The Fair Tax - No Politics Please!

I don't know alot about the Fair Tax. I mean, I know what it is and how it would be funded...the basic stuff. But when it comes to the intricacies and details, sometimes I have a hard time explaining it to other people. They always seem to holler "Plague!" and run like hell when someone even mentions the "t" word.

I listen to Neal Boortz several times a week on WKOV, the Jacksonville talk radio station. He's on from 9am to noon, the exact time when I'm in my car. I've been a Boortz fan for several years now, and I like the fact that we're about the same age. I can relate to the stuff he talks about, especially the Ft. Lauderdale scene in the 60's - I was there. And yes, I think Neal gets over the top every now and then, but alot of it, I believe, is fluff. Ratings fluff maybe, but I believe that deep down inside he's a cream puff. A very smart cream puff!

Last week he mentioned the fact that other radio talk show hosts would not champion the Fair Tax because it would give credit to one of their competitors, and that's a no-no in the radio business. I understand that. And to his credit, he also said that Sean Hannity was the only one that had even dared to mention the Fair Tax and gave it a brief and somewhat favorable "endorsement".

So if the "biggies" (specifically Limbaugh and Hannity) won't even talk about it on-air, it remains a daunting task to inform the American public about it in order to get the average citizen up to speed on it's virtues. The Fair Tax people have done an excellent job at spreading the word and the Tea Party has really made a huge difference in heightening the awareness of it. All in all, the word is slowly getting out.

Here's what I know about the Fair Tax:

1. The Fair Tax will replace the idiotic outdated income tax system that we now have.
2. Every tax that is currently paid by individuals (us!) to the federal government will disappear. That's right - every tax!
3. Federal taxes paid by businesses will disappear.
4. It will abolish the IRS as we now know it.
5. The current tax system will be replaced by an inclusive retail sales tax. When you purchase a good or service, the tax will already be included in the price, not added at the time of payment.
6. Every household will get a monthly credit for the necessities of life (food, shelter, clothing and transportation). This mean that you in effect get a credit up front for taxes you will pay that are already included in the price of those items.

Regarding items 5 and 6, the Fair Tax will be a 23% tax on all retail sales of goods and services. That was the number that was arrived at, I believe, to replace the current tax revenues at today's level.

Important...important...important: That number (23%) just about equals the amount that is currently embedded into our retail prices by the taxes that are paid and passed on to the buyer. In other words, the retail prices that we pay today would be about the same as we would pay under the Fair Tax.

Some other trivial items: It's my understanding that three or four billionaires concocted this idea and paid some pretty big bucks to some prestigious financial gurus to research this and come up with an alternative to the oppressive system that we now have in place.

Now, of course there is more to it than the six items I listed, but really - not much more. That's the beauty of it - it's pretty simple and straightforward. I'm far from an expert, I just know that after a couple of years as a passive listener, I'm verrrrry comfortable with everything that I've heard and read. To me, it's a no-brainer.

I'm a firm believer that this would catapult America into the position as the economic Camelot of the world. Think about it - no federal taxes on businesses. Can you imagine the international companies that would beat our door down to locate here? Think of the millions of non-persons (illegals, etc.) that pay nothing now and would be paying their fair share under the Fair Tax.

And imagine a world with no more income tax preparation. ..no more "cheating"...no more April 15th!

Okay, so having said all that, I need to ask Rush and Sean to step up to the plate and get on the Fair Tax train. C'mon guys, Neal Boortz isn't going to take anything away from you guys. You're huge! This thing is good for everyone. You don't have to do anything more than say that you've read it and that you think it's a heck of alot better than what we have now. Everybody wins...especially America!

And that seems to be in short supply recently. Now...are there any politicians listening???

Where Are The Mexicans?

I have finally had it!

I am so frustrated over the state of affairs in this country that I took the initiative to start a blog and get some things of my chest! I have no idea for how long or what it will be about, but here goes.

It started with the health care debate. I listen to the news and talk radio quite a bit as I'm in the car alot, and quite frankly country music is about all I can handle anymore.

The health care issue is being jammed down the throats of the American people, most of whom don't want it, and we're just sitting around like a bunch of monkeys with our thumbs up our butts watching it happen.

During the endless newscasts and opinion polls, I kept asking myself, "Where are the doctors? Why aren't they saying anything?"

The administration keeps citing the AMA as having endorsed the Obama bill. Wow, I thought, the AMA! And then the conservatives would point out that the AMA only represents 20% of the doctors in this country! 20?? Who knew??

Oops...too late...the damage was done. Pretty crafty, that Obama. When the mainstream media reported that the AMA supported the bill, I know that most Americans, like me, thought the AMA was the doctors and that all doctors were members.

So where were the doctors?? Why didn't the 80% who don't belong to the AMA say or do...SOMETHING?? Are they too busy buying airplanes and boats? OK, cheap shot.

Do the docs even have an association that they belong to anymore? If not, then they need one...badly! The health care changes would impact them more than anyone else - they can't afford to sit by and watch. Besides, there are too many Americans looking for guidance on this issue and they're not getting it from the politicians...on either side. I think they'd listen to the docs.

And now, this whole debate over illegal immigration has finally gotten to me as well.

This morning I received a forwarded email from a friend that was supposedly sent by an Arizona State Senator by the name of Sylvia Allen. Well, who knows, maybe it wasn't written by her at all - maybe someone made it up and sent it out and put her name on it. Doesn't matter. The points in the article were well put: The large numbers of ranchers who have been continually terrorized by the illegals crossing the border...the murders that happen almost daily that are connected with illegals and drug trafficking...the sounds of gunfire throughout the night...the list goes on and on...

Sounds like a third world country, doesn't it? Sounds like...uh...Mexico?

Imagine having bought a little piece of paradise in Arizona years ago to raise your family and enjoy the peace and serenity. And now, decades later, you have to lock yourself in 24/7 because you're afraid for your safety. Maybe all the politicians on record as being against the Arizona immigration enforcement bill should be made to go live on the border for a month. See how they like it.

It's a big stinking MESS...and one that needs to be cleaned up!

I personally feel very strongly about the law. I know there are some bad laws; not many I'm guessing, but there must be a few. But what the heck, if it's the law, follow it. If it's a bad law, change it. But until it gets changed it needs to be followed. That's not rocket science...it's common sense! And it's a heck of a lot better than anarchy!

And like the health care debate, I have to ask this question about illegal immigration: Where are the Mexicans and why aren't they helping out? Why doesn't the Mexican government assist in keeping the illegals at home where they belong? Is the country that corrupt that the illegal drug trade now calls the shots?

Last I checked, we send a crapload of money and assistance to Mexico. We need someone with the cayunies (sp) to demand that they do something about this...NOW!

From our standpoint, let's build the border fence - that's COMMON SENSE.

Let's enforce the law - that's COMMON SENSE.

Let's get tough with the Mexican government - that's COMMON SENSE.

Perhaps most importantly, let's protect Americans living along the border - that's COMMON SENSE.

And finally, let's empower the Border Patrol to enforce the law, not play referee to the "Let's See Who Can Cross the Border" game!

We can worry about what to do with the millions of illegals later, but let's enforce the law and protect Americans now!