Citizen Tom

From On High defines the problem of BIG GOVERNMENT.

For Your Morning Contemplation

Perhaps the story will be different tomorrow, but in so far as I know, the debate continues.

It’s deja vu all over again. For the second year in a row, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors is having a hard time agreeing on a preliminary tax rate. On Tuesday, supervisors tried several times to come up with a maximum real estate tax rate but none of the proposals could get enough votes to pass.

The board was supposed to vote Tuesday to advertise a public hearing for the tax rate. The advertisement must include the maximum real estate tax rate that the supervisors will consider. The board can then adopt a lower tax rate than what they advertised, but they can’t adopt a rate that is higher.  (from here)

What is the problem?  The problem is people.  Some see only government’s potential usefulness; they disregard government’s known liabilities.   Some people would have us believe the existence of other approaches besides government has no relevance to government’s potential usefulness.  In fact, some would prefer we disregard any other approach except government.

Consider the definition of patriotism:  devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.  Some would have us define patriotism as merely paying taxes.  Yet if patriotism were just paying taxes, patriotism would be an easy thing, but it is not.  We respect patriots because they are willing to give their best, their blood, sweat, and tears, to protect us.

When does government earn the devoted loyalty of patriots?  That happens when people feel their government is loyal to them.  That happens when people believe government exists to protect them, their families, and their neighbors instead of robbing them. That happens when the politically connected do not use government to pick the pockets of their neighbors and to force their beliefs on other people’s children.

We are loyal to our government — we are patriots — because we believe our government protects our freedom.  What is freedom?  Freedom is in the “other approaches” that some would have us disregard.  Freedom is when we can make our own choices amongst those “other approaches.”  The bigger government’s “potential usefulness” is seen to be, the fewer will be the “other approaches.”  The less freedom we will have.  Then instead of being patriots, we will be slaves to the state.

We must remember what John F. Kennedy said at his inaugural address.

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility – I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own. (from here)

We have freedom because patriots make personal sacrifices we have no right to demand of them.  Just you cannot make a man free by enslaving him, you cannot make him free by taxing him.  We each can only make ourselves free by giving everything we have to God, not government.

We are in a recession.  Tax revenues are declining.  What caused the recession?  The most likely answer is both too much government spending and too much government interference in the economy.   Nonetheless, only our local government has any intention of reducing spending.

Prince William supervisors are scheduled to set the fiscal year 2010 budget tax rate for advertisement this Tuesday, and the latest figure is a bit higher than what was originally discussed.

For weeks, it seemed supervisors were set on a $1.198 rate. But they’re now on track to advertise a $1.212 rate, which “will give them a little more flexibility,” said Susan Roltsch, assistant county executive, during a Friday morning press briefing.

In e-mails received by the News & Messenger, Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at-large, and Supervisor John Jenkins, D-Neabsco, said they favored rates of $1.198 and $1.295, respectively.

“This tax rate of $1.198 will support the county executive’s proposed budget, which reduces govern-ment spending by $56 million,” Stewart stated in his e-mail. “The county executive’s budget is responsible and sustainable. By focusing our resources, it allows us to protect vital county services while providing tax relief.” (from here)

Would you like to see the lower figure?  Corey Stewart needs your support.  Here is an email he is distributing.

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will vote this Tuesday March 3 on advertising a property tax rate.   I am proposing a rate that will reduce tax bills for homeowners by an average of $548.00 (a 16 % reduction).   I want to thank Supervisors Maureen Caddigan (Dumfries), Wally Covington (Brentsville) and John Stirrup (Gainesville) for joining me in supporting this tax relief.

This tax rate of $1.198 will support the County Executive’s proposed budget, which reduces government spending by $56 million compared to last fiscal year without cutting any of our uniformed police or fire and rescue personnel.  The County Executive’s budget is responsible and sustainable.  By focusing our resources, it allows us to protect vital county services while providing tax relief to you during these uncertain times.

To pass this tax reduction, we need at least five supervisors to vote this Tuesday in support of the $1.198 tax rate.  Please email the Board at BOCS@pwcgov.org urging the whole Board to join Supervisors Stirrup, Covington, Caddigan and myself in supporting this rate and ensuring tax relief for you.

Please be sure to tune into Comcast Channel 23 or Verizon FIOS Channel 37 to see how your supervisor votes.

Corey A. Stewart

Chairman

Prince William Board of County Supervisors

1 County Complex Court

Prince William, VA 22192

(703) 792-4640 – Telephone/(703) 792-4637 – Fax

cstewart@pwcgov.org

www.pwcgov.org

Do you want to see an economic recovery?  Then I suggest the lowest possible tax rate.  To illustrate the point, let’s compare the relationship between People and government with two different types of biological relationships,  symbiosis and parasitism.   When two organisms mutually gain from their relationship, we have symbiosis.  When one organism gains at the expense of the other, we have parasitism.

