Town Hall Meeting

Author Tony De Maio

Unfortunately, the following did not happen. Perhaps someday it will.

The scene is a high school basketball gymnasium. An elected official has just taken the microphone and tells the audience that he is there to hear their concerns, that he is sympathetic to their needs and wants to know what they are so that he can help. An old man raises his hand and asks, “May I speak?” The representative says, “Of course. What can I do for you?”

The old man speaks a bit haltingly. He says,

“Sir, I’m an old man. I have seen a lot. I have seen our governments grow at the local, state, and federal level to where at this time, about half our population receives some sort of government check. They live at the expense of their neighbors; moreover they believe they are entitled to do so. Today the various governments take over half our wages in taxes of one kind or another.

“I would not mind it if thought the money was being spent wisely. I look at the federal/state pay scales and observe that the average government employee makes far more than the average citizen—and has a Cadillac retirement, benefit, and leave plan. I note that our elected officials have a Rolls Royce retirement, benefit, and leave plan, and are paid quite handsomely. I note the lavish and ornate state and federal office buildings.

“In the past, I saw laws enacted such as the ‘National Defense Education Act’, or the ‘Federal Highways Act’ or the “Civil Rights Act”—significant laws that addressed the country’s problems. Today I see laws being enacted that tell me I have to wear a helmet if I ride a motorcycle and must wear a seat belt when driving an automobile. Laws are passed that tell me how to talk on the telephone when in a vehicle and require I have ‘exhaust emission controls’ on my lawnmower.

“My government busies itself enacting laws telling me I cannot smoke in an open park, what kind of light bulb I must use, and how much water my toilet can use to flush. It tells me when I can barbeque and when I can have a fire in my fireplace. It tells me what days I can water my lawn. It passes a law that requires a “be safe” sticker on my hunting rifle—in my line of sight. It mandates that if I drink a beer while rafting down the river, I am breaking the law.

“It tells restaurants they cannot allow smoking (although there is no evidence that second hand smoke is harmful—and considerable evidence it is not), how much they must pay their help, who they must hire, how large their restrooms must be, and what kind of oil they must use to cook.

“The government tells me where my child must sit in my car, what kind of seat belt he must wear, dictates that he must wear a helmet when he rides a bicycle, and even passes laws prohibiting me from spanking my own child. The government spends money on dog parks and dog whistles to catch citizens without dog licenses. Meanwhile the levees break, our borders are sieves, the budget is broken, the infrastructure is crumbling, the economy is slowing, the government cannot respond to emergencies, there is traffic gridlock, our schools are failing, crime is rampart, jobs are leaving the country, and prisoners are released for lack of jail space.

“Yes, I used to see real legislation coming from our government—now it appears that our government officials spend their time on trivial topics, chasing pages and interns, finding ways to use their position for personal financial gain, gerrymandering their districts to ensure their re-election; taking exotic ‘fact finding’ trips, political maneuvering, thinking up new taxes, ‘earmarks’, digging up dirt on their political opponents, ‘leaking’ information, spewing hatred, and trying to find ways to circumvent term limits—including showing their contempt for the electorate by using the citizens’ tax money to take them to court.

“I can appreciate all the good the government has done for us, but I do resent that the various governments now take well over half my income, so that I cannot retire and must continue working. During my middle age, my wife had to go to work to earn enough money to send our children to college because the taxes and tuition were unexpectedly high—much higher than for which we had planned and saved. They have soared even higher since. I cannot help but remember that government used to do so much more good with so much less money.

“Sir, are you aware that well over half the taxes we pay today did not exist 30 years ago. Do you realize the number of taxes there are on just a telephone bill? (Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Federal Net access charges, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Internet Tax, Hearing Devices for the Deaf Tax, 911 Tax, long distance tax, sales tax.). By what right do you inflict such taxes on the population?

“By what right do you demand a homeowner get a ‘permit’ (pay a tax) to drill a well on his own property? Or tax the inventory of a business; then tax the income from the sale of those same products? Or tax the accounts receivable with an accounts receivable tax, and then tax that same money as income when it is received? Or tax a man’s earnings, and then tax them again at his death? You demand I get a ‘license’ (permit, tax) to keep a dog; will you at some time in the future demand that I get a license to keep a goldfish?

“My governments are enslaving me economically through taxation. They take over half my money, and use it to buy votes by distributing it to their supporters. They pass laws to favor their cohorts with a political, economic, or social axe to grind. In passing additional laws, they limit and curtail freedom and liberty for the rest of us. Since they cannot take money away from their supporters and must garner new ones, every year they raise (or create more) taxes and enact additional laws. When will it stop? Will it EVER stop?

“The governments take my money for my retirement, ‘borrow the money’, spend it on a ‘War on Poverty’ then charge me higher taxes for my retirement. They then have the temerity to tax the pittance they return to me (less than ten cents on the dollar) after having made a sacred promise that that money would NEVER be taxed. They tax my gasoline to build roads, ‘borrow’ the money then charge me higher taxes to build roads. They promise that if I will allow an increase in taxes, higher education will be forever tuition free—then renege and charge my children tuition after the tax increase is granted. I don’t know what you call such behavior, but where I come from, we call it fraud. There is an old saying, “You fool me once, shame on you; you fool me twice, shame on ME.” I know of no saying that addresses the repeated, constant, and recurring breaches of trust our governments have inflicted upon us. Perhaps ‘Repetitive Betrayal’ and/or ‘recurring treachery’ appropriately describes the situation

“Sir, you ask what you can do for me. I’ll tell you now, and I’ll say it loud and clear. Reduce my taxes, get your hand out of my pocket, repeal those nonsense laws, and leave me alone. Give me back the personal and economic freedom my father enjoyed. Keep your word. Keep your promises—perhaps even keep your campaign promises. Legislate for the country—not for yourself, your party, and your cohorts.

“I know your authority is limited, so let me simply ask some questions: “What is YOUR view on those laws that limit my freedom (e.g. smoking in an open park); what was your participation in passing such laws, and what have you done to repeal them? Do you think our level of taxation (over 50%) is appropriate—if not, what do YOU plan to do about it?”

“Lest you think I’m just a crazy old man, I suggest you look at your approval ratings in the polls. I believe this country is headed for a revolution. If so, I sincerely hope it will be a peaceful one.”

Related posts:

1. GET BUSINESS OUT OF POLITICS!!
2. One Good Fee Deserves Another!
3. Clean Water for Bitter Pills
4. To Tell The Truth
5. State of Disunion Address 2010 Part 2

This entry was posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 8:46 am and is filed under Authors, Economics, Entertainment, Opinion, Politics, Tony Demaio. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.