Welcome to February and (obviously) our coverage of SHOT Show 2010. I won’t comment on it much here because there is so much information contained nearly everywhere else in this issue. Suffice to say, it was a different SHOT Show than any I’ve attended in the past. New location; new floor plan and, yes, a few new cool toys. I’d like to be able to say I’m looking forward to SHOT Show 2011, but the truth is I’m really not. The new location and floor plan makes it a challenge at best to visit everyone I want to plus visiting all the aisles just walking and searching for what’s new. The area dedicated to new products looked smaller than ever to me.
The good news for January (in my mind) is that the liberal left lost “Ted Kennedy’s seat” in the special Massachusetts election. I’m glad that the people of that state spoke out through their votes to send a clear message: the senate seat belongs to WE THE PEOPLE – not any given party or politician. In fact, I would submit to you that the moment any politician starts considering a Senate or House of Representatives more theirs than WE THE PEOPLE’s, then it’s time to boot that politician out on their ear. They serve OUR will and when they lose sight of that one simple fact then it’s time for them to go.
While we’re talking about our elected representatives and things that should change, here are a couple thoughts I’d like to share and get your feedback on:
Term Limits for the House and Senate: There is no doubt that if an elected official is doing a good job then they should be re-elected. However, after they’ve been re-elected three or four times in a row it is inevitable that they will start to feel a sense of entitlement which will inhibit how well they serve WE THE PEOPLE. I submit to you that we should have either a two- or three-term limit law which prohibits Senators and Congressmen from running for office after a set number of terms. Such would prevent veteran politicians from manipulating the system for their own financial and influential gain. Since we have a two-term limit for the office of the president, perhaps a three-term limit should be put in place for the House and Senate.
Reduction or Removal of Retirement Pay: If you can find me ANY other job where you can work only four years and earn a retirement for the rest of your life (aside from the President), I’ll shut up about this. That said, and until I hear of such, I take umbrage with our elected officials earning quite a nice retirement after only serving four years. I submit to you that WE THE PEOPLE should demand a change in this so that any Congressmen or Senator who serves the maximum number of terms (say three for argument’s sake), which would only be 12 years, can earn a prorated percentage of the equivalent retirement for a retiring military O6. Now, O6’s don’t make chump change. After all, we’re talking about Army Colonels, Navy Commanders and such. But it takes those officers 20 years of dedicated service to earn the retirement. I believe that our Congressmen and Senators should only be entitled to 12/20ths or 6/10ths of such retirement IF they serve a full twelve years. Serving only one or two terms should earn them nothing toward a government paid retirement. I believe this would be an incentive for them to make sure they pay attention to and serve the will of WE THE PEOPLE. Limiting the retirement and benefits they can get after only 12 years of service should also help us weed out those who serve purely out of greed.
Controlled Expenses and Limited Travel: Not too many months ago our tax dollars were spent, in excess of $1.2 million, to send a gaggle of politicians to Copenhagen to discuss global warming… oh, I’m sorry – since it appears the earth is no longer warming we now are asked to call it “climate change”. Either way, that gaggle of politicians and all their entourage of ninnies accomplished nothing but the expenditure of our tax dollars as they had a good time. I submit to you that there are few reasons for our elected representatives to be travelling abroad and which officials can travel where for what purpose should be carefully delineated. Additionally, the weekend commutes home should not be made at the expense of WE THE PEOPLE. If people like Nancy Pelosi want to travel home each weekend, then I see no reason why she can’t fly first class (at her own expense) on a commercial airline. Yes, I know she’s #3 in line for the Presidency. To me that means that she can be replaced by whoever is #4 – who should also be flying commercially. Such would save WE THE PEOPLE huge tax dollars.
The Nation’s Deficit & Debt: Let’s be ugly honest here – there is NO WAY we will pay off our country’s current debt in the next four generations at current taxation levels. Our options are therefore only TWO: 1) lower the debt, or 2) raise taxes. Personally I feel that our current tax rates – not to mention the plethora of taxes that simply exist – are ridiculous. I don’t see any reason why our government can’t operate on a fixed budget, responsibly prepared and managed, and collected by a fixed rate taxation system simplified so that any 8 year old can figure it out. Therefore, I submit to you that many taxes can be done away with; the income tax level can be fixed at 10% federal, 4% state, 2% county, and 1.5% local. That’s a 17.5% tax rate which is 7.5% higher than I think taxes should ever be allowed to go. Additionally, income tax should be the ONLY tax. Sales tax, estate tax, exchange tax, and all the other myriad taxes that exist and are hidden behind pages upon pages of legal speak so complicated even the commissioner of the IRS can’t do his own taxes, all need to be done away with. The government should be required to lower its budget expenditures until such time as the taxes we pay generate enough revenue to allow for 80% operational budget and 20% debt payment. This would allow us to pay off our debt within the next two generations, then generating a 20% per year surplus allowing us NOT to have to go into debt again. Oh, and by the way, since incurring debt on behalf of the United States ultimately HARMS our country, any politician who votes to increase the debt or run a deficit should be charged with TREASON.
Okay, enough ranting for now. Again, welcome to February. Enjoy the SHOT Show coverage. Start researching and thinking now about who you’re going to vote for this November. Every vote counts – now more than ever. It’s make or break time. Win or lose. We will determine the future of our country. Take it seriously.
Stay safe.
Frank Borelli
Editor In Chief, New American Truth
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I agree with all you said as to our Politicians and term limits. But the sad reality is it will never happen as they are in control much as we hate to think so. And as long as we have sheeple in this country who continue to elect the same bad pols over and over it is a sad state of affairs..
Frank,
You said a mouthful, all of it true, and common sense. We have become a nation of serfs, the politicians have become the masters. We need to take the country back, in fact I think doing away with career politicians and bureaucrats would be a good thing. The country could be in no worse shape for it.
Re taxes: They have becopme so burdensome, and as you said, so complicated, that even the Philadelphia Lawyers cannot decipher them. The overt taxes are bad enough, the hidden ones even worse.
I absolutely support term limits for Congress.
Keep up the great woprk,your publication is excellent.
AJ Parmalee
Retired Detective, Retired MSG USA
I do agree with you Frank. And it is high time we start taking what’s left of our country back, so we can preserve it for future generations. Personally, I think that everyone in Washington, DC should be fired, released, etc. and start all over again. And if they don’t follow the will of the people, try them for treason.