Hypocrites Abound in Government
Once again Congress is the "Pot calling the Kettle Black". ScaredMonkeys blog makes some excellent points.....
by James Haas at TheFreedomFactory
Does anyone in government follow the laws that they pass? Or is it only the common man, who lacks access to power, that is expected to follow the rules? Numerous scandals over the past several months have surfaced, in which our elected officials have been tripped up for not obeying the laws that they are supposed to uphold and enforce. The worst part is that these same officials influence policy or create new laws that further impose government’s power over the people.
Although not elected officials, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and nominated Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Daschle were both tripped up in their confirmation hearings for not reporting income to the IRS. Geitner failed to pay $14,000 in taxes for work he performed for the IMF. Daschle received roughly $255,000 in income for a chauffeur service he received from 2005 through 2007. His excuse: “he told committee staff he had grown used to having a car and driver as majority leader and did not think to report the perk on his taxes, according to staff members.” I think that pretty much sums up the entitlement attitude that pervades among our elected officials.
In addition to Obama’s cabinet nominees, the following article from the Wall Street Journal provides a great summary of other elected officials that prefer the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ mentality: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122964897338520479.html
Recent scandals referenced in the article include:
Illinois Governor Rod Blagohevich (D): Impeached for conspiracy and soliciting bribes after attempting to auction off Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was also investigated for having placed a bid for the Senate seat.
New York Representative Charlie Rangel (D): Failed to report $75,000 in income on his ocean front villa in the Dominican Republic; violated tax laws by taking a ‘homestead’ tax break on several NY residences; approved a tax loophole that benefited companies that donated $1 million to the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service at The City College of New York; funneled $80,000 in campaign funds to an internet company run by his son to maintain a website. Rep. Rangel is Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Thus, using its namesake as a guide, the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service will apparently teach how to force others to pay taxes while using loopholes to skirt taxes.
Louisiana Representative William Jefferson (D): indicted on 16 charges of corruption for accepting between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes. $90,000 in cash was found by the FBI in his Washington D.C. residence. Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez (D): collected $420,000 in a series of suspicious real estate transactions.
Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd (D): refinanced to a ‘sweetheart’ mortgage under Countrywide’s VIP loan program; received $21,000 in campaign contributions from Countrywide and $70,000 from Bank of America. Dodd is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R): indicted and convicted for gifts he received- which included $250,000 in renovation on his Alaska home. Despite his conviction, he refused to give up his Senate seat. Fortunately he lost his elected position in the most recent election.
I can’t help but laugh when CEOs appear in front of Congress to receive verbal beatings from our elected officials. With the amount of kick-backs, campaign donations, and political favors that politicians receive, I don’t see where any politician can cast criticism from their ‘moral high ground’.
In my opinion, the middle class has been pushed to the margins because of these self-serving politicians. Those with money and access to power avoid taxes by exploiting loopholes and influencing politicians to pass beneficial laws. At the other end of the spectrum, the poor do not pay taxes but receive increasingly more entitlements by the benevolent government. (After all, it’s not the politician’s money they are spending.) Thus, a disproportionate tax burden falls on the ever shrinking middle class, who are moving towards the lower half of the spectrum.
Yet our politicians continue to pass laws, adding more complexity to an already complex system. The US tax code currently stands at roughly 67,000 pages. I wonder how many of those pages will apply to my return when I do my taxes later this month? To remove this complexity, Congress ought to repeal or simplify five laws for every new law that they pass. The best part is that this task would occupy them indefinitely, allowing the system to function without government’s ‘help’. After all, I don’t recall receiving more freedom with another law?
Is it also not Congress and the US Government who wastes more tax payer dollars than anyone? Maybe the Dems in Congress can mull over their wasteful spending ways while they are living La Vita Loca at Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, VA on the tax payers dime. Could these people be more out of touch? Who exactly do they think pays their salaries? Members of Congress were quick to shame Corporate executives for over-the-top extravagance during the economic crisis, flying private jets and taking luxury junkets. But some lawmakers are strolling fancy resorts spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars and mingling with lobbyists.Isn’t this the same thing that Democrats accused GWB of in applying fear tactics in order to go to war? Oh, that’s right, it is different and a change because it is coming from the Obamamessiah. Let’s get the facts straight folks, there is a reason why this STIMULUS PORK BARREL BOONDOGGLE has little support among the American people. It is also a fact that the only politicians who are preaching bi-partisanship are the Republicans. It was 11 Democrats in the House that voted against the Democratic stimulus bill and voted with Republicans. Who is being bi-partisan?
