November 2 hypothetical question

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by fritz3552

I know. You just grabbed the bait.

Nope. No bait in these jaws.

[jaybee]

The 545 People Responsible For All Of U.S. Woes

BY Charley Reese

(Date of publication unknown)-- -- - Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, 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 - 545 human beings out of the 235 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 but 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 legislation's responsibility to determine how he votes.

A CONFIDENCE CONSPIRACY

Don't you see how the con game that is played on the people by the politicians? 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 Tip O'Neill, who stood up and criticized Ronald Reagan 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 appropriations and taxes.

O'neill is the speaker of the House. He is the leader of the majority party. He and his fellow Democrats, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetos it, they can pass it over his veto.

REPLACE SCOUNDRELS

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 235 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility.

I can't think of a single domestic problem, from an unfair tax code to defense overruns, that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.

When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise 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 Marines are in Lebanon, it's because they want them in Lebanon.

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 it.

Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist 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 they have the gumption to manage their own employees.

[john_galt]

I watch the youtube video but I didn't see any Republican say impeach the president. I did see a member of the American Constitutional Party (Tancredo) being argued with by a conservative. No points and may God have mercy on your soul...

Anyway, do you think Obama has broken the law or do you think Bush has broken the law? Would violating the constitution count? Would breaking your legal oath of office count? What do you think constitutes a high crime or misdemeanor?

[Longermonger]

March 7, 1985

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Reese
written by Charley Reese (currently a Democrat)

IMO, his article vastly over-simplifies the problem.

Let's just let these ideas run wild for a second and see where it gets us. First off, lets reduce taxes to a flat tax of $5000 per year. Then we pass a Constitutional balanced budget amendment AND make it a concrete goal that we must have less than 5% unemployment. Those three things are what conservatives are always bitching about. So now what? Well, wave goodbye to pretty much everything the Government does. No Army, no Navy, no Air Force, no Marines, no Social Security, no Medicare, etc...

So yeah, those '545' people could do it. But trust me, you don't want them to do it they way you've been begging for. I don't think conservatives even consider what would happen if they get their wishes. Just like Christians don't have a very good idea of what Heaven or Hell looks like.

[john_galt]

Oh, now I understand... Longer you don't understand what they are talking about. Flat tax??? I have not heard any conservative or Republican for that matter talk about a $5,000 flat tax. It doesn't exist. A flat tax is a set percentage of all you income minus any thing you spend on food, housing, or medication. A percentage you see? The amount has been bandied about from 13% to 27%. Oh yes, the corporate income tax would cease to exist. Corporations don't pay taxes anyway. They just pass the costs on to the consumers as overhead. FYI, you never said $5,000 a year on what?

Balanced budget amendment? Good idea but like anything it has to have an escape hatch in the event of a crisis. Maybe a 60% supermajority to increase spending. The military won't suffer but things like Social Security can be privatized and Government can get out of the healthcare business entirely. The constitution only specifies certain broad things that government should be involved in. Like national defense. After all every single representative takes an oath to protect the constitution. Seems like many of them have forgotten that.

I looked up your wiki source and you're quoting a guy from a column 20 years old? a guy who venerates the CSA? How about explaining it in your own words rather than repeat someone else.

[Longermonger]

JG, there are several kinds of "Flat Tax". The flattest tax of all is when everyone pays the exact same dollar amount. Your so-called flat tax is, in fact, progressive compared to my example. Explain why you want some people to pay more money in taxes than others. I thought you were a true believer in equality.

You never seen any waste, fraud, or abuse while you were in the Navy? Really. The DoD can't even trim their $ 708 BILLION yearly budget down to $707 BILLION?

Show me where I quoted Reese. I didn't. You are confused again.