Mr. Mintz, Tea Party Leader,
Allow me to offer you the benefit of my years of "working" with Congress to achieve worthwhile economic progress; you aren't going to like it, just as I don't like it, but, sadly, it's true.
MOST of Congress, including the Republicans, (not all) are lying to you; you probably weren't "born yesterday", but we are dealing with expert liars here and it seems to take years to finally figure it out. (just like the Madoff "exposure" took years)
Almost all (but not all) Congresspeople have the same "religion" - it's re-election!
To get re-elected, they need votes, obviously, but how do they get the votes. One way is direct contact with their constituents and personal persuasion in those contacts (very honorable).
However, the other way is by advertising which is expensive. The way they get the contributions in order to advertise is where the rub, and the corruption, comes in. Of course, it's honorable, if obnoxious, to get the contributions by asking; they do plenty of that.
Merely asking for money gets peanuts compared to the "way it really works" and that is the ol' "quid pro quo" (this for that).
That's where the government goes off the rails in two ways.
Off the rails method #1, is spending to get votes, either through earmarks or entitlements. The Dems are legendary at this, but plenty of Repubs don't want to get left behind (the medicare drug benefit is one example).
Method #2 is pernicious, as well, and that is by manipulating the tax code. This way is just as harmful as the spending method, but it's easier to hide and to lie about.
Allow me to give you an insight into what I'm talking about. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), the third ranking Repub. in the House.
I thanked him for being a co-sponsor of the "FairTax" bill (HR 25) in the House. At that, he put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "Bill, do you have any idea of how many people in this town make their living off the tax code?" (We were in Beverly Hills at the time, but it was obvious that he meant in Washington)
I replied, "Yes, we know that 50% of all the lobbyists in Washington are lobbying the tax code." (for quid pro quo favors)
At that, he put both of his hands at waist level, thumbs up, and jerked his thumbs toward the ceiling. In other, unspoken words, "up, up, your estimate."
At that, I smiled and relented by saying, "OK, more than 50% are lobbying the tax code."
He then, again, put his thumbs vertical, his eyes opened wider, and he abruptly jerked his thumbs toward the ceiling, but higher and more dramatically! (maybe he thought I might be wearing a 'wire' and didn't want to be caught saying this). He clearly was trying to get my attention and that "more than 50%" wasn't nearly enough.
I then, relented, smiled and said, "OK, MOST of Washington is lobbying the tax code!" He nodded and then turned to someone else who was waiting to talk to him.
His words and gestures indicated two bad realities. One is that, with all that lobbying effort to manipulate the tax code, the money involved is staggering and we are fighting Goliath. (other friends of mine who are former Congessmen told me the same)
The other reality which follows the first is a sarcastic, "good luck" with your project!
"Manipulating" the tax code means changing a word here or a date there or a paragraph or definition or exemption.
Harmless? Not if you are the beneficiary (usually companies, industries, or other 'special interests') and not if you are the American public who must make up the lost "revenue".
That's how the tax code got to be about 70,000 pages and why even the head of the IRS needs to get professional help (his words) in filling out his taxes!
Worst of all, it's why the professional re-election Congrsspeople won't get rid of what is so harmful about our code which is substantially contributing to our outsourcing of jobs and businesses.
We will never outgrow the fiscal mess we are in until we have a growth strategy and Dems and Repubs keep that from happening so they can "milk" the harmful tax code to get campaign contributions. And THEY KNOW IT!
Now to the Tea Parties and Armey, et al.
Recently, the "Tea Party Patriots", which, I believe, is an eastern U.S. group, sent out a voter poll to see what Tea Party people saw as most important issues. The poll showed that, by far, the #1 issue is enactment of the FairTax. Other issues at second and third places, etc. were half of what the FairTax received. The "flat tax" was off the bottom of the chart and hardly even acknowledged.
Now, the TPP is getting "help" from Armey's bunch and perhaps other Repub groups in Washington. Keep in mind, please, Armey and Gingrich and others don't want the FairTax because it eliminates all the money grovelling for campaign contributions using the tax code. They say that they want the "flat(income)tax" because, while better than what we have, it will be easy to manipulate and get back to where we are now.
