with "And Mom stayed home to raise the kids"? Most of the sentiment is fine, but take the sexism out before you repost it.

 

charlie

Might Stick Around
Apr 16, 2011
67
0
Louisiana, USA
Lol I don't see anything wrong with it. I would love to be able to stay home and raise the kids, it's a rewarding job. But the way my fiance and I figure it, we'll both have to be working to support the 2 we want. I long for the old days in stories where families could survive on 1 income, no matter who earned it.

 

timmay

Lurker
Mar 29, 2011
38
0
Twin Cities, MN
Great post, but what Fred said. Lets retreat back to the days of governments that don't screw up, but we can leave as much sexism in the past as possible.

 

ichbinmuede

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 17, 2011
643
1
Puffintuff:

Time for another revolution ?
Hell yes.
Schmitzbitz:

Your post is certainly applicable to most nations, not just the U.S., and particularly poignant to those of us north of the 49th, as we go to the polls in three weeks.
Just remember, ABC. Anything But Conservative.

 

lagavulin92

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 20, 2010
120
0
Your post is certainly applicable to most nations, not just the U.S., and particularly poignant to those of us north of the 49th, as we go to the polls in three weeks.
My perceptions of the world has always been that the US wins big, Europe collects the food scraps after first is done, and China and the pays the price. I thought that it learning about the EU's politics wasn't worth it because I'd be better off in the US. I guess now the whole world deals with the same plague. That the Lord deliver us!

 

bowhatchie

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 27, 2010
656
1
I would say he hit it right down the middle of the fairway about 350 yds. with a little bit of draw! perfectly stated....

 

ohin3

Lifer
Jun 2, 2010
2,454
26
At least when mom stayed home to raise the kids, kids were raised. I see a very severe lack of respect for anything in most people today and I am convinced that it is due to the lack of parenting in the world.
What an excellent article.
I'm all for a revolution. So many things need to change.

 

stacen

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 23, 2011
170
1
Even though all the above is true, please remember that (as far as my opinion goes), America is still EASILY the greatest country in the world in which to live. Even though freedoms are constantly attacked, taxes and gov't get bigger and more oppressive all the time, The USA is still ahead of the pack of 1st world nations in terms of freedom and escape from taxation and big gov't. Not to mention that the individual states still have the power to create environments of freedom for thier inhabitants. To me the USA is only place I could even consider living long term.
Please note that I was not born in the USA and am not a citizen, but my work has caused me to literally spend time in over 90 countires and on all 7 continents. Fortunately my work now keeps me predominantly in the US and I am thankful for that every single day. I am thankful when I am able to smoke a pipe in a cigar lounge, when i am able to have the simple pleasures of tobacco and alcohol without it putting me in the poor house, or when i able to afford to put fuel in my vehicle, when i can make choices about how to live my life with out the intercedance of a "nanny state". The standard of living available to a man residing in the USA who is willing to put forth some effort simply cannot be matched in other countries, it still really is the land of opportunity. Please remember as you fight hard to keep your country great, to be thankful for the wonderful job that your forbears did in making it a great country, it is certainly something to be proud of!

 

admin

Smoking a Pipe Right Now
Staff member
Nov 16, 2008
8,764
4,932
St. Petersburg, FL
pipesmagazine.com
@fredvegas & timmay

Why does this stuff always end with "And Mom stayed home to raise the kids"? Most of the sentiment is fine, but take the sexism out before you repost it.
Good question and good point. I could see how some might perceive this as sexist, and perhaps there is a good reason as to why you are so sensitive to that.
However, here is another point of view and an explanation.
I guess the reason it could fit in with this is because one of the points is that things were better in the past before all the taxes and greedy, stupid politicians screwed up the country.
A woman having the choice to freely decide if she wants to have a career, or be a homemaker is great thing!
I think the point here is that in today's America, a large majority of women have no choice but to go out and work because that's the only way they can afford an average living, if not below average.
I didn't write this, but that's my guess as to the appropriateness of the remark that offended you guys.
I have 3 female friends that are stay at home moms and I am thrilled for them that they can do that, and it is their own personal choice. It is a rarity in this day and age though, and I do not think that is a good thing.
And I think there is nothing wrong with the dad staying at home with the kids and mom being the primary income source.
I also see nothing wrong with opening doors and pulling out chairs for "ladies".
Where do you draw the line. Where are the genders 100% equal, and when is a man a man and a woman a woman?

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
Thanks for the article Kevin. It certainly got my blood pressure up, but fortunately stacen's post, above, provided just the moderating tone that kept me from going ballistic.

 

sirbogglesworth

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 20, 2011
168
0
So essentially, the 300,000,000 are to blame because we appointed the 555, right? or did I miss something?
Puffintuff:

Time for another revolution ?

ichbi:

Hell yes.
The average American is way too busy with their lives to actually start a revolt.
Wasn't the hippie movement the last time the 555 were genuinely scared of the 300,000,000? I'm pretty sure the 555 won't let that happen again...plus how many people does anybody really know that will leave their comfortable lifestyles behind and commit 100% of their efforts toward reforming the government/country?
ohin3:I see a very severe lack of respect for anything in most people today and I am convinced that it is due to the lack of parenting in the world.
I completely agree ohin3. Much respect to our parents and forefathers, they did something we are obviously not...like voting for the 555 we have now :P (I just had to lol)

 
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