Many folks who follow the Monroe Blogosphere are familiar with JL’s liberal blog, Laissez-faire. He left an interesting comment this morning, and although we differ ideologically, his thoughts are always well thought out. They just come with a different slant or perspective than my own. Unlike many, he does not get involved with the sniping, but simply states his points and moves to the next subject. Something in which I can respect, so this morning I will counterpoint, his points and move on.
“and the most relevant slogans:
“Audit the FED” and “Inflation is a tax”
obama gave us a measly tax cut just like bush…but it’s all a farce. and the only way to make the connection between massive government spending and taxation is to understand how inflation (expanding the money supply) is a tax. otherwise the people at the tea parties just look like a bunch of republicans who are angry that a democrat won the election, because they sure were quiet for the last 8 years of enormous deficit spending and government expansion. though i know there will be a lot of consistent anti-tax libertarians/conservatives out there.”
I think one slogan that also fits these times involves several that have been held up by children during these events, “Quit stealing my future.” For its not just those in the present who will be paying for these new spend and tax measures, but generations to come. Its a different philosophy than the democrats of had in the past where it used to be tax and spend. The government is spending before the taxes are even collected this go around.
Definitely audit the FED, for it truly has grown into what Nugent calls, “Fedzilla”, perpetuating the Nanny State. Its one of the reasons I applaud Rick Perry, the governor of Texas. They have introduced legislation in TX, reaffirming their State’s rights under the 10th Amendment. Basically put, if its not mentioned in the Constitution, the federal government cannot do it.
Inflation as a tax, absolutely right JL. Bush with the TARP bailouts, and the same philosophy followed and increased under Obama. In the first 90 days, Obama will have spent more money than every president from Washington to Bush II. The Chinese haven’t bought the debt yet, so they are printing more money as speak, or type.
The difference between the Bush tax cuts set to expire next year, and the President’s is pretty easy to follow. On one hand they both gave us a few dollars back for the wallet to get slightly fatter, but Obama has devised the means to get that back, and in fact lots more heading back to DC in forms of backdoor taxes. Cap and trade, 200% increase in loose tobacco tax, federal fuel tax, proposed ammo tax, carbon tax(similar to C&T)….
People have to remember this philosophy expressed by the WH Chief of Staff, never let a good crisis go to waste. While the factors that caused this train wreck, the housing market and higher fuel cost, goes ignored, the President is sliding in every left wing agenda legislation that he can. This morning they are announcing that the foreclosures on homes is starting in full force, and what happend to the campaign promise of exploring every fuel source available here at home? Not only does solar not work, nor ethanol and wind, but the long term costs are greater than what people spend already on energy.
Its true republicans are angry, and again you are right about the last 8 years of spending done by Washington, but again, its nothing compared to the last 90 days. Its more likely folks in the party are upset that Pelosi has the “Shut up, we won philosophy” when it comes to open debate and allowing amendments. I know, its happend before under republican rule in the house and senate, but never to this extreme. And, it doesn’t come close to the CHANGE that was spouted and promised by Obama.
These events, no matter the perception portrayed by the media, are simply not republican events. Skip the fact that Fox will be at several today, they are simply the only media organization bothering to report on this truly grass roots movement. Regular folks started this phenomina, people tired of being taxed for an agenda, any agenda.
Look at the success of Ron Paul, also from Texas, during the last election. Despite coming off as a loon at times in his presentation, the man had some really good ideas. His message just got lost in his presentation, but it was a true grass roots movement. I am not entirely sure what label has been given him by others, but if its a word, I would call him a Constitutionalist. He knows the words that he took an oath to defend. That more than anything, perhaps even the taxes, that will draw people from sides together to have their voices heard today.
I am glad you wrote today JL, thanks.
Thanks for the kind words. I find little disagreement with your response. I see the debate over direct taxation (as justified as it is) as a distraction to a more important and underlying debate. The means by which the government extracts wealth from us is not nearly as important as the way, and in what magnitude, it is allocated.
I firmly believe that individuals are far more able to efficiently allocate scarce resources than government. Any and all attempts by the government to stand in the way of voluntary transactions between individuals — through government spending, regulation, or currency manipulation — distorts the market resulting in misallocation of resources (ex. excessive home building). Money and resources are diverted from useful and productive sectors of the economy into wasteful ones. Central planners (government) no matter how smart or savvy, are incapable of determining the proper allocation of these resources. Only individuals, through mutually beneficial transactions, guided by market based prices, are able to properly and justly determine what is useful and what is not.
This issue will not be sufficiently addressed until the issue of our money and the people who control it (federal reserve) are confronted, and we return to a sound market based currency. Only then will their be a restriction on the ability of the government to confiscate and squander the hard earned wealth of individuals.
As for Ron Paul: Tthey called him a loon because he predicted, long before the vast majority of others in Washington, that we were headed for a crash of the housing market to be followed by a recession. They called him a loon because he called for sound money that cannot be inflated at the will of government. They called him a loon because he predicted, before the Iraq war had even started, that it would be a quagmire costing much more (in resources and lives) and lasting much longer than initially anticipated. They called him a loon for wanting to abolish the IRS, the department of education, and other bloated, inefficient government departments. They called him a loon because he believes that the market, through countless voluntary transactions is a vastly more efficient and just means of allocating resources than government central planning. The debate over his lunacy has ended. He was right, they were wrong.
Ron Paul introduced legislation aimed at shedding some light on the unaccountable actions of the Fed: HR 1207 Federal Reserve Transparency Act. Whether or not it would have significant impact or not, i don’t know, but the fact that so many congresspeople — democrats and republicans — have refused to support it, is pretty astounding to me.
Some serious changes need to be made, and fiddling with the tax code isn’t going to do it.
Gotcha, responded to your response, of the reponse you made earlier over on your blog. Again, I think we have had a healthy debate over the issues that are the root of the problem in DC. I believe the issue we might have vs each other is not the message, but the importance of a starting point. The folks attending these parties today are just the begining in what I feel could be shift in how people look at politics and how the government is run. It has to start somewhere, why not here in Monroe and cities and towns across the country?
i hope so. i fear the damage that has already been done. we’ll see how it pans out in the next few years.