Saturday, August 20, 2005

The Next American Revolution

That's what I am calling tax reform from now on. I honestly can't say how long the interest will keep ramping up (it's tax reform after all, not the most exciting topic in the world!), but it so far shows no signs of waning.

The FairTax Book (see sidebar for links to Amazon and Barnes and Noble) by radio talk show host Neal Boortz and Georgia congressman John Linder debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It will repeat a second week at #1. Yes, a second week! A book on tax reform of all things. Tax reform is a huge topic right now. And there are still lots of people who have no idea that it's even a topic, much less how huge it is.

I've had a couple of comments that I haven't answered yet. I will, I just have to be sure that I understand what the comment is, and that I respond correctly. As enthusiastic as I am about tax reform in general, and the Fair Tax in particular, there are portions that I don't understand well enough to try to argue...yet.

Anyway, if you haven't read the book, get a copy. If you haven't gotten a copy yet, it might be difficult to find right now. It is in the FOURTH printing (the cover will reflect it's NY Times #1 spot), and is still flying off the shelves.

If you have read the book (or in the process of reading it) and want to know what to do, instructions are in the book. Talk to your friends and relatives. Write (snail and email) and call and/or fax your congresscritters. I understand that they respond best to snail mail, then email, and then phone calls and faxes. Attend meetings or events where the congresscritter will be and ask where they stand. Don't let them off the hook. If they haven't read the book, encourage them to do so. I feel that it's much easier to convert someone who is knowledgeable about a subject, even if they disagree with you, than someone who doesn't understand it and is just against it.

Too many of our congresscritters are sitting on the fence, waiting to see what the Tax Commission recommends. I think that's part of our problem here in Florida. Neither Bill Nelson, our current Democratic senator, nor Katherine Harris, Republican representative from the 13th District (my district, darn it!) in the House, will commit. Not even commit to leaning for or against, much less a specific stand one way or the other. I've written both stating that I cannot and will not vote for a candidate who straddles fences on important issues. They show no backbone or center moral core (meaning they wait to see how the wind blows before deciding what their public opinion is) and I can't and won't vote for someone who does that.

The problem with Nelson and Harris is that Nelson is up for re-election in 2006 and Harris has announced (I think) her bid for his seat. I don't really care for either one, so I'm hoping someone else throws their hat in the ring and announces support for the Fair Tax. It's pretty much a deal maker or breaker for me.

Anyway, get yourself educated and get on the bandwagon! We overthrew England over taxes (okay, there were other issues, but taxes were a big part of it). We're primed for another revolution, and King IRS is in the crosshairs.

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