Special Premier
Those of you who attend our Monday, June 11th meeting will have the unique opportunity to be some of the first people to see a brand new video produced by Citizens for an Alternative Tax System. The video features interviews with retired Congressman Bill Archer, formerly Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Congressman Billy Tauzin, Chairman of the Commerce Committee.
After seeing these two interviews, I think you will agree that we can take heart, as there are individuals who understand the importance of this issue and are pushing it forward. Individual action counts, in politics as well as at the citizen level.
I urge each of you to contact the CATS National Office to get your copy of this powerful video. Of course, those of you who are members of the CATS Monthly Membership Club will receive the video for free (for information on becoming a CATS MMC member, contact CATS at 1-800-767-7577).
CATS National Office
Summer Projects
The CATS National Office is in the process of several major projects, which will be done over the coming months.
First is a complete upgrade and overhaul of the CATS National Web Site (www.cats.org). It will have an entirely updated look, including new graphics and text. The idea is that people will be able to access the site and grab sections of it as e-mails and be able to pass them on to others -- a real information exchange point. For example you will be able to grab a CATS E-Brochure and e-mail it on to anyone on your list.
Second is a direct-mail campaign, which will initially go out to a test market of approximately 5000 people who have indicated an interest in tax-related issues. The direct-mail piece is designed to evoke a strong response, and will undoubtedly increase the size of our membership and create many more active CATS members.
Third is a total remake of the CATS "Revitalizing America" video. It will be the complete national sales tax story told by today's players. I am certain that this new version of our popular video will be a valuable tool, which you will no doubt want to utilize when telling others about the national sales tax.
The CATS National Office now has a new address. Please make note of the contact information below:
Citizens for an Alternative Tax System
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, #423
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: 800-767-7577
Fax: 703-368-5843
More Reasons...
To Get Rid of the IRS
May 10, 2001
IRS Surfers Hit Sites for Porn, Chat
The Washington Times
A sampling of Internal Revenue Service employees found they used about half their online time at work to visit sex sites, gamble, trade stocks, participate in chat rooms and do other non-work-related activity, the Treasury Department's inspector general said.
Pamela Gardiner, deputy inspector general for tax affairs, said her staff looked at how more than 16,000 IRS employees were using their computers over seven days during a period spanning several months. Her staff found that workers spent 8,250 hours out of 16,275 hours online -- or about 51 percent of the time -- doing personal business.
Almost 23 percent were using Internet chat rooms, 20 percent were involved in looking up personal financial information and 7 percent were shopping online. Others were found gambling or downloading pornography, she said.
The IRS is imposing new work rules on how employees can use the Internet as a result of the investigation, and has installed new screening software to keep employees away from sex sites.
Deputy IRS Commissioner Bob Wenzel said he found the employees' Internet use improper and thanked the inspector general for bringing the matter to his attention.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley, Iowa Republican, says he is not satisfied with the agency's response. He noted that during this year's tax season, 37 percent of taxpayers calling the IRS for tax information didn't have their calls answered. Those that did get a response were given wrong answers 47 percent of the time.
"It's reasonable to expect a basic level of service from the IRS to taxpayers," Mr. Grassley said.
He questioned whether IRS employees were letting taxpayer calls go unanswered because they are involved in personal activities online.
"Some IRS employees are clearly goofing off," he said.
In a separate report, the IRS inspector general found that 47 percent of 82,000 e-mail messages coming into the IRS involved non-business matters.
Among the topics the e-mail covered were daily joke services, high school reunion news, and information from a fan site devoted to a popular rock singer.
© 2001 The Washington Times
Your Tax Dollars (Not) At Work
So...what do IRS workers do with their Internet access at work? They use it to visit sex sites, gamble, trade stocks, participate in chat rooms, and do other non-work-related things.
"Internal Revenue Service employees use about half their online time at work 'to visit sex sites, gamble, trade stocks, participate in chat rooms and do other non-work-related activity,' according to the Scripps Howard News Service, citing a report by the Treasury Department's inspector general. Senate Finance Committee chairman Charles Grassley notes that during this year's tax season, the IRS didn't pick up the phone 37% of the time when they called the IRS for information. When taxpayers did get answers, they were wrong 47% of the time. 'Some IRS employees are clearly goofing off,' he said. Then again, at least they're not auditing us."
-- Best of the Web, 5/9/01
Think about it. Your hard-earned money, as the taxes you pay, is being spent to pay for their computer terminals, their Internet access, the chairs they sit on, and their salaries. And for this they spend half their time online visiting chat rooms, etc., and not answering the phone when you have a question. Look at the bright side though. You would probably be given a wrong answer anyway and then you would be liable for penalties and interest.
This is the "New and Improved IRS"!!
(Editors note: As long as we tax income, we will have an IRS to determine what "income" is.)
On that note:
"I just wanted to speak to you about something from the Internal Revenue Code. It is the last sentence of section 509A of the code and it reads: 'For purposes of paragraph 3, an organization described in paragraph 2 shall be deemed to include an organization described in section 501C-4, 5, or 6, which would be described in paragraph 2 if it were an organization described in section 501C-3.' And that's just one sentence out of those fifty-seven feet of books."
-- Ronald Reagan
Are We Dedicated Enough?
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that has."
-- Margaret Mead
The above quote has proven itself to be true time and time again throughout history. It has always been the few, who made the difference and changed the course of human events.
Sometimes as we look at our group -- and the few who attend the meetings regularly, write their letters, and spread the message of a simple, fair, tax system -- we may get discouraged at our seemingly small numbers.
At times like that I always remember the words of Margaret Mead, and how true they are. We are part of that "small group of thoughtful, committed citizens". We can, and will, "change the world".
But, I also reflect on the fact that all of the hard work -- the writing of the National Retail Sales Tax legislation, getting the cosponsors, lobbying in D.C. - has, and is, been done already. All that is asked of you is to become a member of CATS, write a few letters, and tell others about this proposal.
Is that too much to ask?
What are you waiting for?
Changing our tax system will not happen by magic. It is not the "other guy's" responsibility. It will take every one of us, plus a few others, to get active, to do something, to get this abomination of a tax code replaced.
I'm going to be very blunt. If you are not a member of CATS, and writing your letters, and telling others; get off your rear-end and get busy! Ninety-five percent of the work has been done for you. Now it's your turn!!
If I have offended you, I apologize. Sometimes the truth can be offensive.
Estate Tax
Before the millionaire died, he left instructions that he be cremated and his ashes sent to the IRS. A note accompanying the ashes said, "Now you have it all."
