Olin Coles
1st July 2008, 04:15 PM
As our great Nation prepares to celebrate its Independence in just a few more day, I have caught myself reflecting on the past few years. For many, only the most recent decay of our economy will impact their opinion of President G.W. Bush and his work in office. But I have attended too many funerals, seen too many of my investments turn red, and have just paid $4.52 per gallon to fuel my Nissan Maxima. Could the end of Operation Tax Sensation in the Nation be near?
Somehow I don't need to muster much imagination to picture George W. looking back at his tenure in office and proclaiming "Mission Accomplished", just like he did nearly six years ago prior to the 11 funerals for those I knew while serving in the Marines. I can look back at the past seven-plus years, and find myself in disbelieve that America actually voted this bait-and-switch artist for a second term! But I'm getting off-topic...
Mr. Bush, the President of the Electoral College, has done a fine job of accomplishing many dubious missions. Penalize scientists who try to cure disease through stem cell research - check. Give rebates for large (heavy) vehicle purchases while rescinding his proposal for emission-friendly hybrid vehicle rebates - check. Run up the largest budget deficet in American history - check. Fooling tax payers that their Economic Stimulus check didn't come from program run-off resources like unclaimed Social Security benefits (primarily from illegal immigrants) - check. The list could go on and on.
Summer time is generally a time for people to get out and go somewhere. But for the first time since the 1970's, we'll be taking it standing up (at the pump). With gasoline demand actually reduced over the past year, the price has gone up disproportionately across the nation. Perhaps those SUV's and Hummer's can use their heavy vehicle rebate to keep on the road for another few months... but I'm sure this in only the beginning.
So is the end of Operation Tax Sensation? It's too early to tell, since our upcoming presidential candidates have their own agendas to pursue. If I were taking this opportunity to promote anyone, it would be the candidate less likely to fulfill a Bush prophecy. With so much doom and gloom readily available on every news channel or newspaper, I try not to be part of the problem and help create a solution. So that's what I plan to do... sort of.
Taxes are as certain as death, so I've come to live with the idea and don't begrudge them (so long as they go to the right needs). With eight years in the Marine Corps, I know where most of that tax money goes... and it isn't the pay check. I spent another year in law enforcement, and I can safely tell you that if the bugets were proportionate between law enforcement and the military, there wouldn't be any crime. But these are both just personal experiences and observations, and now I am a citizen with a commercial business. So getting on with my point, here are my recommendations for making the funds of Operation Tax Sensation go into something that might remotely undo the damage done by the past two terms of office.
Stop teaching French, German, Spanish, and Italian in our schools. France isn't a destination that welcomes Americans, and the only place that dislikes up more is Italy. Neither of these countries are world commerce leaders, and neither offer a usable building block for future careers. Germany learned the same lesson as Japan after WWII, and have taught English in their schools for decades which has effectively helped catch-up to world commerce. Spanish... where do I even begin? Perhaps we can reverse the role of Spanish teachers so they'll teach English to the Spanish speaking citizens who attend our American schools. But the real point to this whole arguement is how we have been missing the opportunity to compete against and relate to the current world commerce leader: China. Yes, I said it, we should be teaching Chinese in our schools. China didn't have to dominate us in a world war to win supremecy over global commerce, they simply had to let "We the People" run their course with our President.
Reverse the rebate status that was given to heavy vehicles, and tax them at registration. Other countries have done this (Great Britain), and as a result they consume far less fossil fuel per capita. Hybrid vehicles could stand to have a price incentive to make them both affordable, and available to the masses.
Endorse plans that limit the role of PAC's and commercial lobby interests. Do you think the alcohol and tobacco industries have peddled poison and slow death for decades without shaking a few hands? Better check again. Just recently the Supreme Court reduced the $2.5 billion punitive damages award (which was also reduced from 5 billion) in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster to $500 million, which dumped 11 million gallons of oil along the Alakan coast line. Guess who worked that deal, and literally got away with murder?
Tax everyone equally. I'm sure the average American citizen would love to see the wealthy 1% of America pay their way through just about everything. That's just not fair, and it's not the equality our nation has fought for. Take a good look around, because I sure have, and you will notice how the lowest income areas of your city still have Cadillac Escalades and Chevy Tahoes in the driveway (or street). It's not up to the rich to teach the poor how to manage their money, and it shouldn't be up to them to finance the mistakes of We the People. One century ago, if you wasted your money on something meaningless and couldn't feed yourself (or your family), you died. Survival of the fittest worked to grow our nation, and ensuring the weakest will never be held responsible for their reckless actions is destroying it.This whole little soapbox rant is just what I decided to come up with in the thirty minutes following a return for the gas station. I paid over $7 USD per liter of fuel in 1996 while I lived in Japan, and so did everyone else. Nobody ever complained, because its been the same situation there for decades. I'm not complaining now either, because gas could reach $10 before I think it's out of hand. What got me riled up is how I had to listen to a grossly overweight person on the other side of the pump complain about prices as they filled their lifted Suburban with custom wheels and a speed boat in tow behind it, while the cabin was filled with five children who were stuffing their face with McDonalds.
