New President
By the time you receive this newsletter...wait!...that's how I started last month's newsletter!! As I write this, we still don't know who will be the next President. Hopefully by the time you read this the election will finally be over and our next President will have been chosen.
CATS Las Vegas Chapter would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winner and request that he look closely at the issue of tax reform, especially the National Retail Sales Tax Act, sponsored by Rep. Billy Tauzin and Rep. James Traficant.
Congratulations to the new President of the United States!!
Merry Christmas...
Happy Hanukkah
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, have a great holiday season and a Happy New Year! The next issue of the CATS Las Vegas Chapter Newsletter will arrive in your mailbox on or about January 3, 2001.
My intention is not to put a damper on your holiday, but this is a good time of year to remember the hidden income tax that is imbedded in everything you buy. So, as you do your shopping this holiday season, please remember this fact. If you spend $1000 on presents this year, approximately $250 of your hard-earned money goes to hidden income taxes. That's what the corporate income tax does for you! When are we going to stop taxing businesses? "The Greatest Tax Scheme on Earth!"
The Founding Fathers Never Intended
that there be an Income Tax
Alexander Hamilton, 1757- 1804, speaks out
Of course, the idea of a national retail sales tax did not exist in Mr. Hamilton's time, but he clearly understood the concept of taxes on articles of consumption. In case you didn't know, the NRST is a consumption tax. Here is what Mr. Hamilton had to say on this issue:
"There is no method of steering clear of this inconvenience, but by authorizing the national government to raise its own revenues in its own way. Imposts, excises, and, in general, all duties upon articles of consumption, may be compared to a fluid, which will, in time, find its level with the means of paying them. The amount to be contributed by each citizen will in a degree be at his own option, and can be regulated by an attention to his resources. The rich may be extravagant, the poor can be frugal; and private oppression may always be avoided by a judicious selection of objects proper for such impositions...."
"It is a signal advantage of taxes on articles of consumption, that they contain in their own nature a security against excess. They prescribe their own limit; which cannot be exceeded without defeating the end proposed, that is, an extension of the revenue. When applied to this object, the saying is as just as it is witty, that, 'in political arithmetic, two and two do not always make four.' If duties are too high, they lessen the consumption; the collection is eluded; and the product to the treasury is not so great as when they are confined within proper and moderate bounds. This forms a complete barrier against any material oppression of the citizens by taxes of this class, and is itself a natural limitation of the power of imposing them."
-- Alexander Hamilton in Federalist No. 21, December 12, 1787
I came across the above quote on the main page of the National Retail Sales Tax Alliance (NRSTA) Web Site (www.salestax.org). I urge you to visit their web site and browse through the library of valuable information available there. Tax reform advocate and Webmaster Dave Emmith has done a wonderful job putting together and maintaining a great site.
Web Sites to bookmark and visit often:
Citizens for an Alternative Tax System - cats.org
CATS Las Vegas Chapter - catslv.org
TalkToGov - talktogov.com
We Are The Government - watg.org
NRSTA - salestax.org
TaxHelpOnline - taxhelponline.com
We've all thought this...
Recently I received an e-mail from an individual who asked several questions and voiced some concerns that I think we all have thought about from time to time. Below you will find this individual's concerns in italics and then my answers:
"Please explain to me why I have heard so little about the National Retail Sales Tax this entire election."
I can think of several reasons:
The people who know of this solution, like you and I, have not worked hard enough at convincing our friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers that they should become involved in this issue. Also, we have not put enough pressure on our elected representatives - by using a constant barrage of letters, e-mails, and phone calls - to turn the NRST into a "hot-button" issue. (When was the last time you wrote or called your Senators and Representative about this issue?)
The mainstream media in this country knows very well how to emphasize certain issues and de-emphasize other issues. In other words, those in power and the very owners of the media control the media. Believe it or not.
A major change of this type will take time. Remember, it took many years of effort to create the income tax in the first place. It was not done overnight or without resistance. The key point here is to not give up.
"I have talked to a lot of people over the past five years about the coming tax reform changes and most of them have heard nothing about it or they think I am crazy."
If they have heard nothing about the NRST, educate them. Have them read some CATS material or listen to a tape. Direct them to the CATS web site or have them watch a video. CATS has so many tools available for you to utilize. Just call CATS at 1-800-767-7577 and ask for an order form.
If they think you are crazy, simply remind them that 25 years ago those who thought that the Berlin Wall would someday come down were looked on as crazy. Those who said that apartheid in South Africa would someday disappear or anyone who said that Communism in Russia would cease to exist were also looked upon as lunatics.
There are many more examples of people with vision being thought of as crazy that you can probably think of yourself. See if you can think of some. Use these arguments on people who think you are crazy.
But don't waste a lot of time on these people. They are only trying to convince you to give up, to surrender. Simply move on to the next person. Your task is to find those individuals who can see the bigger picture and who want to get involved and do something to make this change come about. Don't waste your valuable time on the ones who just complain about the problem.
"Some over zealous people have even got hostile with me over this issue."
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just leave these people alone. They are angry with themselves and the world. It might be best to just walk away from these types.
"It gets very frustrating when people won't even listen to the facts about the NATIONAL RETAIL SALES TAX. I am always open to new ideas and find it odd that so many get upset when the issue of replacing the IRS with the NRST comes up. If the issue came up during this year's election the NRST would have gained some much needed credibility, and I would feel a lot more comfortable bringing up this issue with people."
I understand your frustration. I have been a volunteer with CATS for 10 years now, and yes, it sometimes is frustrating.
But I will not give up, and I hope you never give up. I hope some of this advice helps you. If I can be of any other service to you, don't hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
Bracken
Chairman, CATS Las Vegas Chapter
Web Site: http://www.catslv.org
E-mail: bracken@catslv.org
The Destiny of Freedom
I ordered my copy of the new book: The Destiny of Freedom from the CATS National Office last month. Did you order yours? I started reading it at work on my breaks and could hardly put it down. What an eye-opener!! This is definitely a "must-read"!!
Order your copy of The Destiny of Freedom by calling CATS at 1-800-767-7577.
Freedom Definitions
DEFINITIONS:
A Democracy: Three wolves and a sheep voting on dinner.
A Republic: The flock gets to vote for which wolves vote on dinner.
A Constitutional Republic:
Voting on dinner is expressly forbidden, and the sheep are armed.
Federal Government: The means by which the sheep will be fooled into voting for a Democracy.
Freedom: Two very hungry wolves looking for dinner and finding a very well informed and well-armed sheep.
(Editor's note: I don't know who wrote this but I would sure like to give them credit for coming up with one of the best explanations of the differences between these terms that I have ever come across.)
