Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Fabian Socialism
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=4764
How about a Marxist socialist? The difference between the Marxist and the Fabian is somewhat of an important difference, but from Marx's point of view, socialism was going to be the answer to the capitalist economic system. And what Marx did was divide basically the human race into two groups, the proletariat and the bourgeois. And from a Marxist point of view, the bourgeois needed to be eliminated so that we could have peace on earth, and goodwill to all the socialists, I guess.
But the Fabian socialists came along with a different idea. They came along with the same socialist idea, but instead of dividing the world between the two groups, they decided that they were going to bring about socialism through a more peaceful process. In other words, the Bolsheviks were known as the party of slaughter, and we had to ultimately get rid of the bourgeois. And they did, by the way, Brannon. They killed tens of thousands. I think the numbers are probably closer to 100 and some million.
But the Fabians decided that they were not going to use the heavy hand. They were going to go slowly and surely, and that's what they did.
The word Fabian comes from a Roman general by the name of Fabius who was – he was up against the Carthaginians and Hannibal, and he decided that he wasn't going to face them head on, but he was going to – he was going to go through them, and he was going to go above them, and he was going to go below them. He was going to use a lot of different tactics to defeat them, so that's what he did.
And so the Fabians were founded about 1883, and what I find interesting is that the Fabian Society was founded the very year that Marx himself died. Marx died in March of 1883. At his funeral, there were about six in attendance, and so I suspect that most people thought this was the end of Marx and Marxism and socialism and communism. But the truth is, it was just the beginning, because Marxism took off, of course, into the 20th century big time.
Also in 1883, the Fabian Society was founded in England, and this is the group that decided we were going to use a little different tactic than just the Bolshevik tactic. So the Fabian socialists to a great extent had the same socialism in mind as the Marxists, but they had a little different approach on how they were going to do it. A lot of us look upon what's going on even today as somehow, you know, well, it's just going on today, but what are the predecessors? Well, I think as Christians, we need to get back and get the – and get the historical footing on this whole thing, too.
So Fabian socialism is a – is a term that comes from a British organization called the British Fabian Society, founded in 1883, and then it has progressed from that to the present time, and has had a tremendous success in England and in this country, and really around the world in many ways. Basically, Europe today is becoming very socialistic in nearly every country in Europe.
So they have done their homework. ____ take your hats off to this group, because they started very small, but they just kept building and building and building. And they have now reached the point where you could argue that even in our own country, the United States of America, the whole Fabian socialist approach has succeeded way beyond anyone's imagination today.
How about a Marxist socialist? The difference between the Marxist and the Fabian is somewhat of an important difference, but from Marx's point of view, socialism was going to be the answer to the capitalist economic system. And what Marx did was divide basically the human race into two groups, the proletariat and the bourgeois. And from a Marxist point of view, the bourgeois needed to be eliminated so that we could have peace on earth, and goodwill to all the socialists, I guess.
But the Fabian socialists came along with a different idea. They came along with the same socialist idea, but instead of dividing the world between the two groups, they decided that they were going to bring about socialism through a more peaceful process. In other words, the Bolsheviks were known as the party of slaughter, and we had to ultimately get rid of the bourgeois. And they did, by the way, Brannon. They killed tens of thousands. I think the numbers are probably closer to 100 and some million.
But the Fabians decided that they were not going to use the heavy hand. They were going to go slowly and surely, and that's what they did.
The word Fabian comes from a Roman general by the name of Fabius who was – he was up against the Carthaginians and Hannibal, and he decided that he wasn't going to face them head on, but he was going to – he was going to go through them, and he was going to go above them, and he was going to go below them. He was going to use a lot of different tactics to defeat them, so that's what he did.
And so the Fabians were founded about 1883, and what I find interesting is that the Fabian Society was founded the very year that Marx himself died. Marx died in March of 1883. At his funeral, there were about six in attendance, and so I suspect that most people thought this was the end of Marx and Marxism and socialism and communism. But the truth is, it was just the beginning, because Marxism took off, of course, into the 20th century big time.
Also in 1883, the Fabian Society was founded in England, and this is the group that decided we were going to use a little different tactic than just the Bolshevik tactic. So the Fabian socialists to a great extent had the same socialism in mind as the Marxists, but they had a little different approach on how they were going to do it. A lot of us look upon what's going on even today as somehow, you know, well, it's just going on today, but what are the predecessors? Well, I think as Christians, we need to get back and get the – and get the historical footing on this whole thing, too.
So Fabian socialism is a – is a term that comes from a British organization called the British Fabian Society, founded in 1883, and then it has progressed from that to the present time, and has had a tremendous success in England and in this country, and really around the world in many ways. Basically, Europe today is becoming very socialistic in nearly every country in Europe.
So they have done their homework. ____ take your hats off to this group, because they started very small, but they just kept building and building and building. And they have now reached the point where you could argue that even in our own country, the United States of America, the whole Fabian socialist approach has succeeded way beyond anyone's imagination today.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Big day the the Commies in DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wkw7n9Qagu8
It was a big day for the lefties in DC. Just like in a country like Cuba, these people were"urged" to be at that protest. The union people SEIU etc. were requested by there handlers to attend this circus. They just can't wait to be told what to do. These people can't think for themselves.
It was a big day for the lefties in DC. Just like in a country like Cuba, these people were"urged" to be at that protest. The union people SEIU etc. were requested by there handlers to attend this circus. They just can't wait to be told what to do. These people can't think for themselves.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
We Con the World
We con the world
Helen Thomas: Jews Should Go Back to 'Germany' or 'Poland' and 'Get the Hell Out of Palestine'
By Ken Shepherd (Bio | Archive)
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 14:22 ET
White House press corps dean Helen Thomas -- on the day that the White House hosted a Jewish Heritage Celebration, no less -- said that Jews who live in Israel should "get the hell out of Palestine" and go "home."
When asked where home was for Israeli Jews, Thomas offered "Poland, Germany... and America and everywhere else" from which the founding generation of the State of Israel originally hailed.
Breitbart.tv has the YouTube video, which was released by RabbiLive.com (h/t Gateway Pundit). At right you can view our Eyeblast version by clicking the play button in the embed.
It's been centuries decades since anyone believed Helen Thomas was anywhere near an objective journalist, but this makes it clear that she's at best tactless and unreasonable and at worst an anti-Semite.
Question to mull over in the comments section: Should Thomas lose her coveted seat in the White House press briefing room over this?
Helen Thomas: Jews Should Go Back to 'Germany' or 'Poland' and 'Get the Hell Out of Palestine'
By Ken Shepherd (Bio | Archive)
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 14:22 ET
White House press corps dean Helen Thomas -- on the day that the White House hosted a Jewish Heritage Celebration, no less -- said that Jews who live in Israel should "get the hell out of Palestine" and go "home."
