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I have been reading a lot of posts lately about people trying to get their politicians to DO something about Bush, Iraq, etc. Camp Casey is sending messages on paper plates to Nancy Pelosi, telling her to put impeachment back on the table. I applaud their efforts, and the efforts of everyone who is trying to make our voices heard, but I just can't help feeling we are not making much of a dent in the collective consciousness of our representatives.
One of the battle cries that rallied citizens during the Revolutionary War was “No taxation without representation.” I would venture a guess that, unless you are in Dennis Kucinich’s district or the district of someone like him, you are feeling this way today – no one in the government is representing you, your best interests, or your will.
After much careful thought and consideration, I believe it’s time for a little revolution of our own.
It’s clear that this administration will not listen to anyone. It is clear most of the media is not acting in our behalf. It is also clear that a large number of our elected Democrats have not truly been forceful in fighting for what we know (and most of the world knows) is right. Therefore, it’s past time (and only fitting) to take a page from Grover Norquist’s playbook – namely, “Starve the Beast.” If our representatives won't represent us, if they cannot muster the will to stop funding the Halliburton profit machine, then we need to do it for them.
If you are feeling as I do, this week when you return to work, go get a W-9 form from your payroll department and raise your personal exemptions to twelve. This will result in no Federal (or state) taxes being withheld from your paycheck, just Social Security and Medicare. Do this for the remainder of July, and all of August, September and October. If you pay quarterly estimated taxes, withhold the next payment. My purpose is to slow the amount of money going into government coffers for several months in order to remind our politicians who REALLY controls the purse strings.
Let me make it clear that I do not advocate the ongoing nonpayment of taxes (not yet, anyway). In late October, everyone should update their W-9’s again, perhaps even to zero or one exemption in order to end the year fairly close to your required withholding. You may incur an underpayment penalty, or a penalty for not paying estimated taxes in a timely manner, but these are generally comparatively small. Again, my purpose is only to do this long enough to get the attention of the media and our elected officials. Oh, and it wouldn't hurt to have our friends around the world see that we're finally awakening from this interminable nightmare.
In order to make this effective, we can't have just a few people participating. It's time to stop talking a good game and act. I would think that we need at least 30% or more of wage earners to participate (I’d like to see 50% -- color me optimistic). So, if you agree with me, take action now, then kick and recommend this post, and copy it to other sites. Send it to friends and family. Spread the word quickly, and take action immediately. Our leaders should be afraid of our strength, not we of theirs. We should then use these months to be very vocal with our elected officials, telling them in no uncertain terms that we will not accept inaction any longer.
And before you say it, yes, I realize that some of our valued social services and other important programs may not, in the short term, receive the funding they need. That is regrettable. But I am truly sickened by the injustices and criminal acts that have been heaped upon this country in the past seven years. It is past time to let all those in office know that we will no longer tolerate this administration, nor those who continue to defend it.
Who's with me?
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