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Have you ever heard Stevie Ray Vaughn's song called "The Taxman"?  How prophetic it was.  As I have said before, I believe the only way to get our economy going again is to cut corporate tax rates and to allow citizens to keep more of their money.  I also firmly believe that a flat tax will accomplish both allowing people to keep more of their money and will increase government tax revenue.  It has in every country that has gone to it.  I've read the accounts of economists and proponents of it and in a bizarre, unexpected discovery, found that even Dick Gephardt once upon a time supported a version of it, although he backed off of it when he realized it would actually benefit taxpayers.  Normally, seeing a liberal support something I believe in would give me pause but I am willing to overlook that in this case.

So, what about taxes?  As you are aware of, our tax code is currently 9 million words and rising.  Let's compare that to some impressive reading material we already have.  Lincoln's Gettysburg Address comes in at 268 words.  Succinct, wouldn't you say?  The Declaration of Independence comes in at about 1300 words.  The U.S. Constitution, which has been around for, oh, two centuries comes in at about 5000 words.  The King James Bible at around 773,000 words.  Again, our progressive tax code comes in at 9 MILLION and rising.  Does anyone even know what is in it?  Do you completely understand it?  I don't, I trust H and R Block to understand it.

The House Ways and Means Committee creates our tax laws and there are probably knife fights to get on that committee.  That's when the real money from lobbyists comes in to influence their tax decisions.  Does this actually serve the American people?  Is this what public service is all about?  Included in this porkulus bill are tax breaks for buying a vehicle.  Well, knock me over, how magnanimous our elected leaders are.  What happens when you buy a car?  You pay a sales tax, ridiculous transfer fees and add-ons, not to mention the tax you already had to pay on license and registration.  To drive it, you pay taxes on your fuel. Tax, tax, tax.  Soon, your thoughts will be taxed.

Steve Forbes once encouraged us to consider an average day. 1) You get up in the morning and turn on your lights and you're charged electricity tax. 2) If you are a coffee drinker, turn on the water to make your coffee and you get hit with a utility tax. 3) Don't forget the sales tax you paid when you bought the coffee and any food you eat. 4) You get to work and the government takes a huge bite out of your paycheck in the form of Federal Income Tax, Social Security, FICA, Medicare and maybe a local income tax.  These things add up to ultimately take probably half of our income.  Is that fair?  Is that what the 16th Amendment has done to us?

Heck, some people with the same size families who make roughly the same income can wind up with vastly different tax liabilities.  I don't even think Washington understands its own tax code.  President Lincoln actually instituted a flat tax during the Civil War.  Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't believe it will work, if you think it is too good to be true, I encourage you to research it as I have.  Research the positive effects it has had on those countries who have recently installed it.

Some say  a flat tax will never pass because it would take too much money away from the politicians.  The current politicians, yes, maybe.  This is why it is absolutely imperative we get these thieves masquerading as samaritans voted out of office and get people who actually not only love America but also its citizens, voted in.  I believe the majority of Americans would embrace the flat tax and the benefits they would reap from it.  We won't need a "stimulus" and we won't need the government telling us we need one.  Hours spent preparing and agonizing over tax returns and what deductions we qualify for can be better spent.  Our ecomony WILL fix itself.  We will keep more of our money, companies will keep more of their profits and seek to increase them by hiring more workers.

If you agree, we have to start taking those steps to bring this Pro-America concept to the forefront.  That means putting your money where your mouth is starting in November of 2010.  Pardon the pun, but this is a taxing situation our government has put us in.  We need to do more than react without thinking.  Pavlov is not around anymore.

Andy, so true, and excellent as always! I too agree 100% with a flat tax. Look at Ireland with their corporate tax rates, they have blown-up their economy because of it. We can, and should do the same. It's fact as you've stated, that a flat tax does increase tax revenue, and does keep money in OUR pockets. I got $$ I'm saving for you in 2010, as well as others who will be real "citizen servants". Then soon I hope to join you. We have our work cut out for us Andy, and we have to act for 2010 and beyond! Need any help? Let me know, I got people...No pun on H&R Block intended there! Take care Andy, and God bless ya'll over there and here too!

>> Michael Brady

Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 10:33 am

So you're telling me that the government takes money from me several times a day!? Wait a minute. So this means that the government is taking my money all the time. Where does all this money go Andy? Thank God we have Obama to enact the stimulus bill or we might have to pay out of our own pockets to fix our own economy. Oh wait; we are paying for it aren't we? That's Obama's plan right? Fix an economy of borrowing money by borrowing more money. Oh yeah, did Obama forget to mention that we, the taxpayers, will eventually pay for it all? Nobody will understand how though, because, as you pointed out, our tax code is a tad bit long for an afternoon read. We are indeed in quite a taxing situation.

>> Russell G R

Thursday, February 19, 2009, 12:21 pm