When asked where home was for Israeli Jews, Thomas offered "Poland, Germany... and America and everywhere else" from which the founding generation of the State of Israel originally hailed.
Breitbart.tv has the YouTube video, which was released by RabbiLive.com (h/t Gateway Pundit). At right you can view our Eyeblast version by clicking the play button in the embed.
It's been centuries decades since anyone believed Helen Thomas was anywhere near an objective journalist, but this makes it clear that she's at best tactless and unreasonable and at worst an anti-Semite.
Question to mull over in the comments section: Should Thomas lose her coveted seat in the White House press briefing room over this?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Report from Washington- The ends justify the means
Sunday morning Betsi and her Georgia Tea Party Patriot member Craig picked me up at the Hotel
Harrington at 10:15am. We drove down Pennsylvania Avenue on this bright beautiful morning, refreshed and full of fight. The prayer service was scheduled for 11am at the steps on the east side of the Capitol.
As we walked up the drive we stopped at the stairs leading up to the Rotunda and joined others in prayer on our knees on the steps.
We then joined the large crowd that had gathered in front of the House of Representatives Wing and were told that we had been "booted" from this section and had to move our group around to the West side in the lawn.
We then regathered in force after 15-20 minute walk and the prayer service began with speakers with a bullhorn leading prayer, song and inspiring talk. Our friend the trumpet player was front and center to
accompany the songs with his true trumpet talent, and it was indeed majestic on that hill in the crisp Sunday sun.
A peace came over the group.
The news began to filter thru the ranks that everyone could get in line on the east side and go into the Chamber for 30 minutes at a time without a pass to watch the debate. Betsi who had driven from Georgia, and had long scheduled house guests due to arrive on Monday felt obligated to return home and left after the service for her long drive back. Almost immediately, I hear someone yelling at me and turn to see our member Ron who works in St Pete, and lives in Bradenton. We quickly decided to head to the line to get in the House Chamber together.
We stood in line for a full 2 hours and arrived in the chamber unbelievably at 2pm. We thought at that time that the actual vote was scheduled for 2pm and we were incrdulous that we might in fact actually be there for the vote. I was afraid that little coincidence may land me in jail! Not knowing if I could be able to control myself in the Gallery! But no worry, instead we were there to witness Patrick Kennedy go on about how they owed it to his "Faaather" to pass the bill! It was torture to listen to this sick man go on and on. He needs professional help!
Ron and I and others used part of our time in the presence of the Members of this body to silently pray for a change in their hearts at votetime.
The chamber was only half full, and it is annoying to see them cutting up with one another, talking across the aisles, getting up and walking around, coming and going while arguments are being made by both sides. I said to Ron, "They should all have to sit here and listen to each other." Pelosi, and many other key members were not even there as presentations were made on the legislation from the members.
Then we had to leave, our turn was up.
A little coffee, a sandwich at Union Train Station 3 blocks away to rest up. There were absolutely no vendors anywhere closer, not even water.
We returned to the crowd which had now been moved once again, this time to the south side of the Capitol and the wait continued. As the sun began to lower there was a march of tens of thousands of people approaching from the direction of Pennsylvania Avenue. They seemed to split into two groups at the reflection pond down at the foot of the West side and as they approached we saw their tshirts and signs. They were Mexicans marching for Immigration Reform and Amnesty Now. There were thousands of them and I heard later that Obama had talked to them by closed circuit earlier promising to deliver Immigration Reform. And I don't think they mean a border fence.
That is all I know about that, but I saw several of them carrying signs, one said," Where is My American Dream?". At the same time they were passing, our group was yelling chants in unison, such as "Kill the Bill! Kill the Bill!" And "We represent 55%!" I have to tell you standing in the middle of all of this drama and watching these aliens seeking amnesty from an administration needing their votes to make up for the moderate voters they have lost in order to keep control, was obvious. These people demanding amnesty, and ultimately healthcare at our expense, will also be the ones voting against our interests the rest of our lives! The rest of our childrens lives! They will take us down like California. We are in the fight of our LIVES!!!
They were yelling at us and marching by taunting us, we were yelling at the Capitol. Everyone was yelling. There were people in purple shirts, SEIU, now starting to infiltrate our group.
It was then we decided to get back in line to go into the chamber again.
Our ranks had diminished as our people had to leave to return to their homes for their own reasons, yet both Ron and I had scheduled our return on Monday just in case of delays. So that was good, no pressure. We were both there for the duration. Another 2 hours in line and we are again seated and this time we hear Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin give a great presentation on the "cooking of the books" in the projected cost with charts, that no one paid any attention to from the other side of the aisle as they were by now giddy with excitement because the news was out that Stupak had caved. And then Mike Pence spoke , on the outrage of the process that had been employed.
We had to leave again. It was about 10pm.
As we leave the building, the line to get in is now at least a 3 hour wait based on our experience and we know the end of the line is now longer than the approaching vote. We decide to simply go out, join the crowd in the dark and wait.
Congressmen come outside on the balcony and cheer us on, or laugh at us, depending on which side they are from. The Patriots being led by a bull horn have not stopped chanting nonstop for hours! Hours! I am talking 50-70 year old Americans and the Congressmen come out and hold the House Doors open while Nancy Pelosi is speaking prior to the vote hopeing the chamber can hear us and the decimals level went off the charts as the crowd went from "Just Say No, Just Say No, Just Say No!" To "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!" They yelled just the word "No!" in gunfire succession for probably 15 minutes! It was unbelieveable. I called my daughter in Florida and she counted down the vote on cspan with me on the phone and we cried together. "202, 206, 209, mom, 213, 216. " Then on to 219
The enemy had gotten over the wall! We shot arrows, muskets, balls of fire, we pushed down their ladders as they kept rushing the fortress, but somehow they got a few in the wall that opened the gate and they are inside!
It is time to get in this fight! I need your help. If we cannot get them all out in November, all is lost.
And as I write this at this very moment I hear Biden introducing Obama to sign this crime into law.
Please resolve to join me in this fight before it is too late. We must immediately engage actively in the Florida 10th amendment activites. 10th amendment, the election and the legal challenges. More to come.
Harrington at 10:15am. We drove down Pennsylvania Avenue on this bright beautiful morning, refreshed and full of fight. The prayer service was scheduled for 11am at the steps on the east side of the Capitol.
As we walked up the drive we stopped at the stairs leading up to the Rotunda and joined others in prayer on our knees on the steps.
