VIEW: 17-31: Unreported News

VIEW FROM HERE

By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson) Number 17-31

UNREPORTED NEWS Week of 2017/07/31

We have heard much in the six months since PRESDT was inaugurated about "fake news" and with good reason. Not that "fake news" is really something new in the World we live in, but in the past it has really meant items of newsworthiness being accidentally misreported, falsely reported, or not covered at all. It was my often stated fact that "in every incident where I was present or had personal knowledge of a scientific nature of the subject the 'facts' reported bore no relation to the facts known to me, except that the incident occurred". Unfortunately that hasn't changed much except for the actual reported stories of 'facts' that did not even occur.

On the other hand, one of the worst, in my opinion, misarranges of reporting is the deliberate failure to even report the incident as happening. This came to my attention on July 12 when sorting though a stack of papers one was found dating back to November 2013, almost four years ago. While not 'earth shaking' in newsworthiness, it seems even today to be of sufficient importance, especially with PRESDT having promised to attack the tax laws and lower taxes.

The item in question was a single sheet of paper on which was printed the entire proposal to REPEAL Amendment XVI, which AUTHORIZED Congress to establish a tax on personal and corporate incomes and was ratified by the required number of States in 1913. Note the word 'authorized' which meant that they were not 'required' to impose such taxes. According to reports of the day, promises were made that the tax proposed under the Amendment would be 0.5% on incomes exceeding, if memory serves correct, $150,000.

Look what we have now, even payments from Social Security can be taxed, Clinton Administration, even though payments into the fund were AFTER TAXES WERE PAID at the time. Thus we receiving the 'pay back' can be subject to double taxation, neither ethical, moral, or constitutional and hitting the ones most needing the funds, those over 62.

The document in question was received by FAX probably from the office of then first term Congressman Jim Bridenstine, OK-1st. At the time my understanding was that the Amendment mandated the collection of income taxes which a reading of the Amendment dispelled. The document was dated November 13, 2013 and was labeled "H. J. RES. 104" "Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the sixteenth article of amendment".

It was filed by: "Mr. Bridenstine (for himself, Mr. MASSIE, and Mr. DESANTES) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary". I was unaware of this until receiving the FAX somewhat later, but was greatly impressed by his willingness to do what had been requested. Unfortunately, the Committee quietly buried the Resolution and my request for a list of the members of the Committee and the recorded vote, if one was taken, has just been made.

In my opinion, there is too much of this 'burial in committee' with no publicity of the members, their vote if one was take, and in particular the name of the Chair since it often is the decision of the Committee Chair to not even vote on a proposal. Thus the feeling of 'too much power in the hands of too few'.

My receipt of this document was the first inkling that his attempt had been made. It seems to me that it should have received at the very least a notice in the media. While it would be impractical for media to announce EVERY proposal coming before every legislative body, a proposal for a Constitutional amendment seems to me to be quite worthy of being reported. The thought occurred to me that the editorial staffs of the various sources of 'news'(?) may have not wanted Mr. Bridenstine to have the favorable feeling that such a story would have generated. Certainly there is major animosity among most of the population towards the income tax and the massive amount of time and money expended to comply with it's idiotic requirements to warrant disclosure of a move to remove it and the impediments to prosperity caused.

A suggestion has been made to the Congressman to push the current House Bill establishing the "FairTax" on a five year trial basis and suspending the Income Tax subject to repeal of all such laws if the "FairTax" proves to be as effective and successful as projected by the designers.

Composed July 11, 2017

Robert W. McDowell, Jr. © 2017 841 Lynwood Lane

918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK 74011-8608

Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com

VIEW: 17-30: There Is Hope Now

VIEW FROM HERE

By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson) Number 17-30

THERE IS HOPE NOW Week of 2017/07/24

Now that PRESDT has been inaugurated for over five months, we can look back at his, not Congress', record and see what may be expected for the rest of the four years of his first term. From where my vision starts the record appears to be rather encouraging, at least for those of us who revere the Constitution as the 'real' law of the land to be followed, and the USA to once again be respected and looked to for World leadership by the rest of the civilized nations. While PRESDT was not my first choice to assume the mantle of Republican Nominee for President, in retrospect it seems to me that he may very well have been the only one of the 18 candidates for the nomination with a favorable chance of victory last November.

In my recollection, dating back to 1930, no incoming President has equaled the manner in which PRESDT literally 'hit the ground running' to correct past errors in action and judgement of administrations going back to that first one in 1933 of F. D. Roosevelt. That is not to mention those in the earlier years of the twentieth century, of which history records many, some really large, such as the passage of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Amendments to the Constitution which allowed the income tax to be placed in law and the election of U.S. Senators changed from the State Governments to the general election process.

Nevertheless, 'The Donald' has accomplished more than had been my wildest dreams in this short period of time, all despite the vehement opposition, full of lies, executed by the Socialist major media personnel, Democrat leadership, and even so-called 'never Trumpers' in the, to me, RINO groups. It appears to me that he has gained the admiration, attention, respect, cooperation of a substantial percentage of the leaders of other nations.

It is refreshing to listen to a person who seems to really mean what he says and then to proceed to move to accomplish the outlined goals. My sources indicate that the moral level of personnel in our military and border control unit has risen to the highest level in decades. Those in the military who put off retirement and 'stuck it out' with the poor, even criminal in my opinion, 'rules of engagement' because as a few conveyed to me "I don't want the signature on my retirement to be Obama" may even change their minds, if continued service is an option for them.

