His Final Column

 

COMPLETELY NEUTRAL

Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...

He has been a journalist for 49 years.

He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

 

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican nor democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day.

 

It's a relatively short, but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

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545 vs. 300,000,000 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 now? He is the leader of the majority party. He 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 cannot 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 and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ... 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! [Especially now that we've learned about the pharmacy in D.C. that has been delivering Alzheimer medication to some in Congress!]

 

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 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 to tax his ass.

Tax all he has, then let him know that you won't be done till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers; then tax him some more, tax him till he's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,

Tax his grave,

Tax the sod into which he's laid...

Put these words upon his tomb,

"Taxes drove me to my doom..."
When he's gone, do not relax,

it’s time to apply, the Inheritance tax.

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 Tax

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Sales Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring 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, & 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, if agreed, stayed home to raise the kids.

 

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

Growing Up During Yesteryear

In my childhood experience my next door neighbor kids were African American, Hispanic, Latino, and I didn't even realize it until I'd grown up and left town. Here's a great piece from someone who lived during the era of America I did as a kid.

Black and White

(Under the age of 45? You won't understand.)

You could hardly see for all the snow,

Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go.

"Good Night, David.

"Good Night, Chet.

[This was what we heard at the close of the day's news on the television set.]

Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and spread mayo on the same cutting board with the same knife and no bleach, but we didn't seem to get food poisoning.

My mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter before frying it up in the skillet for dinner and our sandwiches for school lunches were wrapped in wax paper and kept in a brown paper bag until lunch time, but I can't recall anyone getting E.coli.

Almost all of us would have rather gone swimming in the lake or river instead of a pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach closures or "Keep out of the water!" signs were posted.

The term "cell phone" would have conjured up images of a phone that was used in a jail cell, and a pager was the school's P.A. system.

We all took gym, not P.E... and risked permanent injury by wearing a pair of high top Keds (only worn in gym) instead of having cross-training athletic shoes with air cushion soles. I can't recall any injuries, by they must have occurred because they tell kids nowadays how much safer they are now.

Flunking gym was not an option... even for stupid kids! I guess P.E. must be much harder today than gym.

Speaking of school, we all said prayers and sang the National Anthem (We said prayers partly because we were ducking and covering underneath our tables and desks during the Cold War.), and staying in detention after school resulted in all sorts of negative attention from both our classmates and parents.

We must have had horribly damaged psyches. What an archaic health system we had then. Remember our school nurses? Ours wore a white hat and all white dress.

All kids thought that we were supposed to accomplish something before I we were allowed to be proud of ourself back then.

I remember how the rule was we could stay out until dark before coming home. We play with the other kids in the neighborhood. We didn't have the Internet, computers, Play Station, Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable stations; just three. ABC, NBC, and CBS. PBS came in later when we were in high school.

We played 'King of the Hill' on piles of gravel in vacant lot construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom pulled out the 48 cent bottle of Merurochrome (kids like it better than iodine because it didn't sting) and then we got our butt spanked.

Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed by a 10-day dose of a $99 bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the attorney to sue the contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile of gravel where kids could play.

We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either; because if we did, we got out butt spanked there, and then got it spanked again when we got home after the neighor's parent called our house... on the party line.

To top it off, not a single person I knew had ever been told that they were from a dysfunctional family. How could we have possibly known that?

We were obviously so duped by so many societal ills, that we didn't even notice that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac or Opiates!

How did we ever survive?

It's Not About "Rights", It's About "Respect"

The issue of "kneeling during the Nathional Anthem" has developed to "critical mass" for the NFL to cause Commissioner Pete Goodell to send a letter to the teams around the country today. The viewing public has spoken and the NFL - today's 1% entertainers of the country - has been made to stand up and take notice that siding with their players; part-time, self-important social-justice warriors, was not a smart move.

Here's the link to what Goodell's letter says.

And here's what I don't understand about all of this:

From the NFL Players Rule Book:

The specific rule pertaining to the National Anthem is found on pages 62-63of the league rulebook:

“The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem.

During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench areas should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offense.”

I predict that once this issue is behind us it will essentially be forgotten, and fade quietly into oblivion, because the players' perceived social injustices will be discovered to be figments of their imagination and "group think". How these men, who make the salaries they do while playing the game they love, could believe that we still live in a country where a black man or woman can become a public figure of significant notoriety; such as POTUS, FLOTUS, or S.O.S. Rice, not to mention hundreds of NFL players, but that injustices still prevail against their race, is sheer delusional insanity and lacks any realization of gratitude for how far we've come since the Civil War.

But they're sure doing a good job of stirring the pot to make the Second Civil War break out!

What Have Establishment Repulicans Done For America?

Dear Republican Leaders,

I am now in my 60’s.

​

Recently I received a questionnaire and request for money from the Republican Party in the mail and strongly agree with every question, as I have since Obama was elected.

Unfortunately the one question that was missing is: What have the  Republicans done for the American people?

We gave you a majority in the House and Senate, and you never listened to us. Now you want our money, my money, more money. You should be more concerned about our votes, not our money.

You are the establishment which means all you want is to save your jobs and line your pockets.

Well guess what? It's not going to happen.

So far, TRUMP hasn't asked for a dime.