Take a deep look inside, America. I bled for this country, and when I came home all I could do is watch it get bled dry. Thank you, We the People, for making me regret eight years of difficult service to this Nation so most of you could become fat, dumb, and financially inept.
Somehow I don't need to muster much imagination to picture George W. looking back at his tenure in office and proclaiming "Mission Accomplished", just like he did nearly six years ago prior to the 11 funerals for those I knew while serving in the Marines. I can look back at the past seven-plus years, and find myself in disbelieve that America actually voted this bait-and-switch artist for a second term! But I'm getting off-topic...
Mr. Bush, the President of the Electoral College, has done a fine job of accomplishing many dubious missions. Penalize scientists who try to cure disease through stem cell research - check. Give rebates for large (heavy) vehicle purchases while rescinding his proposal for emission-friendly hybrid vehicle rebates - check. Run up the largest budget deficet in American history - check. Fooling tax payers that their Economic Stimulus check didn't come from program run-off resources like unclaimed Social Security benefits (primarily from illegal immigrants) - check. The list could go on and on.
Summer time is generally a time for people to get out and go somewhere. But for the first time since the 1970's, we'll be taking it standing up (at the pump). With gasoline demand actually reduced over the past year, the price has gone up disproportionately across the nation. Perhaps those SUV's and Hummer's can use their heavy vehicle rebate to keep on the road for another few months... but I'm sure this in only the beginning.
So is the end of Operation Tax Sensation? It's too early to tell, since our upcoming presidential candidates have their own agendas to pursue. If I were taking this opportunity to promote anyone, it would be the candidate less likely to fulfill a Bush prophecy. With so much doom and gloom readily available on every news channel or newspaper, I try not to be part of the problem and help create a solution. So that's what I plan to do... sort of.
Taxes are as certain as death, so I've come to live with the idea and don't begrudge them (so long as they go to the right needs). With eight years in the Marine Corps, I know where most of that tax money goes... and it isn't the pay check. I spent another year in law enforcement, and I can safely tell you that if the bugets were proportionate between law enforcement and the military, there wouldn't be any crime. But these are both just personal experiences and observations, and now I am a citizen with a commercial business. So getting on with my point, here are my recommendations for making the funds of Operation Tax Sensation go into something that might remotely undo the damage done by the past two terms of office.
Stop teaching French, German, Spanish, and Italian in our schools. France isn't a destination that welcomes Americans, and the only place that dislikes up more is Italy. Neither of these countries are world commerce leaders, and neither offer a usable building block for future careers. Germany learned the same lesson as Japan after WWII, and have taught English in their schools for decades which has effectively helped catch-up to world commerce. Spanish... where do I even begin? Perhaps we can reverse the role of Spanish teachers so they'll teach English to the Spanish speaking citizens who attend our American schools. But the real point to this whole arguement is how we have been missing the opportunity to compete against and relate to the current world commerce leader: China. Yes, I said it, we should be teaching Chinese in our schools. China didn't have to dominate us in a world war to win supremecy over global commerce, they simply had to let "We the People" run their course with our President.
Reverse the rebate status that was given to heavy vehicles, and tax them at registration. Other countries have done this (Great Britain), and as a result they consume far less fossil fuel per capita. Hybrid vehicles could stand to have a price incentive to make them both affordable, and available to the masses.
Endorse plans that limit the role of PAC's and commercial lobby interests. Do you think the alcohol and tobacco industries have peddled poison and slow death for decades without shaking a few hands? Better check again. Just recently the Supreme Court reduced the $2.5 billion punitive damages award (which was also reduced from 5 billion) in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster to $500 million, which dumped 11 million gallons of oil along the Alakan coast line. Guess who worked that deal, and literally got away with murder?
Tax everyone equally. I'm sure the average American citizen would love to see the wealthy 1% of America pay their way through just about everything. That's just not fair, and it's not the equality our nation has fought for. Take a good look around, because I sure have, and you will notice how the lowest income areas of your city still have Cadillac Escalades and Chevy Tahoes in the driveway (or street). It's not up to the rich to teach the poor how to manage their money, and it shouldn't be up to them to finance the mistakes of We the People. One century ago, if you wasted your money on something meaningless and couldn't feed yourself (or your family), you died. Survival of the fittest worked to grow our nation, and ensuring the weakest will never be held responsible for their reckless actions is destroying it.This whole little soapbox rant is just what I decided to come up with in the thirty minutes following a return for the gas station. I paid over $7 USD per liter of fuel in 1996 while I lived in Japan, and so did everyone else. Nobody ever complained, because its been the same situation there for decades. I'm not complaining now either, because gas could reach $10 before I think it's out of hand. What got me riled up is how I had to listen to a grossly overweight person on the other side of the pump complain about prices as they filled their lifted Suburban with custom wheels and a speed boat in tow behind it, while the cabin was filled with five children who were stuffing their face with McDonalds.
Take a deep look inside, America. I bled for this country, and when I came home all I could do is watch it get bled dry. Thank you, We the People, for making me regret eight years of difficult service to this Nation so most of you could become fat, dumb, and financially inept.