We then joined the large crowd that had gathered in front of the House of Representatives Wing and were told that we had been "booted" from this section and had to move our group around to the West side in the lawn.
We then regathered in force after 15-20 minute walk and the prayer service began with speakers with a bullhorn leading prayer, song and inspiring talk. Our friend the trumpet player was front and center to
accompany the songs with his true trumpet talent, and it was indeed majestic on that hill in the crisp Sunday sun.
A peace came over the group.
The news began to filter thru the ranks that everyone could get in line on the east side and go into the Chamber for 30 minutes at a time without a pass to watch the debate. Betsi who had driven from Georgia, and had long scheduled house guests due to arrive on Monday felt obligated to return home and left after the service for her long drive back. Almost immediately, I hear someone yelling at me and turn to see our member Ron who works in St Pete, and lives in Bradenton. We quickly decided to head to the line to get in the House Chamber together.
We stood in line for a full 2 hours and arrived in the chamber unbelievably at 2pm. We thought at that time that the actual vote was scheduled for 2pm and we were incrdulous that we might in fact actually be there for the vote. I was afraid that little coincidence may land me in jail! Not knowing if I could be able to control myself in the Gallery! But no worry, instead we were there to witness Patrick Kennedy go on about how they owed it to his "Faaather" to pass the bill! It was torture to listen to this sick man go on and on. He needs professional help!
Ron and I and others used part of our time in the presence of the Members of this body to silently pray for a change in their hearts at votetime.
The chamber was only half full, and it is annoying to see them cutting up with one another, talking across the aisles, getting up and walking around, coming and going while arguments are being made by both sides. I said to Ron, "They should all have to sit here and listen to each other." Pelosi, and many other key members were not even there as presentations were made on the legislation from the members.
Then we had to leave, our turn was up.
A little coffee, a sandwich at Union Train Station 3 blocks away to rest up. There were absolutely no vendors anywhere closer, not even water.
We returned to the crowd which had now been moved once again, this time to the south side of the Capitol and the wait continued. As the sun began to lower there was a march of tens of thousands of people approaching from the direction of Pennsylvania Avenue. They seemed to split into two groups at the reflection pond down at the foot of the West side and as they approached we saw their tshirts and signs. They were Mexicans marching for Immigration Reform and Amnesty Now. There were thousands of them and I heard later that Obama had talked to them by closed circuit earlier promising to deliver Immigration Reform. And I don't think they mean a border fence.
That is all I know about that, but I saw several of them carrying signs, one said," Where is My American Dream?". At the same time they were passing, our group was yelling chants in unison, such as "Kill the Bill! Kill the Bill!" And "We represent 55%!" I have to tell you standing in the middle of all of this drama and watching these aliens seeking amnesty from an administration needing their votes to make up for the moderate voters they have lost in order to keep control, was obvious. These people demanding amnesty, and ultimately healthcare at our expense, will also be the ones voting against our interests the rest of our lives! The rest of our childrens lives! They will take us down like California. We are in the fight of our LIVES!!!
They were yelling at us and marching by taunting us, we were yelling at the Capitol. Everyone was yelling. There were people in purple shirts, SEIU, now starting to infiltrate our group.
It was then we decided to get back in line to go into the chamber again.
Our ranks had diminished as our people had to leave to return to their homes for their own reasons, yet both Ron and I had scheduled our return on Monday just in case of delays. So that was good, no pressure. We were both there for the duration. Another 2 hours in line and we are again seated and this time we hear Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin give a great presentation on the "cooking of the books" in the projected cost with charts, that no one paid any attention to from the other side of the aisle as they were by now giddy with excitement because the news was out that Stupak had caved. And then Mike Pence spoke , on the outrage of the process that had been employed.
We had to leave again. It was about 10pm.
As we leave the building, the line to get in is now at least a 3 hour wait based on our experience and we know the end of the line is now longer than the approaching vote. We decide to simply go out, join the crowd in the dark and wait.
Congressmen come outside on the balcony and cheer us on, or laugh at us, depending on which side they are from. The Patriots being led by a bull horn have not stopped chanting nonstop for hours! Hours! I am talking 50-70 year old Americans and the Congressmen come out and hold the House Doors open while Nancy Pelosi is speaking prior to the vote hopeing the chamber can hear us and the decimals level went off the charts as the crowd went from "Just Say No, Just Say No, Just Say No!" To "No, No, No, No, No, No, No!" They yelled just the word "No!" in gunfire succession for probably 15 minutes! It was unbelieveable. I called my daughter in Florida and she counted down the vote on cspan with me on the phone and we cried together. "202, 206, 209, mom, 213, 216. " Then on to 219
The enemy had gotten over the wall! We shot arrows, muskets, balls of fire, we pushed down their ladders as they kept rushing the fortress, but somehow they got a few in the wall that opened the gate and they are inside!
It is time to get in this fight! I need your help. If we cannot get them all out in November, all is lost.
And as I write this at this very moment I hear Biden introducing Obama to sign this crime into law.
Please resolve to join me in this fight before it is too late. We must immediately engage actively in the Florida 10th amendment activites. 10th amendment, the election and the legal challenges. More to come.
Monday, March 22, 2010
This day will live in infamy
The winners in this so-called health reform will benefit big pharm, AARP, and the crooked politicians in Washington, who can be bought. They look down on us little people, they know what is best for us. The dictator Obama said so. He said he knows what is best for us. The dictator Obama has total control over his democrats. They are not allowed to represent their constituents. Bart Stupak caved. He was put under tremendous pressure to change his mind by dictator Obama with his promise of an executive order, that does not have to be honored and will not. Taxpayers will be paying for abortions. Dictator Obama will create jobs by hiring 60.000 IRS agents, to enforce his dictatorship. March 21, 2010 a day that will live in infamy. Amnesty for illegals is next Wake up America. Dictator Obama does not care about you, only power over you.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Report from Washington
Good morning Friends,
To continue with the recap of the history that Betsi and I witnessed yesterday in Washington at the anti healthcare rally, I must start with going back. A couple months ago, I became obsessed with the idea that we needed to add war drums to our protests. A couple weeks ago you may recall that we had the "Going on the WarPath" Protests in Tampa and St Pete when several of us dressed at Native Americans in the spirit of the first revolutionary Boston Tea Party. Our Member Linda brought 2 fantastic authentic Indian drums and they were especially effective on 4th St and Gandy in St Pete.
So, Friday before I left town I was able to locate Red Eagle in St Pete, a Lakota Sioux Native American, and I purchased 2 drums he had made to bring with us. Made from Buffalo and sinew. Can you believe it! And they are LOUD and booming. Unbelievable. Thank you Red Eagle for the last minute help you and your family offered!