You might think we are fools because you feel Trump is on a self-destruct course, but look beyond Washington and listen to the masses. Nobody has achieved what he has, especially in the state of New York.

  

Here's why I want Trump. 

Yes, he's a bit of an ass; yes, he's an  egomaniac; but I don't care.

The country is a mess because politicians suck.

The Republican Party is two-faced and gutless, and illegals are everywhere!

I want it all fixed, but you want to neuter him instead!

I don't care that Trump is crude.

I don't care that he insults people.

I don't care that he has changed positions.

I don't care that he's been married 3 times.

I don't care that he fights with Megan Kelly and Rosie O’Donnell.

I don't care that he doesn't know the name of some Muslim terrorist.

Our country has become weak, and bankrupt. Our enemies are making fun of us. We are being invaded by illegals. We are becoming a nation of victims where every Tom, Ricardo and Hassid is a special group with special rights to a point where we don't even recognize the country we were born and raised in, "AND I JUST WANT IT FIXED."

And Trump is the only guy who seems to understand what We The People want and need.

I'm sick of the dysfunctional politicians, sick of the Democratic Party, the  Republican Party, and sick of illegals. I just want this thing fixed.

Trump may not be a saint, but he doesn't have lobbyist money controlling him; he doesn't have political correctness restraining him; all you know is that he has been very successful; a good negotiator; he has built a lot of things; and, he's also not a politician.

And, he says he'll fix it. And, I believe him because he is too much of an egotist to be proven wrong or looked at and called a liar.

I don't care if the guy has bad hair.

That's not what's important! Fixing our problems are! 

So, support this guy for just six months and let's see what happens.

Interesting, but Pesky, Facts About Guns

If we understand the strategy behind why public education, controlled by the leftist dominated NEA, has gradually dumbed down the younger generations' curriculum it is to strip them of their ability to take facts and use critical thinking skills to reason independently of ideology, and instead, play on their emotions, rather than logic and truth. Instead, they're just good little parrots who recite the narrative.

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There are 30,000 gun related deaths per year by firearms, and this number is not disputed. The U.S. population is 324,059,091 as of June 22, 2016. Do the math: 0.000000925% of the population dies from gun related actions each year. Statistically speaking, this is insignificant! What is never told, however, is a breakdown of those 30,000 deaths, to put them in perspective as compared to other causes of death:

   • 65% of those deaths are by suicide, which would never be prevented by gun laws.

   • 15% are by law enforcement in the line of duty and justified.

   • 17% are through criminal activity, gang and drug related or mentally ill persons – better known as gun violence.

   • 3% are accidental discharge deaths.

So technically, "gun violence" is not 30,000 annually, but drops to 5,100. Still too many? Now lets look at how those deaths spanned across the nation.

   • 480 homicides (9.4%) were in Chicago

   • 344 homicides (6.7%) were in Baltimore

   • 333 homicides (6.5%) were in Detroit

   • 119 homicides (2.3%) were in Washington D.C. (a 54% increase over prior years)

So basically, 25% of all gun crime happens in just 4 cities. All 4 of those cities have strict gun laws, so it is not the lack of law that is the root cause.

This basically leaves 3,825 for the entire rest of the nation, or about 75 deaths per state. That is an average because some States have much higher rates than others. For example, California had 1,169 and Alabama had 1.

Now, who has the strictest gun laws by far? California, of course, but understand, it is not guns causing this. It is a crime rate spawned by the number of criminal persons residing in those cities and states. So if all cities and states are not created equal, then there must be something other than guns causing the gun deaths.

Are 5,100 deaths per year horrific? How about in comparison to other deaths? All death is sad and especially so when it is in the commission of a crime but that is the nature of crime. Robbery, death, rape, assault are all done by criminals. It is ludicrous to think that criminals will obey laws. That is why they are called criminals.

But what about other deaths each year?

   • 40,000+ die from a drug overdose–THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT!

   • 36,000 people die per year from the flu, far exceeding the criminal gun deaths.

   • 34,000 people die per year in traffic fatalities(exceeding gun deaths even if you include suicide).

Even more deaths:

   • 200,000+ people die each year (and growing) from preventable medical errors. You are safer walking in the worst areas of Chicago than you are      when you are in a hospital!

   • 710,000 people die per year from heart disease. It’s time to stop the double cheeseburgers! So what is the point? If the liberal loons and the anti-gun movement focused their attention on heart disease, even a 10% decrease in cardiac deaths would save twice the number of lives annually of all gun-related deaths (including suicide, law enforcement, etc.). A 10% reduction in medical errors would be 66% of the total number of gun deaths or 4 times the number of criminal homicides ................ Simple, easily preventable 10% reductions!

So you have to ask yourself, in the grand scheme of things, why the focus on guns? It's pretty simple: Taking away guns gives control to governments. The founders of this nation knew that regardless of the form of government, those in power may become corrupt and seek to rule as the British did by trying to disarm the populace of the colonies. It is not difficult to understand that a disarmed populace is a controlled populace.

Thus, the second amendment was proudly and boldly included in the U.S. Constitution; [only one amendment behind the first five rights endowed by our Creator]. It must be preserved at all costs. So the next time someone tries to tell you that gun control is about saving lives, look at these facts and remember these words from Noah Webster: "Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed."