I’m going to a townhall meeting tonight in St. Joseph, Missouri. Rep. Sam Graves is hosting the event to discuss the current state of America’s tax system. Here’s the pitch:

Dear Friend,
In the past, you have contacted me with your concerns regarding our nation’s spending. I wholeheartedly believe that Washington cannot spend, borrow or bail its way to economic prosperity. Congress must show the same fiscal restraint to balance our budget that Missouri families are using to balance their checkbook.

I believe we also must reform the way we tax our citizens. We need a tax system that is simple, fair and promotes economic growth. I want individuals and small business owners to live their lives, rather than spending their valuable time filling out forms.

Our current tax code is outrageous. At more than 54,000 pages, the current tax code is burdensome and difficult to comprehend. There are better ways to fund our government and end the confusion and unfairness that is our current income tax code.

I want to invite you to a couple tax reform town hall meetings that I am hosting to discuss these critical issues facing our nation.

Monday, June 29, 2009
5:30 p.m.
Missouri Western State University
Leah Spratt Hall
4525 Downs Drive
St. Joseph, MO 64507

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

5:30 p.m.

North Kansas City’s Dagg Park
Iron Street and Armour Road
North Kansas City, MO 64116

I hope to see you at one of my tax reform town hall meetings. Because the June 30th meeting will take place outside, we will have a rainout location at North Kansas City’s City Hall Council Chambers, located at 2010 North Howell Street, North Kansas City, MO 64116.

Please contact Sarah Woodward in my Liberty office at 816.792.3976 or Sarah.Woodward@mail.house.gov for questions, directions, or updates on location the day of the meeting. I look forward to seeing you later this month!

Sincerely,
Sam Graves Signature
Sam Graves

That’s right. Sam Graves considers me a friend.

What I found really cool was what I found towards the bottom of the email. I took a screenshot.

See that little blurb after the graphic? It reads:

–
FairTax.org

- Restore power to the people
- Repeal the 16th Amendment
- Abolish the IRS
- Keep what you earn
- Demand transparent taxation
- Enjoy financial freedom and privacy

FairTax.org

One good reason to support Sam Graves. One of many reasons I voted for him.

There was a military coup in Honduras today, in case you missed it. They arrested the president and kicked his Marxist butt all the way to Costa Rica. Hugo Chavez has his panties all wad and is threatening military action:

Soldiers ousted the democratically elected president of Honduras on Sunday and Congress named a successor, but the leftist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez denounced what he called an illegal coup and vowed to stay in power.

The first military takeover of a Central American government in 16 years drew widespread condemnation from governments in Latin America and the world, and Chavez vowed to overthrow the country’s apparent new leader.

They already have a new president, Roberto Micheletti, and he says the process was completely legal.

The whole problem started with former President Jose Manuel Zelaya planned on amending the country’s Constitution in order to run for re-election again. Everyone and their brother said that was unconstitutional, but he didn’t care. Well, apparently the military did.

The Obama Administration has already condemned the action:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that Sunday’s action in Honduras “violates the precepts of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and thus should be condemned by all.”

So, for the record, oust a Marxist, you get immediate response. Shoot one of your citizens in the chest, killing her in cold blood in the streets of Tehran, go get ice cream.

More to come.

UPDATE:

Hat tip to Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit. It seems that although Obama refused to meddle in Iran, he had no problem meddling in Honduras:

WSJ Update: Obama Worked To Prevent Ouster of Honduras President

By Jay Solomon, Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

The Obama administration worked in recent days to prevent President Manuel Zelaya’s ouster, said a senior U.S. official. The State Department, in particular, communicated to Honduran officials on the ground that President Barack Obama wouldn’t support any nondemocratic transfer of power in the Central American country.

“We had some indication that a move against Mr. Zelaya was afoot,” said a U.S. official briefed on the diplomacy. “We made it clear it was something we didn’t support.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined Obama Sunday in criticizing the Honduran coup and calling for the restoration of the democratic process.

Tehran says the workers at the United Kingdom embassy played “a significant role in the country’s post-election unrest”, and has taken them into custody. The UK has taken a page out of Obama’s playbook. They are deeply concerned:

The British government is “deeply concerned” at the arrest and detention of British Embassy employees in Tehran, the foreign secretary said today.

David Miliband said Britain had protested to the Iranian authorities about the arrests made on Saturday.

He described the detentions as “harassment and intimidation of a kind that is quite unacceptable”. He added: “We want to see (them) released unharmed.”

Good luck with that one, especially with the milquetoast perception Iran has of the US and UK right now. They can do what they want, slaughter their people in the streets, shoot young women in the chest, beat them with sticks, and the leader of the free world voices concern.

That’s it.

Yeah, I’m sure they are really worried.

If only four of the eight who turned their back on the American people had voted the other way, the House would not have passed the largest tax increase in American history. But eight Republicans voted with the Democrats, when 44 Democrats voted against it.

I thought it was bad when those twin RINOs in Maine joined Alren Spector in passing the stimulus bill. OK, that was worse, because that actually moved the bill to the president’s desk for a signature.

