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Jewish World Review May 19, 2011 / 15 Iyar, 5771 Blackmailing Taxpayers By Cal Thomas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
One of Dictionary.com's definitions of blackmail is "to extort money from (a person) by use of threats." Substitute "taxpayers" for "person" and you have what the In case you weren't paying attention (and too few are) Among Geithner's sleights of hand to keep America from "defaulting" on its loans is his suspension of payments to federal retirement funding investments until The public -- or at least the half of us who pay our tax bills so that the other half can take it and so politicians can keep themselves in office -- ought to be awake to this scam. It makes convicted Ponzi scheme practitioner A good place to start with the spending axe would be the That is, or ought to be considered, disgusting. But for much of the bloated federal government, it is increasingly the norm. Two senators have promised an "investigation." Don't look for anything serious to be done. It never is. Politicians and bureaucrats protect their turf. Wrists might be slapped. Someone near -- but not at -- the top might even be replaced. There could be promises of "reform," but in the end, HUD will remain to misspend another day, along with so many other agencies and programs that waste our money.
What is needed is a top-to-bottom review of government, beginning with a serious discussion about its purpose and the responsibility of individuals to do more for themselves. For people not addicted to TV reality shows and the baser things in life, the Founders of our country warned of what would happen if we got into too much debt. They have something to say to us across the years if we will pay attention. Possibly the most profound remonstrance concerning debt came from Has this no meaning in 2011? Of course it does. Wisdom is not bound by centuries, but people must act on wisdom before it can work its magic. Manipulating federal retirement investments is not a serious response to having reached the debt ceiling. Calling a "contractor" to lower the ceiling by reducing debt would be serious. Are there enough serious people to do the necessary budget-cutting work in Commenting on the debt ceiling having been reached, Senator Are we?
JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
© 2011, Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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