Reform Candidate

Kansas 4th Congressional District

Susan Ducey 

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Politics 101

Why we don't have low taxes

There is a question that needs to be asked as to why the federal government is responsible for states that waste their taxpayer's money and then cry about not getting funds to do what is really important?

My ire was raised from reading an article from the Mercury News about a visit from President Bush to California in April 2006. From this visit we can see why government spending will never be under control.

For example, we need only refer to the demand of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for money to fix California's crumbling levee system.

California passed the controversial Prop. 71 allocating $3 billion for embryonic stem-cell and cloning research funding, which many Californians are opposed to, but can not find the $1 billion to fix the levee system.

Governor Schwarzenegger claims there is a Katrina-style disaster which could happen any moment and wants disaster relief before it happens. He wants anywhere from $150 million to $1 billion to fix 29 levees and repair all the 1,100 miles of earthen barriers. The Bush administration disagreed, however, and would not grant the preemptive federal disaster declaration.

Legislative Democrats, as usual, could only complain. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles stated, "The headline on this story should be: 'Bush to California; Drop Dead'." He also said "California needs federal money to prevent a Katrina-like emergency, and we need it now."

If California needs money for levees then the people should be told to make a decision. "Do you want embryonic stem-cell, cloning research or do you want to fix the levee system?" States have the right to decide but not to expect other states to pay for it.

Only when we tell people like Senator Diane Feinstein, "No $56 million-$1 billion for levees if California wastes money.", will we finally be able to cut the Federal budget and give people the freedom to spend our own money.

If the Federal Government gives California money to fix the levees then I, as a resident of a different state, am helping pay for the immoral embryonic stem-cell and cloning research; which I oppose.

Why is it my responsibility to help protect people's homes in flood plains? If I choose to live below water level then I am responsible for what does or does not happen, no one else should be required to pay for my choice.

My state has enough problems that require my attention. I do not want to be paying for other state's wasteful spending, too. I also do not want to pay for embryonic stem cell research or the wasteful spending of any other state.

When cities are wasteful they ask the counties for money who then ask the states for money who then ask the federal government for money.

When you look at the fact that state money typically pays only 25% of the tab, it seems like the time has come to tell the Federal government to stop paying money to states that are fiscally irresponsible.

We are Americans and as such we need to think about the consequences of all government spending, not just local.

It is time to stop letting politicians buy votes with our tax dollars and elect those who have the freedom and welfare of the nation in mind.

If we ever want to have lower taxes and stop this wild spending spree, we need to tell our elected official to just say "NO!".

Social Security Benefit?

Social Security is in the news with several "new" ideas to make it work.

If we think through it, Social Security is a bad idea.

Doesn't the whole concept of Social Security sound weird to you? Congress and the President just decide the people of America aren't smart enough to save money for old age.

Under penalty of prison we, and our employers, are each forced to give 6.2% of our salary to the Social Security "Trust Fund". Hence, if you earn $35,000 per year, the government takes a total of $4,340 associated with your salary and supposedly deposits it in your social security account. Then it is decided for us when we can start using our money and how much we can have. Further, when we die, the surviving spouse gets a smaller share of the money and when that spouse dies, the rest is absconded by government and not given to the heirs.

There is no law protecting Social Security for the future. In the beginning many people paid for the few thus, when it was started there was a lot of money collected; however, the Congress called what wasn't yet paid out "surplus" and spent it on other things. They did not even have to tell us they were spending it for things other than Social Security benefits. Every time a bill comes up for a vote, to stop the pilfering, it always fails. Congress refuses to stop stealing our money. If a corporation took the money from its pension fund, we would see many people sent off to prison, but it is perfectly ok for Congress to do it.

Now that their plundering has been found out, they want to "fix" the problem that "some how" happened. We have yet to hear an apology of why this continues to happen or why it even happened in the first place.

The President is proposing raising the age to 70 before we can get our money back in the hopes we will die first; and the payments won't have to be paid out at all. It is also proposed that the income ceiling be raised, so those of us who probably won't get our money in the future will pay even more than before. The amount of income we must earn to stop paying Social Security is now $97,500 per year. That means most Americans never stop paying the payroll tax.

Social Security stifles growth by making the 12.4% tax a burden to would-be entrepreneurs. It blocks business expansions and decreases the number of new jobs. I have talked to many business owners and they want to hire more workers, but just can't afford to. The tax hurts families because the tax is so high it makes it necessary to have two incomes, forcing many children into day care centers or becoming "latch key" kids.

The lawmakers on the "Hill" are saying they may "let" us put our own money in personal accounts. LET us have our own money? Do I understand correctly? That doesn't sound like America to me, Russia maybe but not America.

We are a strong country and we do not need government involved in our retirement. Give us the 12.4% tax back and just watch what we can do.

