Taxation?

A fair tax system would be replacing income tax with a sales tax. We still wouldn't touch the necessities like food and clothing. It would make sure that people were able to provide for themselves before any tax was collected. Taxes would only be on optional purchases. We could control how much tax we're going to spend by controlling our level of consumption. We would have the option of hanging onto our money and living off the basics, or of spending as much as we feel like. We wouldn't be penalized for saving or investing.

In the current system there are plenty of industries, both legal and illegal, that get away with paying no taxes; gambling, drug dealers, cottage industries, undocumented workers. Since everyone has to buy things the tax would cover everyone.

Another system that needs revamping is the outdated property tax system. Property taxes have become regressive in nature. Today they have no relationship to the owner's income or ability to pay. The value of a property for taxation should be fixed at the time the owner purchases the property. That is the only time the true value of the property can be fixed. We currently focus on speculative valuations which results in people being forced to sell their land when the value increases. If the tax valuation is fixed at the time of purchase, individuals will know whether or not they can afford the taxes when they purchase their property. The only time it would change is when properties change hands.

Vt. hospital questions breast screening cutback: Times Argus Online

Vt. hospital questions breast screening cutback: Times Argus Online

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This is a classic example of a federal recommendation that will be pushed through to the states if the current bill presented before congress were to pass. It won't matter if you have a dissenting opinion at that point, you'll be required to pay out of pocket for an exam like this.

Apathy is contagious

Expecting good government requires an active and involved participation from its citizens.

People don't pay attention to government because they think it doesn't affect them. If you work five days a week and the government takes two of those days through taxation, don't you think you might want to know what that money is being spent on?

The 10th Amendment

It is important for all Vermonters to take a careful look at a nationwide movement that seeks to reaffirm a states right to sovereignty from federal actions. This is not a crazy secession idea; it’s a core tenet of the United States Constitution.

The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves. The tenth amendment basically states that all powers not granted to the federal government under the constitution are left to the individual states to figure out.

This is not a liberal vs. conservative debate. Vermont is a very progressive state with a strong foundation in conservatism. In thinking about this topic, remember to cast aside politics for a moment. Vermont is on the frontline in the battle for many fundamental civil rights. With everything from medicinal marijuana to gun laws: Do we want the federal government dictating matters of local concern to us?

There is legislation pending in 37 states seeking to reaffirm this important concept. Remember that Vermont is a very small fish in a very big federal pond. Our leaders are best held accountable when government is local; the people of this state know what is best for them. It’s time to hold the federal government accountable to its own laws.

Thinking...

I can't understand why as Americans we've allowed ourselves to be corralled into fundamental extremes on all the issues.

As an example...if you're against the war on drugs, you must be for legalizing drugs. If you're pro-choice you're anti-abortion. If you think welfare needs reform you must hate poor people. You're either liberal or conservative.

I'm sorry... but free thought involves concepts a lot deeper than simple fundamental extremes. United we stand, divided we fall!

Bottom up reform

Many Americans have begun wondering, where is the change we voted for? We currently have an electorate controlled by Democrats, and many felt that the change they have dreamed of would happen almost overnight. Some have said, “Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day…” to which I typically respond, “yeah, but didn’t they fed people to lions?”

The problems facing this country are not Democrat vs. Republican, they are simply American. The very nature of our two party political system fosters adversity, and unfortunately that does not serve the best interest of this great country. More politicians need to vote with the conscience of their constituency, rather than the lines as drawn by their party leaders.

The bitter reality is that meaningful change does not happen from the top down. Change simply has to take place at the level of the average citizen. We cannot continue to look to our elected representatives to solve all of our problems; rather we have to work tirelessly to effect the change we desire. Instead of career politicians, we need concerned Americans looking out for their fellow citizens, not their special interests.

We need people who work for a living to get involved in politics. You do your time serving, then you go back to working like the fellow Americans you are serving. Politics should never be a career.