So there we are wagging through the Halls of Congress with wardrums!
By 11am crowds were beginning to arrive and it was at this point we walked across the street to the Capitol Lawn to join the already huge crowd gathered on the West Lawn. We began to beat our drums in typical Indian War Beat...BOOM boom boom boom BOOM boom boom boom.
Truly, it was just the greatest touch to the agitated and energized mass of unhappy citizens! As the sun beat down and there were no leaves yet to offer the blessing of shade, Betsi and I moved under a stand of evergreen Magnolia trees at the foot of the Capital Building, where we stood all day and acted as the sound effects for the rally. By some miracle the ground security guards left us alone the entire time. Lots of People took our picture, and why not, we must have been a sight!
Then suddenly, across the landscape came the sound of a perfect "Charge" by a Trumpet! I look over on a nearby hill and there stands a man playing his bugle to the crowd to their roaring approval! Then he plays America the Beautiful and everyone sang.
This man came directly over to us later and said our drums had inspired him to return to his apartment to go get his trumpet as he lived only 8 blocks away! It was a tearful moment. The drums, the trumpet, the roar of the people was shaking the legislators inside. Mike Pence said they could hear all this "noise" inside!
Beginning at noon, the rally speakers came out one by one, conservative Representatives such as Michele Bachmann, Mike Pence, Steve King. The instructions were given by the organizers of the event to storm the Congressional offices at 2pm.
And to Surround the Capital at 5pm.
At 2pm straight up the crowd of anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 started descending on the congressional offices. They consists of 3 mammoth buildings across the street from the Capital. They are the Longworth, the Cannon and the Rayburn. Betsi and I positioned ourselves under another tree in the middle of the moving crowd. A man in a suit was sitting on the ground reading the Bible, specifically the Book of Mathew. Betsi and I joined him in a wonderful prayer and he then moved over to the rolling lawn in front of the Capital and began a prayer group there. The rest of the day groups of people were joining him on that hill praying on their hands and knees.
At one point the huge throngs of people standing on the steps of the various congressional offices were screaming and sirens were wailing. It was pretty threatening, and Betsi and I decided not to go too close. It was very volatile.
As the afternoon wore on, people began to circle the Capitol, holding hands, completely encircling this huge complex. The legislators were inside. They were shook up by all accounts.
And I should mention, throughout the day there was no sign of any support for the legislation, no signs, no groups promoting the passage, except for a group of perhaps 10 young kids in their twenties that showed up in the evening. One kept yelling "Promote the public welfare" as though that means healthcare is a role of the Federal Government.
So, this was the day. And today, Sunday, we meet at 11am for a church service on the grounds of the Capital and the Christian Legislators are meeting at 11am on the inside in the Rotunda for the first time in 100 years to hold a religious service. The first time in 100 years!
Please, at 11am gather your family and pray for our country and for the defeat of this vote and the restoration of the Republic.
The vote is at 2pm the last I heard.
And if you know anyone living in the area encourage them to come to the capitol today to join, we need all the bodies we can round up, as many buses left yesterday to head home.
I took pictures last night standing on the backside of our beautiful Capitol as the sun was setting, to mark perhaps the last time the sun would set on our free republic. God bless America, God save America.
To continue with the recap of the history that Betsi and I witnessed yesterday in Washington at the anti healthcare rally, I must start with going back. A couple months ago, I became obsessed with the idea that we needed to add war drums to our protests. A couple weeks ago you may recall that we had the "Going on the WarPath" Protests in Tampa and St Pete when several of us dressed at Native Americans in the spirit of the first revolutionary Boston Tea Party. Our Member Linda brought 2 fantastic authentic Indian drums and they were especially effective on 4th St and Gandy in St Pete.
So, Friday before I left town I was able to locate Red Eagle in St Pete, a Lakota Sioux Native American, and I purchased 2 drums he had made to bring with us. Made from Buffalo and sinew. Can you believe it! And they are LOUD and booming. Unbelievable. Thank you Red Eagle for the last minute help you and your family offered!
So there we are wagging through the Halls of Congress with wardrums!
By 11am crowds were beginning to arrive and it was at this point we walked across the street to the Capitol Lawn to join the already huge crowd gathered on the West Lawn. We began to beat our drums in typical Indian War Beat...BOOM boom boom boom BOOM boom boom boom.
Truly, it was just the greatest touch to the agitated and energized mass of unhappy citizens! As the sun beat down and there were no leaves yet to offer the blessing of shade, Betsi and I moved under a stand of evergreen Magnolia trees at the foot of the Capital Building, where we stood all day and acted as the sound effects for the rally. By some miracle the ground security guards left us alone the entire time. Lots of People took our picture, and why not, we must have been a sight!
Then suddenly, across the landscape came the sound of a perfect "Charge" by a Trumpet! I look over on a nearby hill and there stands a man playing his bugle to the crowd to their roaring approval! Then he plays America the Beautiful and everyone sang.
This man came directly over to us later and said our drums had inspired him to return to his apartment to go get his trumpet as he lived only 8 blocks away! It was a tearful moment. The drums, the trumpet, the roar of the people was shaking the legislators inside. Mike Pence said they could hear all this "noise" inside!
Beginning at noon, the rally speakers came out one by one, conservative Representatives such as Michele Bachmann, Mike Pence, Steve King. The instructions were given by the organizers of the event to storm the Congressional offices at 2pm.
And to Surround the Capital at 5pm.
At 2pm straight up the crowd of anywhere from 50,000 to 70,000 started descending on the congressional offices. They consists of 3 mammoth buildings across the street from the Capital. They are the Longworth, the Cannon and the Rayburn. Betsi and I positioned ourselves under another tree in the middle of the moving crowd. A man in a suit was sitting on the ground reading the Bible, specifically the Book of Mathew. Betsi and I joined him in a wonderful prayer and he then moved over to the rolling lawn in front of the Capital and began a prayer group there. The rest of the day groups of people were joining him on that hill praying on their hands and knees.
At one point the huge throngs of people standing on the steps of the various congressional offices were screaming and sirens were wailing. It was pretty threatening, and Betsi and I decided not to go too close. It was very volatile.
As the afternoon wore on, people began to circle the Capitol, holding hands, completely encircling this huge complex. The legislators were inside. They were shook up by all accounts.
And I should mention, throughout the day there was no sign of any support for the legislation, no signs, no groups promoting the passage, except for a group of perhaps 10 young kids in their twenties that showed up in the evening. One kept yelling "Promote the public welfare" as though that means healthcare is a role of the Federal Government.