So, when Armey's bunch, only helping you see, "analyzed" and condensed the Tea Party Patriot's poll, guess what? They conflated "tax reform" to both the flat tax and FairTax. So, they pulled their baby from the dead to equal to the #1 chosen issue.
No, I don't "believe everything I read", but, believe me, I've been in the mouth of the whale and it ain't pretty.
Armey, et al, is drooling at the possibility of taking over; "come on in, said the spider to the fly!"
Don't let it happen to yourself and the many patriots of the Tea Party.
The FairTax was a Tea Party issue long before the Tea Party got it's name. We haven't collected a lot of liars about us because we are harmless to the venal hordes. If you fall for their lies, you, and the USA are the victims.
I'll be happy to tell you in detail why the FairTax is one issue that answers the criticsm of Tea Party haters who say that the Tea Party people only know what they are against. It's really simple in principle.
Good luck,
Bill Spillane
CA State Director
Member, Board of Directors
Americans For Fair Taxation (AFFT)
fairtax.org
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310)939-9895
Allow me to offer you the benefit of my years of "working" with Congress to achieve worthwhile economic progress; you aren't going to like it, just as I don't like it, but, sadly, it's true.
MOST of Congress, including the Republicans, (not all) are lying to you; you probably weren't "born yesterday", but we are dealing with expert liars here and it seems to take years to finally figure it out. (just like the Madoff "exposure" took years)
Almost all (but not all) Congresspeople have the same "religion" - it's re-election!
To get re-elected, they need votes, obviously, but how do they get the votes. One way is direct contact with their constituents and personal persuasion in those contacts (very honorable).
However, the other way is by advertising which is expensive. The way they get the contributions in order to advertise is where the rub, and the corruption, comes in. Of course, it's honorable, if obnoxious, to get the contributions by asking; they do plenty of that.
Merely asking for money gets peanuts compared to the "way it really works" and that is the ol' "quid pro quo" (this for that).
That's where the government goes off the rails in two ways.
Off the rails method #1, is spending to get votes, either through earmarks or entitlements. The Dems are legendary at this, but plenty of Repubs don't want to get left behind (the medicare drug benefit is one example).
Method #2 is pernicious, as well, and that is by manipulating the tax code. This way is just as harmful as the spending method, but it's easier to hide and to lie about.
Allow me to give you an insight into what I'm talking about. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), the third ranking Repub. in the House.
I thanked him for being a co-sponsor of the "FairTax" bill (HR 25) in the House. At that, he put his hand on my shoulder, and said, "Bill, do you have any idea of how many people in this town make their living off the tax code?" (We were in Beverly Hills at the time, but it was obvious that he meant in Washington)
I replied, "Yes, we know that 50% of all the lobbyists in Washington are lobbying the tax code." (for quid pro quo favors)
At that, he put both of his hands at waist level, thumbs up, and jerked his thumbs toward the ceiling. In other, unspoken words, "up, up, your estimate."
At that, I smiled and relented by saying, "OK, more than 50% are lobbying the tax code."
He then, again, put his thumbs vertical, his eyes opened wider, and he abruptly jerked his thumbs toward the ceiling, but higher and more dramatically! (maybe he thought I might be wearing a 'wire' and didn't want to be caught saying this). He clearly was trying to get my attention and that "more than 50%" wasn't nearly enough.
I then, relented, smiled and said, "OK, MOST of Washington is lobbying the tax code!" He nodded and then turned to someone else who was waiting to talk to him.
His words and gestures indicated two bad realities. One is that, with all that lobbying effort to manipulate the tax code, the money involved is staggering and we are fighting Goliath. (other friends of mine who are former Congessmen told me the same)
The other reality which follows the first is a sarcastic, "good luck" with your project!
"Manipulating" the tax code means changing a word here or a date there or a paragraph or definition or exemption.
Harmless? Not if you are the beneficiary (usually companies, industries, or other 'special interests') and not if you are the American public who must make up the lost "revenue".
