My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government.  We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.Barack Obama

Meet the new boss.
Same as the old boss.The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

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Today I got irked. Irked as hell and totally cannot understand why more people do not express frustration. Maybe people just gave up. Maybe we’re approaching an American society that doesn’t view democracy and freedom in the same way that our founders dreamed. My state of mind comes from three main sources: taxes, information, and accountability.

Yes, the economy sucks. You know what? It did before. You know what?

It will again. Somehow, the world’s survived every economic crisis since the dawn of time to, well simply put, to create the set of circumstances that allowed me to be alive to rant here today.

Growing up, if my parents had given me $20 to buy something at the store I was expected to buy only what I was told. And when I returned home, I was held accountable for the purchase. If I didn’t have enough change, I was asked for the receipt. The bottom line: If I spent money that wasn’t mine, I was held accountable. We need to remember, following my analogy, that we are the parents and the government is a child that needs to be held accountable.

Our federal government, with the Cash for Clunkers program, spent a billion dollars so quickly that they literally cannot understand how it happened. Their response? Triple the money and account for it later.

The reasonable parent would first look over the receipt, make sure the money was spent properly, and then (hopefully) choose one of three logical choices. If the money was spent properly, the parent might choose to give the child more money. If the money was spent properly, the parent might instead choose to say, “ok, let’s wait a bit and then ask me again.” And if the money was not spent properly, the child would be held accountable.

Barack Obama pledged transparency in government and a program initiated under his watch that spends a billion dollars should be transparent. He issued a memorandum committing to unprecedented openness of Government and yet while Obama’s one hand pushes the senate to add $2 billion dollars to the program, his other hand is refusing to show us the receipts. When the Wall Street Journal calls your program “crackpot economics,” it’s time to prove them wrong.

And yet, people don’t care. There’s no outrage. There’s no protests over freedom of information. There’s no… there’s nothing.

I work too damn hard to have my money stolen from me in this way.

Have you actually thought about how much money you spend in taxes? I mean seriously… how much did you give the federal government last year? How much? (Actually think for a minute and think of a number)

If you made $100,000, you gave Uncle Sam more than $20,000 in just income tax alone. If you made $50,000, you gave the feds almost $10,000. Think about it… if you made 50k last year you gave the feds almost TEN THOUSAND dollars.

Now ask yourself this: What was your largest single purchase last year? Was it your taxes? Does your payment to Uncle Sam cost more than your rent or mortgage? Did you get your money’s worth?

My attitude is simple. Taxes are evil. The government continuously mismanages your money, and giving them more money makes you a bad parent. Unless you have looked at the receipts, you are raising a horrible child and should be ashamed of yourself. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.

Vote no on every single tax increase. I’m certain that if you looked at the receipts, you will find the there is already money available for everything needed. And that when everything needed is paid for, you should have a tremendous amount of change coming back to you.

But this isn’t a rant about just taxes. And yes, I am in favor of removing the income tax completely; replacing it with a national sales tax (aka fair tax). This is a rant about change and lack thereof.

There has been no change. There has been no transparency.

It’s time to hold your government accountable. If you don’t, you’re just as bad as those who make empty promises.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

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