So, this was the day. And today, Sunday, we meet at 11am for a church service on the grounds of the Capital and the Christian Legislators are meeting at 11am on the inside in the Rotunda for the first time in 100 years to hold a religious service. The first time in 100 years!
Please, at 11am gather your family and pray for our country and for the defeat of this vote and the restoration of the Republic.
The vote is at 2pm the last I heard.
And if you know anyone living in the area encourage them to come to the capitol today to join, we need all the bodies we can round up, as many buses left yesterday to head home.
I took pictures last night standing on the backside of our beautiful Capitol as the sun was setting, to mark perhaps the last time the sun would set on our free republic. God bless America, God save America.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Act of desperation and unfair tax laws
Editor's Note: The following contains profanity.
Text of a message believed to have been posted online by the alleged pilot of a small plane that crashed Feb. 18 into an office complex in Austin, Texas:
If you're reading this, you're no doubt asking yourself, "Why did this have to happen?" The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time. The writing process, started many months ago, was intended to be therapy in the face of the looming realization that there isn't enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken. Needless to say, this rant could fill volumes with example after example if I would let it. I find the process of writing it frustrating, tedious, and probably pointless… especially given my gross inability to gracefully articulate my thoughts in light of the storm raging in my head. Exactly what is therapeutic about that I'm not sure, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
We are all taught as children that without laws there would be no society, only anarchy. Sadly, starting at early ages we in this country have been brainwashed to believe that, in return for our dedication and service, our government stands for justice for all. We are further brainwashed to believe that there is freedom in this place, and that we should be ready to lay our lives down for the noble principals represented by its founding fathers. Remember? One of these was "no taxation without representation". I have spent the total years of my adulthood unlearning that crap from only a few years of my childhood. These days anyone who really stands up for that principal is promptly labeled a "crackpot", traitor and worse.
While very few working people would say they haven't had their fair share of taxes (as can I), in my lifetime I can say with a great degree of certainty that there has never been a politician cast a vote on any matter with the likes of me or my interests in mind. Nor, for that matter, are they the least bit interested in me or anything I have to say.
Why is it that a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities (and in the case of the GM executives, for scores of years) and when it's time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours? Yet at the same time, the joke we call the American medical system, including the drug and insurance companies, are murdering tens of thousands of people a year and stealing from the corpses and victims they cripple, and this country's leaders don't see this as important as bailing out a few of their vile, rich cronies. Yet, the political "representatives" (thieves, liars, and self-serving scumbags is far more accurate) have endless time to sit around for year after year and debate the state of the "terrible health care problem". It's clear they see no crisis as long as the dead people don't get in the way of their corporate profits rolling in.
And justice? You've got to be kidding!
How can any rational individual explain that white elephant conundrum in the middle of our tax system and, indeed, our entire legal system? Here we have a system that is, by far, too complicated for the brightest of the master scholars to understand. Yet, it mercilessly "holds accountable" its victims, claiming that they're responsible for fully complying with laws not even the experts understand. The law "requires" a signature on the bottom of a tax filing; yet no one can say truthfully that they understand what they are signing; if that's not "duress" than what is. If this is not the measure of a totalitarian regime, nothing is.
How did I get here?
My introduction to the real American nightmare starts back in the early '80s. Unfortunately after more than 16 years of school, somewhere along the line I picked up the absurd, pompous notion that I could read and understand plain English. Some friends introduced me to a group of people who were having 'tax code' readings and discussions. In particular, zeroed in on a section relating to the wonderful "exemptions" that make institutions like the vulgar, corrupt Catholic Church so incredibly wealthy. We carefully studied the law (with the help of some of the "best", high-paid, experienced tax lawyers in the business), and then began to do exactly what the "big boys" were doing (except that we weren't steeling from our congregation or lying to the government about our massive profits in the name of God). We took a great deal of care to make it all visible, following all of the rules, exactly the way the law said it was to be done.
The intent of this exercise and our efforts was to bring about a much-needed re-evaluation of the laws that allow the monsters of organized religion to make such a mockery of people who earn an honest living. However, this is where I learned that there are two "interpretations" for every law; one for the very rich, and one for the rest of us… Oh, and the monsters are the very ones making and enforcing the laws; the inquisition is still alive and well today in this country.
That little lesson in patriotism cost me $40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0. It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country with an ideology that is based on a total and complete lie. It also made me realize, not only how naive I had been, but also the incredible stupidity of the American public; that they buy, hook, line, and sinker, the crap about their "freedom"… and that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence and all that keeps happening in front of them.
Before even having to make a shaky recovery from the sting of the first lesson on what justice really means in this country (around 1984 after making my way through engineering school and still another five years of "paying my dues"), I felt I finally had to take a chance of launching my dream of becoming an independent engineer.
On the subjects of engineers and dreams of independence, I should digress somewhat to say that I'm sure that I inherited the fascination for creative problem solving from my father. I realized this at a very young age.
The significance of independence, however, came much later during my early years of college; at the age of 18 or 19 when I was living on my own as student in an apartment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My neighbor was an elderly retired woman (80+ seemed ancient to me at that age) who was the widowed wife of a retired steel worker. Her husband had worked all his life in the steel mills of central Pennsylvania with promises from big business and the union that, for his 30 years of service, he would have a pension and medical care to look forward to in his retirement. Instead he was one of the thousands who got nothing because the incompetent mill management and corrupt union (not to mention the government) raided their pension funds and stole their retirement. All she had was social security to live on.
In retrospect, the situation was laughable because here I was living on peanut butter and bread (or Ritz crackers when I could afford to splurge) for months at a time. When I got to know this poor figure and heard her story I felt worse for her plight than for my own (I, after all, I thought I had everything to in front of me). I was genuinely appalled at one point, as we exchanged stories and commiserated with each other over our situations, when she in her grandmotherly fashion tried to convince me that I would be "healthier" eating cat food (like her) rather than trying to get all my substance from peanut butter and bread. I couldn't quite go there, but the impression was made. I decided that I didn't trust big business to take care of me, and that I would take responsibility for my own future and myself.
Return to the early '80s, and here I was off to a terrifying start as a 'wet-behind-the-ears' contract software engineer... and two years later, thanks to the fine backroom, midnight effort by the sleazy executives of Arthur Andersen (the very same folks who later brought us Enron and other such calamities) and an equally sleazy New York Senator (Patrick Moynihan), we saw the passage of 1986 tax reform act with its section 1706.
For you who are unfamiliar, here is the core text of the IRS Section 1706, defining the treatment of workers (such as contract engineers) for tax purposes. Visit this link for a conference committee report (http://www.synergistech.com/1706.shtml#ConferenceCommitteeReport) regarding the intended interpretation of Section 1706 and the relevant parts of Section 530, as amended. For information on how these laws affect technical services workers and their clients, read our discussion here (http://www.synergistech.com/ic-taxlaw.shtml).
