545 people out 300M are directly responsible for the problems that plague the country

[drcoastline]

This has been around a while but worth posting. I see no reason to put it in PARF.


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are no insoluble government problems.

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

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he’s laid…

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
‘Taxes drove me
to my doom…’

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

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

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell ‘politicians?’

https://summitpracticesolutions.com/blog/545-vs-300000000-people-by-charlie-reese/

[oldE]

On the surface that twaddle would seem to be true.
People have been complaining about those in power since there have been people in power.
If you want something more substantial, I suggest you follow the money and examine the workings of the "old boys' club" which focuses power in the hands of very few individuals.

Best
Les

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by oldE

On the surface that twaddle would seem to be true.
People have been complaining about those in power since there have been people in power.
If you want something more substantial, I suggest you follow the money and examine the workings of the "old boys' club" which focuses power in the hands of very few individuals.

Best
Les

Bottom line, only those elected to the office cast the vote, or sign the bills to make law. The money is just the influence.

No More Mr. Smith goes to Washington do do the right thing. Now it is all about the politicians gaining power and prestige and most important, get reelected. The needs of the country and doing the right thing is not important. Making the other party look bad, and frustrate the other party is all that gets done.

[cabmandone]

If you really want to get technical about it voters are responsible for the problems. But it's not my Senator or Representative that's the problem! It's yours!

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by cabmando

If you really want to get technical about it voters are responsible for the problems. But it's not my Senator or Representative that's the problem! It's yours!

I was gonna say something similar.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by cabmando

If you really want to get technical about it voters are responsible for the problems. But it's not my Senator or Representative that's the problem! It's yours!

My Senators Booker and Menendez are two of the major problems. Can't say I am a fan of my Representative either. But, I didn't vote for any of them.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by oldE

On the surface that twaddle would seem to be true.
People have been complaining about those in power since there have been people in power.
If you want something more substantial, I suggest you follow the money and examine the workings of the "old boys' club" which focuses power in the hands of very few individuals.

I disagree about the "twaddle" comment but agree with the rest, with some explanation.

The traditional Constitutional rolls of government have been changed without a fight or debate.

The budget "process" isn't a process at all. The reason is that a majority of the budget is already law, with indexed inflationary indices, etc.: It is non-discretionary.

The rather small allotment of discretionary spending in the federal budget means that both political parties, that are private corporations, create "emergencies" that they then spend trillions of dollars "fixing".

It is graft, plain and simple. The entire federal budget process must be revamped because money is the reason the re-election rates for incumbents is so high.

It is also the reason that the political class and "old boys club" have merged.

[tabs]

The only way to get money out of the system is for there to be no more money to spend. That means that they can not beg borrow print tax nor steal another dime. THAT FOLKS IS HUMAN NATURE. As long as they can kick the can, soak up or weasel another dime they will. Just take a look at the last dozen years..my case rests.

Like the frog in the pot people dont pay attention to the reality that the situation.has continually deteroiated economically, fiscally, politically.and socially since 08.. Instead people focus on the immediate event or occuence and virtually never put it into the perspective of the larger picture.

By paying attention exclusivily to the symptoms one never has to face the underlying causation. For to do so would require some major changes in perceptions and the way you conduct your life. Those changes are inconceiviable to most Americans. The only way that those changes will take place is when they are forced upon you as in thete are no other options.

[David]

Term limits!!!!!!!!

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by David

Term limits!!!!!!!!

There is more than just term limits that needs to be done:

- Limit professional staffs
- Term limits on professional staffs
- Random committee assignment NOT based on seniority
- Federal funding only for federal elections. No PACS, Super PACS, etc. Want to help your candidate, volunteer, get out the vote and get people ID's, right?
- Re-instate the Constitutionally Mandated Budget Process
- Strict voter laws. Tie absentee ballots to need and need only.
- Etc.

[McLovin]

Politicians have 2 main priorities. Importance to them after those 2 drops off dramatically. So, priorities 1-10:
1. Get elected.
2. Get re-elected.
3-10. Eh, whatever.
Term limits would help with that. And also with the graft etc.