That's how the tax code got to be about 70,000 pages and why even the head of the IRS needs to get professional help (his words) in filling out his taxes!
Worst of all, it's why the professional re-election Congrsspeople won't get rid of what is so harmful about our code which is substantially contributing to our outsourcing of jobs and businesses.
We will never outgrow the fiscal mess we are in until we have a growth strategy and Dems and Repubs keep that from happening so they can "milk" the harmful tax code to get campaign contributions. And THEY KNOW IT!
Now to the Tea Parties and Armey, et al.
Recently, the "Tea Party Patriots", which, I believe, is an eastern U.S. group, sent out a voter poll to see what Tea Party people saw as most important issues. The poll showed that, by far, the #1 issue is enactment of the FairTax. Other issues at second and third places, etc. were half of what the FairTax received. The "flat tax" was off the bottom of the chart and hardly even acknowledged.
Now, the TPP is getting "help" from Armey's bunch and perhaps other Repub groups in Washington. Keep in mind, please, Armey and Gingrich and others don't want the FairTax because it eliminates all the money grovelling for campaign contributions using the tax code. They say that they want the "flat(income)tax" because, while better than what we have, it will be easy to manipulate and get back to where we are now.
So, when Armey's bunch, only helping you see, "analyzed" and condensed the Tea Party Patriot's poll, guess what? They conflated "tax reform" to both the flat tax and FairTax. So, they pulled their baby from the dead to equal to the #1 chosen issue.
No, I don't "believe everything I read", but, believe me, I've been in the mouth of the whale and it ain't pretty.
Armey, et al, is drooling at the possibility of taking over; "come on in, said the spider to the fly!"
Don't let it happen to yourself and the many patriots of the Tea Party.
The FairTax was a Tea Party issue long before the Tea Party got it's name. We haven't collected a lot of liars about us because we are harmless to the venal hordes. If you fall for their lies, you, and the USA are the victims.
I'll be happy to tell you in detail why the FairTax is one issue that answers the criticsm of Tea Party haters who say that the Tea Party people only know what they are against. It's really simple in principle.
Good luck,
Bill Spillane
CA State Director
Member, Board of Directors
Americans For Fair Taxation (AFFT)
fairtax.org
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310)939-9895
Subject: Re: "The Tea Parties Are No Great Awakening" by Thos. Frank, WSJ
> To: "bill spillane" <billspillane@yahoo.com>
> Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 6:36 AM
> Don't believe everything you read in
> the Newspaper.
>
> Armey is only cursorily involved with the tea parties-
> I think I have talked to his staff maybe 5 or 6 times
> (haven't in over a month) and they generally offer
> little if any support. We got some bumperstickers from them
> at one point...that's about all I can remember
> materially.
>
>
> His involvement with Hoffman in NY-23 was a
> disaster.
>
>
> Nathan
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 1:13 AM,
> bill spillane <billspillane@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> Frank is a left wing
> polemicist (token leftist at WSJ), but he's on to
> something about the Tea Parties falling into the hands of
> Dick Armey.
>
>
> Is that what you want?
>
> Bill Spillane
> (310)939-9895
>
> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069780393147278.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_BelowLEFTSecond#
>
>
> To: "bill spillane" <billspillane@yahoo.com>
> Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010, 6:36 AM
> Don't believe everything you read in
> the Newspaper.
>
> Armey is only cursorily involved with the tea parties-
> I think I have talked to his staff maybe 5 or 6 times
> (haven't in over a month) and they generally offer
> little if any support. We got some bumperstickers from them
> at one point...that's about all I can remember
> materially.
>
>
> His involvement with Hoffman in NY-23 was a
> disaster.
>
>
> Nathan
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 1:13 AM,
> bill spillane <billspillane@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> Frank is a left wing
> polemicist (token leftist at WSJ), but he's on to
> something about the Tea Parties falling into the hands of
> Dick Armey.
>
>
> Is that what you want?
>
> Bill Spillane
> (310)939-9895
>
> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575069780393147278.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_BelowLEFTSecond#
>
>
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