545  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 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?  Nancy Pelosi. She is 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 can not 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, it's because they want them in IRAQ or Pakistan or anywhere in the world!

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 darned 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

     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 T ax
     Social Security Tax
     Road Usage Tax
     Sales Tax
     Recreational Vehicle Tax
     School Tax
     State Income Tax
     State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
     Telephone Federal Excise Tax
     Telephone Federal Universal Ser vice FeeTax
     Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
     Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
     Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring 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, and 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 in the world happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'
And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?
 
I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!!  YOU can help it get there!!!
     GO AHEAD - - - BE AN AMERICAN!!!