SEC. 1706. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.
(a) IN GENERAL - Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
(d) EXCEPTION. - This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person, provides services for such other person as an engineer, designer, drafter, computer programmer, systems analyst, or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE. - The amendment made by this section shall apply to remuneration paid and services rendered after December 31, 1986.
Note:
• "another person" is the client in the traditional job-shop relationship.
1. "taxpayer" is the recruiter, broker, agency, or job shop.
2. "individual", "employee", or "worker" is you.
Admittedly, you need to read the treatment to understand what it is saying but it's not very complicated. The bottom line is that they may as well have put my name right in the text of section (d). Moreover, they could only have been more blunt if they would have came out and directly declared me a criminal and non-citizen slave. Twenty years later, I still can't believe my eyes.
During 1987, I spent close to $5000 of my 'pocket change', and at least 1000 hours of my time writing, printing, and mailing to any senator, congressman, governor, or slug that might listen; none did, and they universally treated me as if I was wasting their time. I spent countless hours on the L.A. freeways driving to meetings and any and all of the disorganized professional groups who were attempting to mount a campaign against this atrocity. This, only to discover that our efforts were being easily derailed by a few moles from the brokers who were just beginning to enjoy the windfall from the new declaration of their "freedom". Oh, and don't forget, for all of the time I was spending on this, I was loosing income that I couldn't bill clients.
After months of struggling it had clearly gotten to be a futile exercise. The best we could get for all of our trouble is a pronouncement from an IRS mouthpiece that they weren't going to enforce that provision (read harass engineers and scientists). This immediately proved to be a lie, and the mere existence of the regulation began to have its impact on my bottom line; this, of course, was the intended effect.
Again, rewind my retirement plans back to 0 and shift them into idle. If I had any sense, I clearly should have left abandoned engineering and never looked back.
Instead I got busy working 100-hour workweeks. Then came the L.A. depression of the early 1990s. Our leaders decided that they didn't need the all of those extra Air Force bases they had in Southern California, so they were closed; just like that. The result was economic devastation in the region that rivaled the widely publicized Texas S&L fiasco. However, because the government caused it, no one gave a shit about all of the young families who lost their homes or street after street of boarded up houses abandoned to the wealthy loan companies who received government funds to "shore up" their windfall. Again, I lost my retirement.
Years later, after weathering a divorce and the constant struggle trying to build some momentum with my business, I find myself once again beginning to finally pick up some speed. Then came the .COM bust and the 911 nightmare. Our leaders decided that all aircraft were grounded for what seemed like an eternity; and long after that, 'special' facilities like San Francisco were on security alert for months. This made access to my customers prohibitively expensive. Ironically, after what they had done the Government came to the aid of the airlines with billions of our tax dollars … as usual they left me to rot and die while they bailed out their rich, incompetent cronies WITH MY MONEY! After these events, there went my business but not quite yet all of my retirement and savings.
By this time, I'm thinking that it might be good for a change. Bye to California, I'll try Austin for a while. So I moved, only to find out that this is a place with a highly inflated sense of self-importance and where damn little real engineering work is done. I've never experienced such a hard time finding work. The rates are 1/3 of what I was earning before the crash, because pay rates here are fixed by the three or four large companies in the area who are in collusion to drive down prices and wages… and this happens because the justice department is all on the take and doesn't give a fuck about serving anyone or anything but themselves and their rich buddies.
To survive, I was forced to cannibalize my savings and retirement, the last of which was a small IRA. This came in a year with mammoth expenses and not a single dollar of income. I filed no return that year thinking that because I didn't have any income there was no need. The sleazy government decided that they disagreed. But they didn't notify me in time for me to launch a legal objection so when I attempted to get a protest filed with the court I was told I was no longer entitled to due process because the time to file ran out. Bend over for another $10,000 helping of justice.
So now we come to the present. After my experience with the CPA world, following the business crash I swore that I'd never enter another accountant's office again. But here I am with a new marriage and a boatload of undocumented income, not to mention an expensive new business asset, a piano, which I had no idea how to handle. After considerable thought I decided that it would be irresponsible NOT to get professional help; a very big mistake.
When we received the forms back I was very optimistic that they were in order. I had taken all of the years information to Bill Ross, and he came back with results very similar to what I was expecting. Except that he had neglected to include the contents of Sheryl's unreported income; $12,700 worth of it. To make matters worse, Ross knew all along this was missing and I didn't have a clue until he pointed it out in the middle of the audit. By that time it had become brutally evident that he was representing himself and not me.
This left me stuck in the middle of this disaster trying to defend transactions that have no relationship to anything tax-related (at least the tax-related transactions were poorly documented). Things I never knew anything about and things my wife had no clue would ever matter to anyone. The end result is… well, just look around.
I remember reading about the stock market crash before the "great" depression and how there were wealthy bankers and businessmen jumping out of windows when they realized they screwed up and lost everything. Isn't it ironic how far we've come in 60 years in this country that they now know how to fix that little economic problem; they just steal from the middle class (who doesn't have any say in it, elections are a joke) to cover their asses and it's "business-as-usual". Now when the wealthy fuck up, the poor get to die for the mistakes… isn't that a clever, tidy solution.
As government agencies go, the FAA is often justifiably referred to as a tombstone agency, though they are hardly alone. The recent presidential puppet GW Bush and his cronies in their eight years certainly reinforced for all of us that this criticism rings equally true for all of the government. Nothing changes unless there is a body count (unless it is in the interest of the wealthy sows at the government trough). In a government full of hypocrites from top to bottom, life is as cheap as their lies and their self-serving laws.
I know I'm hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand. It has always been a myth that people have stopped dying for their freedom in this country, and it isn't limited to the blacks, and poor immigrants. I know there have been countless before me and there are sure to be as many after. But I also know that by not adding my body to the count, I insure nothing will change. I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at "big brother" while he strips my carcass, I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won't continue; I have just had enough.
I can only hope that the numbers quickly get too big to be white washed and ignored that the American zombies wake up and revolt; it will take nothing less. I would only hope that by striking a nerve that stimulates the inevitable double standard, knee-jerk government reaction that results in more stupid draconian restrictions people wake up and begin to see the pompous political thugs and their mindless minions for what they are. Sadly, though I spent my entire life trying to believe it wasn't so, but violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer. The cruel joke is that the really big chunks of shit at the top have known this all along and have been laughing, at and using this awareness against, fools like me all along.
I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.
The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed.
Joe Stack (1956-2010)
02/18/2010
I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.