But even so, Republicans cannot forget those who sided with the eco-Marxists in passing this cap and tax bill. Who are they? Thanks to Michelle Malkin:

* Mary Bono Mack (CA) – (202) 225-5330
* Mike Castle (DE) – (202) 225-4165
* Mark Kirk (IL) – (202) 225-4385
* Leonard Lance (NJ) – (202) 225-5361
* Frank LoBiondo (NJ) – (202) 225-6572
* John McHugh (NY) – (202) 225-4611
* Dave Reichert (WA) – (202) 225-7761
* Chris Smith (NJ) – (202) 225-3765

Yesterday while I was landscaping, I listened to Mark Levin’s replay. He says they should be punished, and I agree. Republicans should not be voting for tax increases, in any way shape of form, especially in the middle of an economic downturn.

Do not be fooled. That’s exactly what this is. I know Obama says this will be paid by the “polluters,” but that is what he is saying now. Way back when, he said it the way it is. (Yes, he can do that.) When talking to the San Francisco Chronicle, he told them the cap and trade program he’d institute would cause energy prices to “necessarily skyrocket.” Watch, listen and tell a friend:

As I have said before, businesses don’t pay taxes. The customers of those businesses pay taxes. Obama is saying the same thing here. He gets it. He knows. Yet he pushes for it anyway.

So much for Democrats looking out for the little guy. This will hit the poor folks the hardest.

Democrats understand this is a tax. John Dingell said it in the United States Congress while talking to Al Gore. He said, “Cap and trade is a tax, and it’s a big one.”

Again, it’s like these guys don’t understand how video works:

The Democrats pushed for this. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi fought for this. President Barack Obama went of a full court blitz to get this passed.

The eight traitors above made it possible. While this may not pass through the Senate, their actions must not be forgotten. One of the most basic truths of behavior modification is that a behavior will continue if there is more pleasure than pain involved in committing it. I’m sure these eight had some sweet payoffs for their votes. Now, we must make them pay.

Robert Stacy McCain says “not one red cent” to the NRCC. Mark Levin said he is going to make them the most famous eight Republicans in the House and encourages his listeners to actively work against them. Both are good ideas. But let’s not forget the most basic tier one activism: the phone call. Call each one of these Repiglicans and let them know how you feel.

You always hear people say, “Be polite and professional.” I can agree with that, but I also say, be angry. I know the person answering the phone is just a staffer, but they need to understand how their boss makes you feel. Then they can pass those feelings on to them. The phone numbers are above. Get started.

We must make it painful for Republicans to vote against the Constitution. It’s either that, or we continue our walk across the bridge to dependence.

I’m a little surprised to see this from CBS news but it’s a good piece of reporting. It seems that the EPA deliberately suppressed information that might have contradicted the EPA’s and the Administration’s position on global warming and subsequently their support for the cap and trade bill that passed the House on Friday.

The report in question (found here) raises several points including:

• Global temperatures have declined over the last 11 years, not increased, despite accelerated emissions of CO2
• The previous consensus regarding increased Atlantic hurricane activity has changed to one of relative neutrality in Atlantic hurricane behavior
• The idea of rapid melting of Greenland ice has changed due to little evidence supporting this conclusion
• The impact of significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions due to the current global recession is not taken into consideration
• A new paper (found here) released earlier this year suggests that the IPCC used faulty solar data to dismiss the idea that solar activity accounts for warming temperatures on Earth. In fact, they find that solar activity can account for up to 68% of the increase in Earth’s global temperatures

The bottom line, as many of us who have followed this issue well know, is that “global warming” is much more a political issue than a scientific one. True science does not support the conclusions drawn and supported by global warming pundits. The issue of global warming however, has been used to support policies which rapidly advance centralized control of energy industries by governments. Energy accounts for a large percentage of GDP – what better place for a government to expand not only its reach of power but its ability to redistribute capital as it sees fit. There are mechanisms in cap and trade which allow for the punishment of political enemies as well as the rewarding of political allies simply by deciding who gets offsets and how much. Unsurprisingly, the very organization that suppressed the information critical of the reason behind the bill will become the overseer of the bill’s carbon offset program.

If this is a sensitive issue for you, and it should be, then be sure to call your Senator and let them know how you feel. Once this is passed and signed into law it is going to be very, very hard to repeal once the politicians become addicted to the power it brings – regardless of whatever happens with the climate.

Note: This article also appears at www.novanglus.org

Remember when Sen. John Kerry told his joke about the troops, the one that back fired and he had to scramble to spin.

He’s not gonna have to spin this one away:

The Bay State senator was telling a group of business and civic leaders in town at his invitation about the “bizarre’’ tale of how South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford had “disappeared for four days’’ and claimed to be hiking along the Appalachian Trail, but no one was really certain of his whereabouts.

“Too bad,’’ Kerry said, “if a governor had to go missing it couldn’t have been the governor of Alaska. You know, Sarah Palin.’’

The Democratic-centric crowd laughed.