Unfortunately, some in high Congressional leadership positions seem to have a heavy 'foot on the brake' in slowing or preventing the passage of legislation necessary to fulfill his promised goals. Such individuals, in my opinion, should be 'involuntarily' retired at the next election. Along that line it has long been a concern, and surprise, to me how legislative bodies seem to continually elect as leaders individuals who in my opinion represent the very worst, from a national or state benefit basis, of the membership of the respective house. That has been true here in Oklahoma as well as elsewhere.

Again, the ultimate blame for this should lie with the individual voters who send these people back to do their damage. In some cases, admittedly, it is because they do not have truthful information from media sources and lack the time, energy, and/or resources to seek out the truth. In other cases care is not present and the vote is for the party name, no matter who is on the ballot. Alternatively, there are numbers of situations where the candidate is most vocal on one side of an issue and in office takes the exact opposite position, even seeking to cover up the actual vote on an issue.

In any case, the massive ship, known as economy, seems to be turning as most indications have been showing substantial improvement. There are even reports of good jobs being unfilled because of a lack of qualified applicants. Part of that may be due to improper education or training in proper conduct in the fulfillment of the duties. Still, the reported unemployment levels have declined, except in those states and cities that have enacted exorbitant 'minium wage' laws and rules.

All in all, my outlook is more optimistic than for many years. A huge factor was the nomination and approval of Judge Goresuch to the US Supreme Court. Is seems like his legal outlook may have rubbed off on some of the more non-Constitutional oriented fellow members. If this continues, we could see really major improvements in the over-all well being of the Nation, States, and we citizens of what is still the greatest nation in the history of the World. However, it would be a mistake of the first order to decide to sit back and rest on our laurels that all is taken care of. We must be alert and 'hold their feet to the fire'.

Composed July 11, 2017

Robert W. McDowell, Jr. © 2017 841 Lynwood Lane

918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK 74011-8608

Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com

VIEW: 17-28: Congressional Failure

VIEW FROM HERE

By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson) Number 17-29

CONGRESSIONAL FAILURE Week of 2017/07/17

In the last week of June there has been much discussion in "Foggy Bottom", now referred to by PRESDT as "the Swamp" about Congress not finishing their work before Independence Day recess. Some of the more dedicated members have, rightfully, called for continuing in session to complete vitally necessary business. It should be remembered that the 'fiscal year' ends on September 30 and this recess means that the session will not resume until after Labor Day or September 8.

Primarily, in my opinion, because of the refusal of the minority (Democrat) caucus to even approach being reasonable and giving any ground on their excessive demands there still has not been a budget come out of the House. Of course it has been at least five years since there has been a budget passed and the Government has continued to operate on 'continuing resolutions' which just extend the overspending that has put us in debt for now over 21 Trillion Dollars. If this ever increasing overspending does not reverse, the USA will indeed be in a position of insolvency, which would lead to bankruptcy or a repudiation of the debt to the severe detriment of our people and the respect of our Nation.

PRESDT has put forth a 'tax plan' which would change the, nefarious in my opinion, income tax from numerous levels to only three. While that would be in improvement, it would still leave in place the need for the IRS "infernal revenue service" to collect taxes and demand difficult and expensive to prepare annual tax returns plus continual collections. So far Congress has not taken the subject up, or so it is reported by lack of news attention. This despite his campaign promise to move such forward.

I HAVE A SUGGESTION!! Over 10 years ago a book by talk show host Neal Boortz and then Representative John Linder, R-GA, proposed what was called the "FairTax". This would completely repeal all the multitude of income tax laws and replace them with a single 23% tax embedded in the sale price of all new products, thus collection would be done by the vendors, as is local and state sales taxes now. The taxes thus collected would go to the State taxing authority to be forwarded to the Federal, retaining a small percentage for the service. It provided for a "prebate" where the estimated such tax on the necessities of life at the poverty level in each location would be paid to each household at the beginning of each month, based on the number living there at the beginning of each year as reported annually. Those who prepared the report estimated that the massive reduction in expenses incurred in meeting the demands of the present tax code would more than offset the proposed 23% embedded tax so prices would stay the same or decrease. Each Congress since its introduction has seen the bill introduced in the House. At one time there were, reported to me, 65 co-sponsors, but the Democrat majority leadership would not even give it a hearing. At last report, a couple of months ago, there were 36 co-sponsors in the House this Congress, with all but one of the Oklahoma Delegation signed on. Here and now I am asking the Oklahoma Delegation, all seven, to push this bill through as a law to take effect on January 1, 2018 with all income tax laws to be non-enforced at that time. After a 5 year trial of this law, all the income tax laws could be repealed. The sixteenth Amendment which AUTHORIZED, not demanded, the income taxes could be repealed if the new program was even half as successful as suggested.

There is so much graft and corruption in the present system, and its management, that it will take a massive outpouring of support and pressure from 'outside the beltway' to even have a hearing allowed so that those in Congress would have to make a recorded vote on the matter and let their constituents then decide whether to allow them to be re-elected next time. My own two Senators and my, finest in my opinion, Congressman, Jim Bridenstine, will receive this by FAX and Email when finished. Mr. Bridenstine has been a co-sponsor each time while in office and Senator Inhofe has been in the Senate. Our Junior Senator is in his first term and no report has been available to me on his position. His record so far would indicate to me that he would look favorably on this if he isn't already aboard.

The rest is up to those of us favorably inclined to let our own Congressional representatives know of our feelings on the matter and press them to change opinion if necessary. It is long past time where we just let them go to Washington and be swayed by lobbyists to do against our better well being. Go, Go, Go!!!

Composed July 01, 2017

Robert W. McDowell, Jr. © 2017 841 Lynwood Lane

918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK 74011-8608

Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com