The following is an excerpt from our January issue:

By: Chuck Bates

Last month we discussed a little of what one might expect from this new Congress and its new Democrat leadership. We delved into the possible actions on the part of the Democrats taking over the chairmanships of various committees but of course the political pandering in Washington and it’s subsequent looting of the voters crosses party lines every day leaving the citizen scratching his head and more often than not wondering just what happened to all of his hard earned income.

Not all tax increases come to the taxpayer directly. As a matter of fact rarely do those politicians seeking to take more from the individual to spend at the discretion of the bureaucrats do so in a full frontal assault. No, the US has some of the craftiest politicians on the earth who work with such stealth and efficiency at taking from those who produce and giving to the politician’s choice that Machiavelli would be envious. Again this crosses party lines. Unfortunately for Democrats their party seems to be much more adept at stealing from producers and giving to non-producers. As noted by the National Taxpayers Union, Democrats in the House on average score typically less than 13% in favor of the taxpayer in the way they vote and destroy the wealth of citizens. Sadly the Republicans do not fare so well at this either passing all sorts of earmarks and special appropriations giving them only about a 62% pro-taxpayer rating. Where have our “representatives” gone? For crying out loud, we sent them to Washington to represent us the people and to limit the size and scope of government, well at least that is why I voted for the folks I pulled the lever for on Election Day. Why did you choose the candidate you voted for? Was it to keep government lean or were you looking for something from government? If you voted Democrat the answer is likely obvious you expect something from government to solve all the social ills of society. If you voted Republican there is a likelihood you sought to limit Government’s intrusion into your life and your wallet. But still others voted for whomever they thought would help them or their industry financially without a care for the long-term effects of that vote to the nation.

Let’s face it folks our society, in large part, has decided they are simply out there for themselves and their neighbor be damned. Further future generations hold no concern for these self-servers either. I don’t write these things to simply condemn but to make us all think about what we are doing when it comes to elections. I make no bones about it that I am a registered republican. But I have to confess that many in the Republican party who are elected to office do little to differentiate themselves from Democrats in their lust to grow the size and scope of government taking from one and giving it to someone else who will likely put them back in office. In this we have created a new class of welfare not unlike those programs for families with dependent children. We have allowed government to become so encompassing that corporate and special interest welfare recipients have found it easier to legislate themselves a living rather than having to compete for it in the economy or market place of ideas.

As of this writing, the President has noted he might be willing to raise the amount of dollars taken out of our checks for Social Security taxes if the Democrats will go along with some of his goals. Net effect to you and me; less money in our pockets. Does this President honestly believe the other side of the aisle will really leave the tax cuts alone if goes along with them and taxes more from hardworking Americans? The President will come out looking like his father did after the “Read my lips…” pledge and the Democrats will have succeeded in looting from the American people yet again all the while holding none of the blame. This is just an example of the insidious business called politics as usual that is destroying our great nation.

Republicans and Democrats alike must ask themselves a simple question I have posed here before; just how much government are you willing to pay for? How much interference in your life are you willing to subject yourself too? At what point do you become the slave rather than the master?

As for me and my family we have all the government we need and then some. I pray that all of us think about what we are asking for when we call for a “new law” or a “program” for government to “fix” a “problem”. Before you know it you will have given away your finances and your freedom in the process.