Stay classy, John.

Hat Tip: The Corner and Hot Air

President Obama has chosen to follow a path of cowardice instead of leadership with regards to the crisis in Iran. As a result, the Iranian regime appears to be emboldened to deal with the situation as they see fit. President Obama could very easily have taken a strong position against the actions of Iran’s government early on in this crisis – not against the regime directly, but against the overly brutal actions of Iran’s government that are not in-line with basic tennants of human rights and civility. He could have called for the government to offer up a public and fair recount of the areas where the voting irregularities were reported; suggesting that this would go a long way to diffuse the energy behind the crisis. He could continually call the Iranian government out for not allowing the peaceful protests of its citizens and invite them to work with the protesters who, after all, are the people of Iran. What government is anything were it not for its nation’s people? Indeed the President could be doing a lot more to help bring a peaceful end to the crisis in Iran that doesn’t undermine either the Iranian government nor the protestors. He could be offering support for the ideals of protesters and of their peaceful demonstrations. He could be applying whatever pressure his administration could muster to encourage a peaceful resolution to the crisis while condemning the Iranian government’s violence and the restrictions on the press on the free and peaceful demonstrations by the Iranian people. He could be bringing continual pressure for them to cease their brutal actions. Instead he sits idle – offering carefully worded statements with no backbone behind them only when prodded into it by his critics. His quietness on this issue only encourages the Iranian government to do whatever it likes to squelch the protests and put down the uprising.

As President Obama continues to remain passive on this issue, I believe you’ll see a continued increase in the violence used to put an end to the protests.

Given that Obama has no leadership experience; no executive experience; no experience running a business; and only marginal political experience; it is little wonder that he has little offer in the form of leadership during this crisis. It wasn’t that many years ago that he was merely a state senator in Illinois and now he sits atop the most powerful policital position in the world. Even then, he chose to sit on the sidelines during the big issues voting “present” instead of aligning himself with a particular side on heated issues.

Say what you will about President Reagan; but he would have known exactly how to deal with this crisis. Does anyone remember the Iran hostage crisis?

How many more cries from the Iranian people will be heard by people like the woman in this video before someone finally listens? If not the United States, then who? Aren’t we supposed to be a nation about liberty and freedom and all that? How could we not respect that elsewhere in the world? How many more days of violence remain before the people of Iran are finally silenced only to remain oppressed by a brutal regime they are powerless to depose? I see little chance of any other result for as long as President Obama and the rest of the world remains silent – simply waiting for this crisis to just go away so we can continue our normally scheduled agenda.

Note: This story was also posted at www.novanglus.org

What to say…just leave.

Seriously.

I am tired of these guys. If you can’t keep your promise to your wife, the most sacred promise you can make, then you can’t keep your promise to your constituents.

What a disappointment.

And Sen. Ensign, you can pack your bags also. And while you are at it, drop past Vitter’s office and tell him you are there to take out the trash.

I am so tired of these so-called conservatives stepping out on their wives.

Sickening.

That is all.

I wrote a column for the American Issues Project site a few weeks back detailing why America is out of money. One of the reasons I mentioned was Medicare fraud.

How much does Medicare cost the taxpayer? About $60 billion a year.

This is why:

It may be the center for Medicare fraud, but even Miami officials said Tuesday they were surprised by the breadth of a ring they say spanned five states, used 29 fake storefronts and attempted to steal $100 million from Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

Eight defendants were charged in the elaborate scam authorities say billed Medicare for bogus HIV and cancer infusion drugs using dozens of storefronts in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana, authorities said.

Two of the defendants and about $30 million are still missing.

The leftists now want a program like Medicare that covers everyone. Imagine how much money will be spent on scams and frauds then.

While President Obama was talking about the Iranian government recognizing that there is a peaceful path to ending the protests, the same government was busy charging an Iranian veteran $3000 in “bullet fees” for the round that killed his son:

The details of his death remain unclear. He had been alone. Neighbors and relatives think that he got trapped in the crossfire. He wasn’t politically active and hadn’t taken part in the turmoil that has rocked Iran for over a week, they said.

“He was a very polite, shy young man,” said Mohamad, a neighbor who has known him since childhood.

When Mr. Alipour didn’t return home that night, his parents began to worry. All day, they had heard gunshots ringing in the distance. His father, Yousef, first called his fiancée and friends. No one had heard from him.

At the crack of dawn, his father began searching at police stations, then hospitals and then the morgue.

Upon learning of his son’s death, the elder Mr. Alipour was told the family had to pay an equivalent of $3,000 as a “bullet fee”—a fee for the bullet used by security forces—before taking the body back, relatives said.

Mr. Alipour told officials that his entire possessions wouldn’t amount to $3,000, arguing they should waive the fee because he is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war. According to relatives, morgue officials finally agreed, but demanded that the family do no funeral or burial in Tehran. Kaveh Alipour’s body was quietly transported to the city of Rasht, where there is family.

This is the government that Obama has extended his hand out to, if they would just unclench their fist. Remember?