Throughout much of history, government has had an almost parasitic relationship with the People.  This is comparable to when a ruthless warlord rules.  The leader, his family, and his cronies take what they want, and they call this taxes.  They leave the People, their people, just enough so that they do not starve can produce more taxes.

The exception is a government that protects the People and seeks to maintain order.    This creates a symbiosis between government and the People.   Such a government minimizes taxes and encourages growth, stability, and mutual loyalty between the People and those who lead them.  Here the leadership forms a covenant with the People.   In return for the loyalty of the People, the leaders voluntarily limit their powers to those needful for good government.  Within the United States, we call this covenant our Constitution.

Unfortunately, those individuals seeking leadership tend to be overly ambitious.  So government leaders almost always want more money, but there is a limit to everything.   When tax revenues rise above a certain point, taxes must inevitably stifle economic growth.   Money that should have been reinvested in the economy is instead diverted to the pet projects of politicians.   When that happens, government must reduce its spending and taxes to revive the economy.

Other Views

Anti-BVBL has published the same memo, and the usual string of comments (here).

The Cartoons

As one of his constituents, here is a legislative update I just received from Del. Bob Marshall.

Monday, February 2;  vote on Roads at no cost to taxpayers

Virginia can get “free” road money under HB 1642 (Del. Bob Marshall) which allows Virginia to name a highway, bridge, or interchange for a living person, group, or business if the cost of construction is paid by the person, group, or business as is done for buildings on a college campus and professional sports stadiums and arenas.   HB 1642 is at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+HB1642.

The bill is before the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Monday, February 2.  Please urge these members to support HB 1642.

Del. Joe May (Loudoun)  804-698-1033 DelJMay@house.virginia.gov Del. Beverly Sherwood (Winchester) 804-698-1029 DelBSherwood@house.virginia.gov Del. John O’Bannon (Henrico) 804-698-1073 DelJOBannon@house.virginia.gov Del. Scott Lingamfelter (Prince William) 804-698-1031 DelSLingamfelter@house.virginia.gov

Del. Jim Scott (Fairfax)  804-698-1053 DelJScott@house.virginia.gov Del. Algie Howell (Norfolk) 804-698-1090 DelAHowell@house.virginia.gov Del. Dan Bowling (Richlands)  804-698-1003 DelDBowling@house.virginia.gov

Tuesday, February 3:  vote on Credit Crisis & Financial Risk bill A major reason for the nationwide economic crisis has been the use of Credit Default Swaps [CDS] by large banks, businesses and investment funds to cover shortfalls in mortgage and bond payments.  CDS’s are a form of unregulated financial insurance in which no reserves, no public disclosure and no government regulations of any kind are required to back up insurance policies on multi-billion dollar investments.

HB 2320 (Bob Marshall) requires that any Virginia business which provides financial guarantee insurance against losses on bonds, insurance policies, or mortgages must be regulated by the VA Bureau of Insurance.  HB 2320 is based upon New York’s financial guaranty insurance article as outlined in a September 2008 circular released by the New York Insurance Department.

HB 2320 requires that financial guarantee insurers must disclose all risks, hold capital and sufficient reserves against insured risks, be subject to underwriting restrictions that ensure diverse investments, and prohibit acceleration events, downgrade triggers or collateral calls which led to the downfalls of Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, AIG, Countrywide Mortgages, etc..

HB 2320 is before the House Labor and Commerce Committee which will hear a report of a subcommittee which failed to report HB 2320.  HB 2320 can be found at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+HB2320.   HB 2320 was rejected in subcommittee, in part, because members are hoping Congress will act.  If Congress does not act, Virginians (including our state and local governments) who purchase a CDS for their investments are at high risk of financial loss,  Waiting for Congress to act when it has gone in the opposite direction for more than 30 years is, in fact, another gamble.

Congress authorized this legal form of high finance gambling in December, 2000 in a little read 11,500 page Appropriations bill for the US Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services!

Former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan who pushed CDR’s now acknowledges the problems.

America’s financial system is a risk with CDS because there is no overall management of risk, there are NO standards for the financial solvency of seller and buyer, no rules on how many additional parties the original CDS can be assigned to or sold to.  Buyers cannot know how much risk the seller has or how much he has in capital or liquid assets.

Members of the House Labor and Commerce Committee are listed below.  Please urge them to support HB 2320.