“We’re very mindful” of perceptions, House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson told reporters Thursday camped outside of the sprawling Kingsmill Resort & Spa in Williamsburg, Va., where House Democrats spent about $100,000 on their three-day annual retreat. “It’s serious and it’s from morning till night. We’ve been dwelling, rightfully, on the economy,” said Larson, D-Conn.
by James Haas at TheFreedomFactory
Does anyone in government follow the laws that they pass? Or is it only the common man, who lacks access to power, that is expected to follow the rules? Numerous scandals over the past several months have surfaced, in which our elected officials have been tripped up for not obeying the laws that they are supposed to uphold and enforce. The worst part is that these same officials influence policy or create new laws that further impose government’s power over the people.
Although not elected officials, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and nominated Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Daschle were both tripped up in their confirmation hearings for not reporting income to the IRS. Geitner failed to pay $14,000 in taxes for work he performed for the IMF. Daschle received roughly $255,000 in income for a chauffeur service he received from 2005 through 2007. His excuse: “he told committee staff he had grown used to having a car and driver as majority leader and did not think to report the perk on his taxes, according to staff members.” I think that pretty much sums up the entitlement attitude that pervades among our elected officials.
In addition to Obama’s cabinet nominees, the following article from the Wall Street Journal provides a great summary of other elected officials that prefer the ‘do as I say, not as I do’ mentality: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122964897338520479.html
Recent scandals referenced in the article include:
Illinois Governor Rod Blagohevich (D): Impeached for conspiracy and soliciting bribes after attempting to auction off Obama’s vacated Senate seat. Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was also investigated for having placed a bid for the Senate seat.
New York Representative Charlie Rangel (D): Failed to report $75,000 in income on his ocean front villa in the Dominican Republic; violated tax laws by taking a ‘homestead’ tax break on several NY residences; approved a tax loophole that benefited companies that donated $1 million to the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service at The City College of New York; funneled $80,000 in campaign funds to an internet company run by his son to maintain a website. Rep. Rangel is Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Thus, using its namesake as a guide, the Charles Rangel Center for Public Service will apparently teach how to force others to pay taxes while using loopholes to skirt taxes.
Louisiana Representative William Jefferson (D): indicted on 16 charges of corruption for accepting between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes. $90,000 in cash was found by the FBI in his Washington D.C. residence. Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez (D): collected $420,000 in a series of suspicious real estate transactions.
Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd (D): refinanced to a ‘sweetheart’ mortgage under Countrywide’s VIP loan program; received $21,000 in campaign contributions from Countrywide and $70,000 from Bank of America. Dodd is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens (R): indicted and convicted for gifts he received- which included $250,000 in renovation on his Alaska home. Despite his conviction, he refused to give up his Senate seat. Fortunately he lost his elected position in the most recent election.
I can’t help but laugh when CEOs appear in front of Congress to receive verbal beatings from our elected officials. With the amount of kick-backs, campaign donations, and political favors that politicians receive, I don’t see where any politician can cast criticism from their ‘moral high ground’.
In my opinion, the middle class has been pushed to the margins because of these self-serving politicians. Those with money and access to power avoid taxes by exploiting loopholes and influencing politicians to pass beneficial laws. At the other end of the spectrum, the poor do not pay taxes but receive increasingly more entitlements by the benevolent government. (After all, it’s not the politician’s money they are spending.) Thus, a disproportionate tax burden falls on the ever shrinking middle class, who are moving towards the lower half of the spectrum.
Yet our politicians continue to pass laws, adding more complexity to an already complex system. The US tax code currently stands at roughly 67,000 pages. I wonder how many of those pages will apply to my return when I do my taxes later this month? To remove this complexity, Congress ought to repeal or simplify five laws for every new law that they pass. The best part is that this task would occupy them indefinitely, allowing the system to function without government’s ‘help’. After all, I don’t recall receiving more freedom with another law?
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