Taxation without representation

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury" so begins the statement from a lawyer. Let me use the same thing to begin this discussion.

Today, in 2008, in the United States of America, we have Taxation without representation. Roughly 232 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence we have and 235 years after the original Boston Tea Party we are back in the same place. The only difference is that the powers that are taxing us without representation are now located on our own shores, in Washington, D.C. and in state capitals around the country.

We Americans protested in 1773 against the fact that a heavy tax was laden on the purchase of tea when the colonies had no representation in Parliament. Well we have elected our representatives to our current government but do they look out for the welfare of the American people, or for their own welfare and pocketbooks? I suppose that there are a couple of people in government somewhere who are actually looking out for their constituents, however I do argue that there are many who are more interested in their own interests.

I take, as an example, the recent property tax cuts in Florida. Many municipalities are now 'scrambling' to get buy with the lower revenue. All of them are claiming that they have to cut Fire, Police, and medical services. Yet they continue to sink money in boondoggles and their own pet projects. The largest example of this is a 400 foot ferris wheel in Orange County, Florida. How about getting rid of some of the many other 'services' that all of the governments in Florida perform. They are far to many to list in a blog post but start navigating around the labyrinth and you will see the absurdity of government. It's big. It's bloated. it's out of control.

Are we a Democracy? NO. We are a republic. A government FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE. We are responsible for this mess. Mitt Romney was right when he stated that Washington is broken. We the people need to stand up for what needs to be done to fix this place. We are guaranteed the right to bear arms so that the government can be overthrown if it becomes uncontrollable. I am not recommending that we all get our guns and storm Washington D.C, what I am saying is that you get involved. Contact your Senators and Congressmen. Tell them that you are not going to stand for the pork barrel spending. That you want to stop shipping your money over to the middle east to pay for oil so we can finance the people we are fighting there. That you want to keep your pay and not give it all up to the government. That they need to start optimizing and do things better and cheaper.

Most importantly that local government should become more involved and the federal government should become less involved. We need less at the federal government and more in the local so we can be more involved.

And for God's sake people... take responsibility for your actions! The next time you feel you need to complain about the government... look in the mirror. See that person looking back at you? They are responsible for this mess.

-End of Ramble