Text of a message believed to have been posted online by the alleged pilot of a small plane that crashed Feb. 18 into an office complex in Austin, Texas:
If you're reading this, you're no doubt asking yourself, "Why did this have to happen?" The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time. The writing process, started many months ago, was intended to be therapy in the face of the looming realization that there isn't enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken. Needless to say, this rant could fill volumes with example after example if I would let it. I find the process of writing it frustrating, tedious, and probably pointless… especially given my gross inability to gracefully articulate my thoughts in light of the storm raging in my head. Exactly what is therapeutic about that I'm not sure, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
We are all taught as children that without laws there would be no society, only anarchy. Sadly, starting at early ages we in this country have been brainwashed to believe that, in return for our dedication and service, our government stands for justice for all. We are further brainwashed to believe that there is freedom in this place, and that we should be ready to lay our lives down for the noble principals represented by its founding fathers. Remember? One of these was "no taxation without representation". I have spent the total years of my adulthood unlearning that crap from only a few years of my childhood. These days anyone who really stands up for that principal is promptly labeled a "crackpot", traitor and worse.
While very few working people would say they haven't had their fair share of taxes (as can I), in my lifetime I can say with a great degree of certainty that there has never been a politician cast a vote on any matter with the likes of me or my interests in mind. Nor, for that matter, are they the least bit interested in me or anything I have to say.
Why is it that a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities (and in the case of the GM executives, for scores of years) and when it's time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours? Yet at the same time, the joke we call the American medical system, including the drug and insurance companies, are murdering tens of thousands of people a year and stealing from the corpses and victims they cripple, and this country's leaders don't see this as important as bailing out a few of their vile, rich cronies. Yet, the political "representatives" (thieves, liars, and self-serving scumbags is far more accurate) have endless time to sit around for year after year and debate the state of the "terrible health care problem". It's clear they see no crisis as long as the dead people don't get in the way of their corporate profits rolling in.
And justice? You've got to be kidding!
How can any rational individual explain that white elephant conundrum in the middle of our tax system and, indeed, our entire legal system? Here we have a system that is, by far, too complicated for the brightest of the master scholars to understand. Yet, it mercilessly "holds accountable" its victims, claiming that they're responsible for fully complying with laws not even the experts understand. The law "requires" a signature on the bottom of a tax filing; yet no one can say truthfully that they understand what they are signing; if that's not "duress" than what is. If this is not the measure of a totalitarian regime, nothing is.
How did I get here?
My introduction to the real American nightmare starts back in the early '80s. Unfortunately after more than 16 years of school, somewhere along the line I picked up the absurd, pompous notion that I could read and understand plain English. Some friends introduced me to a group of people who were having 'tax code' readings and discussions. In particular, zeroed in on a section relating to the wonderful "exemptions" that make institutions like the vulgar, corrupt Catholic Church so incredibly wealthy. We carefully studied the law (with the help of some of the "best", high-paid, experienced tax lawyers in the business), and then began to do exactly what the "big boys" were doing (except that we weren't steeling from our congregation or lying to the government about our massive profits in the name of God). We took a great deal of care to make it all visible, following all of the rules, exactly the way the law said it was to be done.
The intent of this exercise and our efforts was to bring about a much-needed re-evaluation of the laws that allow the monsters of organized religion to make such a mockery of people who earn an honest living. However, this is where I learned that there are two "interpretations" for every law; one for the very rich, and one for the rest of us… Oh, and the monsters are the very ones making and enforcing the laws; the inquisition is still alive and well today in this country.
That little lesson in patriotism cost me $40,000+, 10 years of my life, and set my retirement plans back to 0. It made me realize for the first time that I live in a country with an ideology that is based on a total and complete lie. It also made me realize, not only how naive I had been, but also the incredible stupidity of the American public; that they buy, hook, line, and sinker, the crap about their "freedom"… and that they continue to do so with eyes closed in the face of overwhelming evidence and all that keeps happening in front of them.
Before even having to make a shaky recovery from the sting of the first lesson on what justice really means in this country (around 1984 after making my way through engineering school and still another five years of "paying my dues"), I felt I finally had to take a chance of launching my dream of becoming an independent engineer.
On the subjects of engineers and dreams of independence, I should digress somewhat to say that I'm sure that I inherited the fascination for creative problem solving from my father. I realized this at a very young age.
The significance of independence, however, came much later during my early years of college; at the age of 18 or 19 when I was living on my own as student in an apartment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. My neighbor was an elderly retired woman (80+ seemed ancient to me at that age) who was the widowed wife of a retired steel worker. Her husband had worked all his life in the steel mills of central Pennsylvania with promises from big business and the union that, for his 30 years of service, he would have a pension and medical care to look forward to in his retirement. Instead he was one of the thousands who got nothing because the incompetent mill management and corrupt union (not to mention the government) raided their pension funds and stole their retirement. All she had was social security to live on.
In retrospect, the situation was laughable because here I was living on peanut butter and bread (or Ritz crackers when I could afford to splurge) for months at a time. When I got to know this poor figure and heard her story I felt worse for her plight than for my own (I, after all, I thought I had everything to in front of me). I was genuinely appalled at one point, as we exchanged stories and commiserated with each other over our situations, when she in her grandmotherly fashion tried to convince me that I would be "healthier" eating cat food (like her) rather than trying to get all my substance from peanut butter and bread. I couldn't quite go there, but the impression was made. I decided that I didn't trust big business to take care of me, and that I would take responsibility for my own future and myself.
Return to the early '80s, and here I was off to a terrifying start as a 'wet-behind-the-ears' contract software engineer... and two years later, thanks to the fine backroom, midnight effort by the sleazy executives of Arthur Andersen (the very same folks who later brought us Enron and other such calamities) and an equally sleazy New York Senator (Patrick Moynihan), we saw the passage of 1986 tax reform act with its section 1706.
For you who are unfamiliar, here is the core text of the IRS Section 1706, defining the treatment of workers (such as contract engineers) for tax purposes. Visit this link for a conference committee report (http://www.synergistech.com/1706.shtml#ConferenceCommitteeReport) regarding the intended interpretation of Section 1706 and the relevant parts of Section 530, as amended. For information on how these laws affect technical services workers and their clients, read our discussion here (http://www.synergistech.com/ic-taxlaw.shtml).
SEC. 1706. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.
(a) IN GENERAL - Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
(d) EXCEPTION. - This section shall not apply in the case of an individual who pursuant to an arrangement between the taxpayer and another person, provides services for such other person as an engineer, designer, drafter, computer programmer, systems analyst, or other similarly skilled worker engaged in a similar line of work.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE. - The amendment made by this section shall apply to remuneration paid and services rendered after December 31, 1986.
