In a verbatim transcript I've just received from an online newsletter, the very first rumblings of what I've been expecting to see, or should I say waiting and wanting to see, for some time now, have been made perfectly public. A letter sent to the IRS from Ed Barnett of Wichita Falls, Texas, articulates very well what I think many Americans feel about our tax system and ultimately the true nature of our (or, dare I say, any) government. Ed wrote:
"Dear IRS,
I'm sorry to inform you that I'm not going to be able to pay the taxes owed on April 15th, but all is not lost. I paid these taxes:
Accounts receivable tax, building permit tax, CDL tax, corporate income tax, dog license tax, federal income tax, unemployment tax, gas tax, hunting license tax, fishing license tax, waterfowl stamp tax, inheritance tax, inventory tax, liquor tax, luxury tax, Medicare tax, city tax, school and county property tax up to 33% the last four years. Real estate tax, Social Security tax, road use tax, toll road tax, state and city sales tax, recreational vehicle tax, sales franchise tax, state unemployment tax, federal excise tax, telephone tax, telephone federal state and local surcharge tax, telephone minimum usage surcharge tax, telephone state and local tax, utility tax, vehicle tax, registration tax, capital gains tax, lease severance tax, oil and gas assessment tax, Colorado property tax, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Mexico sales tax and many more I can't recall and I've run out of space and money.
When you do not receive my check April 15th, just know that it was an honest mistake. Please treat me the same way you've treated Congressman Charlie Rangel, Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, ex-congressman Tom Daschle and, of course, your boss, Timothy Geithner. No penalties, no interest.
PS, I'll make at least a partial payment as soon as I get my stimulus check.
Ed Barnett, Wichita Falls.”
Bravo, Ed. Bravo. Bravo. YOU are the true, original spirit of the first Americans to set foot on this land. They don't control you. You control them. They answer to you.
Every day, I more firmly believe that this administration is going to tighten its own noose to the point of no return, and that taxes revolts are just one early symptom of a much bigger and growing problem. That problem, in my humble opinion, is the distance between who we say we are, and who we actually are and what we really stand for. Whether they will admit it or not, all Americans are fiscal conservatives.
These kinds of letters truly please me. And I'm glad he's from Texas.
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