Tag Archives: Fred Comella

Ten Gallon Tax Expert…

Jim Hightower

I try and stay away from most Facebook debates as they tend to morph into ideological wars, leaving behind any productive and factual exchange of ideas. But recently I was compelled to investigate a post comment by a clearly Liberal individual regarding the IRS scandal, and how he felt these “Right Wing Groups” somehow got what they deserved. He cited an article by stalwart progressive Jim Hightower concerning what “he” believed was illegitimate application of the 501 (c) (4) tax status. Moving past the obvious bias of the author, I did read the article and was somewhat amused by it. Hightower refers to the many abuses of the C3 and C4 as if “Rush Limbaugh” wrote the classifications into the tax code himself. His continual references to “whining and notorious” political players like Rove and the Koch brothers made it clear there would be little substance contained in the rest of the article. Nevertheless, I read on and then decided to do a little of my own homework. Here’s what I discovered.

For starters, let’s look at the obvious. The U.S. Tax Code reads like a Bernie Madoff manifesto. Generations of smooth talking politicians and bureaucrats have manipulated the Constitutional basis for taxation, (the 16th Amendment etc…), into what in many ways resembles something which should be investigated under the organized crime statutes. In any event, after hours of perusing this categorized collection of fiscal injustice imposed upon a complacent citizenry over the last couple of hundred years, I narrowed my search and found a PDF file, readily available through our POTUS’s personal information gathering company, “Google”, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicm95.pdf which basically tells us everything we need to know. There you will find fairly easy to understand criteria which one would have to meet in order to qualify for the exemption. Hey, what do you know? It appears the witnesses who testified freely before “The Ways and Means Committee” last week, and their respective initiatives, seem to fit right into those categories rather nicely, despite what some would have you believe.

irsoverhaul12Inevitably there will always be those (on both sides) of the political argument who misuse or misrepresent the tax code. Having said that, the notion or implication that these mostly “Average Joe” or “Tea Party Types” are somehow assaulting the American Taxpayer by seeking a particular exemption, is just another example of Liberals using, “the best defense is a good offense” strategy that they use quite often as a means to navigate around the facts. Moreover, when one looks closely at the number of organizations joining Mr. Rove’s on any list receiving the aforementioned exemption(s), one finds the ACLU, NAACP, AARP, DLA, The Humane Society, The “Colbert” Super Pac, and so on and so on…

All I’m trying to say here is that this is clearly a two-way street. But some folks and their efforts were certainly scrutinized far beyond what is acceptable, and in some cases what was legal. The fact that some fool doesn’t like the “Tea Party” or what they stand for should mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Personally, I think the “Coalition to Stop Gun violence” is a sham which regularly spreads inaccurate data to further an un-Constitutional agenda. However, until the tax code says differently, they will continue to receive tax exempt status in compliance with the letter of the law. And one more thing, what do you think my “Facebook commenter” and Mr. Hightower would say if the IRS started asking the folks over at the AARP or Planned Parenthood how many times a week they pray or don’t pray, or if they planned on participating in any illegal protests in the near future. Answer that with a straight face…

Posted in "Patriot64", America, Congress, Constitutionality, First Amendment, Fred Comella, Gun Control, Health Care, Law Enforcement, Politics, Religion, Right vs. Left, Taxes | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Ten Gallon Tax Expert…

“We ourselves must Pilgrims be”…

220px-James_Russell_Lowell_circa_1855Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God’s new Messiah, offering each the bloom or blight,
Parts the goats upon the left hand, and the sheep upon the right,
And the choice goes by forever ‘twixt that darkness and that light.” –
James Russell Lowell

The issues of our time are daunting to be sure. It’s often hard to even get our minds around much of it. And whether it’s our narcissistic and ideologically driven President, or a media constrained and indecisive Speaker of the House, we are just not getting our money’s worth out of Washington. To watch these self-centered opportunists juggle our children’s future would be laughable for all the pandering and posturing, that is if it weren’t so down-right irresponsible. And so it falls to “We the People” to look beyond this political cartoon to the truth, for posterity sake.

There is good and bad in this, the good obviously being the God-given freedom to change our representative government by way of the vote when necessary. The bad news is that ignorance of fact and history, as well as a growing entitlement mindset, drive that vote for some. The result is often the slow but inevitable decline of a once powerful nation. Nevertheless, for some of us the battle continues as we refuse to give up on that “American Dream”, a dream framed by the Founders and nurtured by wiser generations than ours. Change may be a constant, but it is only good when defined by faith, principle and Liberty.

I began this post with some poignant words from Lowell and I will close with them. In the end, we have choices…

“We ourselves must Pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate winter sea,
Nor attempt the Future’s portal with the Past’s blood-rusted key.” – James Russell Lowell

Posted in "Patriot64", America, Class Warfare, Congress, Constitutionality, Economy, Education, First Amendment, Fred Comella, History, Media, National Debt, Political Correctness, Politics, Religion | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on “We ourselves must Pilgrims be”…

Thank you!!!

 Thank you all so much for your patience during the transition for this blog of mine. The re-construction should be complete this month with some truly entertaining add on/side bar stuff as well as up to date plug-ins. The blog and the basis for it have progressed like I could not have imagined. It has truly taken on a life of its own, and you all are the reason for that. Please remember though, I receive many more comments than I could ever post, and my “real job” often prevents me from reading all of them at this point. I have posted a few from folks I know as a test run and I am getting used to the new software. I hope to able to post more soon so please keep them coming and check the archives for those I simply can’t get to.

Once again, thank you for all of your letters of encouragement and support, as well as the critique and criticism. It all works like a massive dose of caffeine when I’m feeling “politically tired”… 🙂  Onward in 2012…

God bless,,,

Fred “Patriot64”

Posted in "Patriot64", Fred Comella, Politics | Tagged , | Comments Off on Thank you!!!