Note:
• "another person" is the client in the traditional job-shop relationship.
1. "taxpayer" is the recruiter, broker, agency, or job shop.
2. "individual", "employee", or "worker" is you.
Admittedly, you need to read the treatment to understand what it is saying but it's not very complicated. The bottom line is that they may as well have put my name right in the text of section (d). Moreover, they could only have been more blunt if they would have came out and directly declared me a criminal and non-citizen slave. Twenty years later, I still can't believe my eyes.
During 1987, I spent close to $5000 of my 'pocket change', and at least 1000 hours of my time writing, printing, and mailing to any senator, congressman, governor, or slug that might listen; none did, and they universally treated me as if I was wasting their time. I spent countless hours on the L.A. freeways driving to meetings and any and all of the disorganized professional groups who were attempting to mount a campaign against this atrocity. This, only to discover that our efforts were being easily derailed by a few moles from the brokers who were just beginning to enjoy the windfall from the new declaration of their "freedom". Oh, and don't forget, for all of the time I was spending on this, I was loosing income that I couldn't bill clients.
After months of struggling it had clearly gotten to be a futile exercise. The best we could get for all of our trouble is a pronouncement from an IRS mouthpiece that they weren't going to enforce that provision (read harass engineers and scientists). This immediately proved to be a lie, and the mere existence of the regulation began to have its impact on my bottom line; this, of course, was the intended effect.
Again, rewind my retirement plans back to 0 and shift them into idle. If I had any sense, I clearly should have left abandoned engineering and never looked back.
Instead I got busy working 100-hour workweeks. Then came the L.A. depression of the early 1990s. Our leaders decided that they didn't need the all of those extra Air Force bases they had in Southern California, so they were closed; just like that. The result was economic devastation in the region that rivaled the widely publicized Texas S&L fiasco. However, because the government caused it, no one gave a shit about all of the young families who lost their homes or street after street of boarded up houses abandoned to the wealthy loan companies who received government funds to "shore up" their windfall. Again, I lost my retirement.
Years later, after weathering a divorce and the constant struggle trying to build some momentum with my business, I find myself once again beginning to finally pick up some speed. Then came the .COM bust and the 911 nightmare. Our leaders decided that all aircraft were grounded for what seemed like an eternity; and long after that, 'special' facilities like San Francisco were on security alert for months. This made access to my customers prohibitively expensive. Ironically, after what they had done the Government came to the aid of the airlines with billions of our tax dollars … as usual they left me to rot and die while they bailed out their rich, incompetent cronies WITH MY MONEY! After these events, there went my business but not quite yet all of my retirement and savings.
By this time, I'm thinking that it might be good for a change. Bye to California, I'll try Austin for a while. So I moved, only to find out that this is a place with a highly inflated sense of self-importance and where damn little real engineering work is done. I've never experienced such a hard time finding work. The rates are 1/3 of what I was earning before the crash, because pay rates here are fixed by the three or four large companies in the area who are in collusion to drive down prices and wages… and this happens because the justice department is all on the take and doesn't give a fuck about serving anyone or anything but themselves and their rich buddies.
To survive, I was forced to cannibalize my savings and retirement, the last of which was a small IRA. This came in a year with mammoth expenses and not a single dollar of income. I filed no return that year thinking that because I didn't have any income there was no need. The sleazy government decided that they disagreed. But they didn't notify me in time for me to launch a legal objection so when I attempted to get a protest filed with the court I was told I was no longer entitled to due process because the time to file ran out. Bend over for another $10,000 helping of justice.
So now we come to the present. After my experience with the CPA world, following the business crash I swore that I'd never enter another accountant's office again. But here I am with a new marriage and a boatload of undocumented income, not to mention an expensive new business asset, a piano, which I had no idea how to handle. After considerable thought I decided that it would be irresponsible NOT to get professional help; a very big mistake.
When we received the forms back I was very optimistic that they were in order. I had taken all of the years information to Bill Ross, and he came back with results very similar to what I was expecting. Except that he had neglected to include the contents of Sheryl's unreported income; $12,700 worth of it. To make matters worse, Ross knew all along this was missing and I didn't have a clue until he pointed it out in the middle of the audit. By that time it had become brutally evident that he was representing himself and not me.
This left me stuck in the middle of this disaster trying to defend transactions that have no relationship to anything tax-related (at least the tax-related transactions were poorly documented). Things I never knew anything about and things my wife had no clue would ever matter to anyone. The end result is… well, just look around.
I remember reading about the stock market crash before the "great" depression and how there were wealthy bankers and businessmen jumping out of windows when they realized they screwed up and lost everything. Isn't it ironic how far we've come in 60 years in this country that they now know how to fix that little economic problem; they just steal from the middle class (who doesn't have any say in it, elections are a joke) to cover their asses and it's "business-as-usual". Now when the wealthy fuck up, the poor get to die for the mistakes… isn't that a clever, tidy solution.
As government agencies go, the FAA is often justifiably referred to as a tombstone agency, though they are hardly alone. The recent presidential puppet GW Bush and his cronies in their eight years certainly reinforced for all of us that this criticism rings equally true for all of the government. Nothing changes unless there is a body count (unless it is in the interest of the wealthy sows at the government trough). In a government full of hypocrites from top to bottom, life is as cheap as their lies and their self-serving laws.
I know I'm hardly the first one to decide I have had all I can stand. It has always been a myth that people have stopped dying for their freedom in this country, and it isn't limited to the blacks, and poor immigrants. I know there have been countless before me and there are sure to be as many after. But I also know that by not adding my body to the count, I insure nothing will change. I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at "big brother" while he strips my carcass, I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won't continue; I have just had enough.
I can only hope that the numbers quickly get too big to be white washed and ignored that the American zombies wake up and revolt; it will take nothing less. I would only hope that by striking a nerve that stimulates the inevitable double standard, knee-jerk government reaction that results in more stupid draconian restrictions people wake up and begin to see the pompous political thugs and their mindless minions for what they are. Sadly, though I spent my entire life trying to believe it wasn't so, but violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer. The cruel joke is that the really big chunks of shit at the top have known this all along and have been laughing, at and using this awareness against, fools like me all along.
I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.
The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed.
Joe Stack (1956-2010)
02/18/2010
I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity. Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let's try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Max Baucus Drunk on Senate Floor
http://www.bravenewcommie.com/
The bum who wants to control our lives, with his Baucuscare.
This fraud thinks he's better than you.
Could you respect a "man?" like this?
The bum who wants to control our lives, with his Baucuscare.
This fraud thinks he's better than you.
Could you respect a "man?" like this?
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