Del. Lee Ware  (Powhatan) 804-698-1065;  DelLWare@house.virginia.gov Del. Frank Hargrove (Hanover) 804-698-1055;  DelFHargrove@house.virginia.gov Del. Chris Saxman (Staunton) 804-698-1020;  DelCSaxman@house.virginia.gov Del. Sam Nixon (Richmond) 804-698-1027; DelSNixon@house.virginia.gov Del. Harvey Morgan  (Glouster)  804-698-1098;  DelHMorgan@house.virginia.gov Del. Bill Janis  (Glen Allen) 804 698-1056; DelBJanis@house.virginia.gov Del. Kenny Melvin (Portsmouth) 804-698-1080;  DelKMelvin@house.virginia.gov Del. Mark Sickles; (Fairfax)  804-698-1043;  DelMSickles@house.virginia.gov Del. Jeion Ward (Hampton)  804-698-1092; DelJWard@house.virginia.gov Del. Johnny Joannou (Portsmouth) 804-698-1079; Del. Terry Kilgore (Gate City) 804-698-1001; DelTKilgore@house.virginia.gov Del. Bob Purkey VA Beach (804) 698-1082 DelBPurkey@house.virginia.gov Del. Kathy Byron Lynchburg  (804) 698-1022 DelKByron@house.virginia.gov Del. Tim Hugo (Fairfax)  (804) 698-1040 DelTHugo@house.virginia.gov Del. Tom Rust  (Fairfax)  (804) 698-1086 DelTRust@house.virginia.gov Del.  Daniel Marshall (Danville) (804) 698-1014  DelDMarshall@house.virginia.gov Del.  Ben Cline  (Amherst)  (804) 698-1024 DelBCline@house.virginia.gov Del.  Ken Plum (Fairfax)  (804) 698-1036 DelKPlum@house.virginia.gov Del.  Joe Johnson (Abingdon)  (804) 698-1004 DelJJohnson@house.virginia.gov Del.  Ken Alexander (Norfolk)  (804) 698-1089  DelKAlexander@house.virginia.gov Del.  Jennifer McClellan (Richmond) 804-698-1071 DelJMcClellan@house.virginia.gov Del.  Lynwood Lewis, Jr. (Accomac) 804-698-1000 DelLLewis@house.virginia.gov

Marshall’s effectiveness as a legislator depends on us.  If you want Marshall to succeed, then please contact your legislators.  Good government depends on good citizens.  Without our support, good government does not happen.

The Cartoons

Cartoon from here.

Cartoon from here.

Cartoon from here.

Cartoon from here.

Taxes cannot be avoided.  Every time we buy something, we pay a portion of the purchase price in taxes.  Attend a park, and there is an entrance fee.  If you own a house, you will pay a property tax.  Even before you get your paycheck, your government has already taken its cut.

By what right does government tax us?  Until government clearly abuses this right, we rarely give government’s right to tax us much thought.   Yet it is becoming more and more likely that we can expect government to abuse its right to tax us.  In the last election, most voted for a president and a political party that favors more taxes and an expansion of government power.  Whenever government expands its powers, its increases in powers must inevitably come at the expense of individual rights.

The most sacred right is the right to life.  History shows that it is all too common for government to threaten this right.  In the past, governments killed in warfare and in the brutal suppression of enemies of the sovereign.  In the 20th Century, totalitarian regimes systematically murdered millions in concentration camps.  Yet worst is perhaps being done and contemplated even as you read.

Using the absurd pretension that abortion is medicinal and that euthanasia is the kindness that ends all pain, various groups would have government pay for these “services” on the behalf of taxpayers.  In fact, government already pays for abortion “services”.  That includes the Commonwealth of Virginia. Does that fact offend you?  Then read on.

As we prepare for another General Assembly session, we know the opposition we will face — and we know that the most well funded and organized opposition will be that of Planned Parenthood.

This national political behemoth had an income in Fiscal Year 2006 of more than $1 billion. Incredibly, nearly one-third of that income comes from the taxpayers of America. In its last annual report Planned Parenthood reported over $330 million in government — taxpayer — grants.

What is this money being used for?

While Planned Parenthood would like us to believe that its all for health care, nothing could be further from the truth.

Planned Parenthood is the largest private provider of abortion in the United States, performing more than one quarter of all abortions. As the national abortion rate has gradually declined in recent years, Planned Parenthood’s abortion number continues to grow by double digits. Nearly $100 million of their income is from abortion. But by counting other services that are done along with an abortion, such as a pregnancy test and contraception, as separate services, Planned Parenthood is able to downplay the fact that abortion is its number one medical service, and their number one goal.

(Continued here)

When is taxation robbery?  Government robs us when it does not use our money to protect the rights of the People.  How can babies threaten the rights of anyone?  Does the People need to be protected from those who are sick and ill?  Then why does our government need to pay for the extermination of the unborn and the very ill?