The idea that we can fix Social Security is unworkable. It is like and old car I used to have that I lovingly called "The Beast". It was an old car when we got it, a big, blue station wagon akin to a tank. The Beast was a gas-guzzler that always had something wrong with it. Nothing catastrophic at first, just nickeled and dimed us - you know, fuel pump, radiator, starter, fan belt. The engine ran rough and it didn't like the cold. Finally the transmission went out we decided to stop trying to fix it and just send it to the scrap yard.

Social Security, like that old car, just needs to be scrapped. It is a mixture of Socialism, Fascism and Communism and we can see the many governments that employ these "isms" are not as prosperous as our free market capitalist country.

The Social Security program creates poverty. Who are we talking about when we talk of the poor on a fixed income eating cat food? It is the elderly.

Could an elderly person have made a better life for himself without Social Security? There are many things that could have helped him have a good retirement. Perhaps he could have purchased a nicer home, gotten a better education to get higher salary, bought a dependable car to get to work, sent his kids to college, started a business, gotten more money from his employer, just to name a few. However, the money needed for these things went to Social Security instead where Congress pilfered the money to buy our votes with pork barrel appropriations.
It is my decision whether or not I save for old age. If I don't save for retirement and then I have to live in a box on the street, then so be it. My choices are my own responsibility.

The Bible says to leave an inheritance to our children and our children's children. It was the unspoken motto of the American people until 1936 when the wisdom of the government decided it should go to the State instead. It is time to scrap Social Security and lock away the bottomless cookie jar from Congress so we can make our own decisions about how we live in old age.

We should all stop paying Social Security now. Those age forty and below will probably get very little, if any money back. That is the situation now anyway so the savings from not paying into the system should work out. Those over forty will get the amount promised for the work they have done so far. The retirees already on Social Security will continue to get what was promised them. The Congress and the president must no longer take any money out of Social Security except to pay for the designated benefits.

We need to speak up and let our representatives know that we will not vote for them again if they continue to steal from the American citizens in this way. Then we must be courageous and actually vote them out if they continue to do so.

Americans are not stupid and we know how to care for ourselves without government interference.

Criminal Congressmen

Well, it’s been a about a year now since the fiasco of a hearing on the American Insurance Group (AIG) bonuses and the outrage of around $200 million being paid to executives, but none of what Congress did adding $8 billion dollars in pork spending.  Go figure.

On March 18, 2009, I witnessed a crime.  Listening to Congressmen Barney Frank and Thaddeus McCotter acting like thugs should give one pause.  When Mr. Liddy read threatening letters aimed at the AIG executives and their families, Barney Frank said he was not persuaded and was going to subpoena the names if necessary.  He also said he would not guarantee the names wouldn’t be released.  Rep. McCotter said, “We will get the list.”  He said he appreciates the threat and then said, “If you want to get the names off the list give back the money.”  They were thus inferring, “Give us the money or we’ll tell the assassins where you are.”

This is extortion and it is against the law.  The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (commonly referred to as RICO Act or RICO) specifically prohibits threatening people for money.  Title 18, chapter 96, Section 1961 and Section 1951 of the U. S. Code explains some of RICO.  Interfering with commerce, robbery or extortion is listed.  To extort, with a synonym of blackmail, is defined as “to wrest or wring (money, information, etc.) from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like“, or “to take illegally by reason of one's office.”  It is a felony and all congressmen who made threats against the AIG executives and their families should be prosecuted. They may not pull the trigger but they are willing to supply the ammunition.  RICO protects us from being strong armed to give money and that is what happened in the hearings and on the floor of the House.

When Glenn Beck interviewed Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and asked him what crime the AIG executives committed, he would not answer.  All he could really say as an excuse was that they did not deserve the money.  He also wants the money back so I guess that is why he is not prosecuting, but is instead persecuting the executives who live in his state.  Blumenthal should also be investigated.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  I was not for any bailout of private businesses however, what transpired on that day and the grilling of Edward Liddy was a travesty.  The hypocrisy at the hearings was loudly expressed.  Rep. Joe Baca asked Mr. Liddy if the executives had any remorse for taking the bonuses when people are losing their jobs, but I am wondering if there is any remorse from the congress for taking money from the taxpayers for the bailout of AIG in the first place.

Members of congress and attorneys general are not immune from the law.  If this blatant law breaking is allowed for some Americans it will be allowed for all Americans.  Why have the Republicans not spoken out?  When we have such abuse of power from those who are to serve us then none of us are safe.  I am calling on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to begin the investigation of criminal charges against Barney Frank, Thaddeus McCotter, Richard Blumenthal, Andrew Cuomo and any other persons who brought threats of bodily harm and punitive legislation against AIG executives during those few weeks in March.  Attorney General Holder has not yet responded to my inquiry on this matter.  It seems clear that the Republicans and Democrats have no intention of following the Constitution and should be replaced by true independents who will uphold the liberties the Founders intended for this, the greatest country in the world.

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