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I was sent this in an email.I would agree with the author since I've been saying this for some time.
Copy and Paste, send it to your friends or send them here.


OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!


Charley Reese's Final Column


A very interesting column.. Be sure to Read the Poem at the end.

Charley Reese's final column for the Orlando Sentinel...He has been a journalist for 49 years. He is retiring and this is HIS LAST COLUMN.

Be sure to read the Tax List at the end.

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be. The article below is completely neutral, neither anti-republican or democrat. Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, has hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgments made that impact each one of us every day. It's a short but good read. Worth the time. Worth remembering!

545 vs. 300,000,000 People

-By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one President, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a President to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? John Boehner. He is the leader of the majority party. He and fellow House members, not the President, can approve any budget they want. If the President vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in Iraq and Afghanistan it's because they want them in Iraq and Afghanistan ....

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.

They, and they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees...

We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it... is up to you.
This might be funny if it weren't so true.
Be sure to read all the way to the end:

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table,
At which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for
peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his a**.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers;
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid...

Put these words
Upon his tomb,
'Taxes drove me
to my doom...'

When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?
Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the heck happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'

I hope this goes around THE USA at least 545 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!

GO AHEAD. . .. BE AN AMERICAN!!!

Most of us here are struggling.  That is why we are here!  I hope these money-saving tips help in some way.

Rather than purchasing costly household cleaners, and they are quite expensive!) try these solutions:

Always keep these items in your pantry/storage area:

1.  Baking soda - A great odor eliminator for carpets, laundry, sink drains.  Can also be used as an abrasive cleanser and stain remover for scrubbing sinks, countertops, and tile floors.

2.  Vinegar - Fantastic for cleaning glass and metal surfaces.  Can also be used as a fabric softener in your wash cycle. Mix one part vinegar to one part water for most cleaning jobs.

3.  Lemon Juice - A wonderful natural disenfectant and deoderizor.  You can mix lemon juice and baking soda for a natural cleaning paste.  

4.  Olive Oil - Mix one cup olive oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice for a natual furniture polish/cleaner.

Hope this helps.

How to Feed a Family of Four on One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Step1
A full cart once a month will save you more money than one that is a
third full three times.
Do all your grocery shopping at once. Pick a date for grocery
shopping and do your entire month's worth of grocery shopping at that
time. Periodic trips to the store add up quickly. If you know that
you are not going to be back for a month, you will be more likely to
purchase items that will be used and not make impulse purchases.

Step2 Set aside thirty dollars for perishable goods. Milk, fresh
fruits and vegetables and breads may need to be replenished
throughout the month since it is not wise to buy a month's worth of
them at a time or they will spoil. However, that thirty dollars must
last until the end of the month, so ration it carefully. Seven
dollars a week should purchase a gallon of store-brand milk and some
type of fruit or vegetable that can be served over several days.
Melons and bananas are good examples of fruits that can be made to
last all week.

Step3
You do not have to give up your favorite fruits, just buy them when
they are naturally in season.
Buy seasonal fruit. Fruit that is raised out of season is more
expensive than that which is in season so buy seasonally to get more
for your money.

Step4 Buy frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables are far more nutritious
than canned and can be added to soups, salads and other dishes in
small amounts to make them tastier and more nutritious. They also
tend to be relatively inexpensive and a bag will usually last a full
month if you do not cook it all at once. 

Step5  Buy in bulk. When it makes sense, purchase food in bulk.
However, make sure that it is food that you will use. For example,
you may wish to buy rice, pasta, chicken or diced tomatoes in large
amounts because these items serve as the basis for many dishes.
However, it does not make sense to buy something in bulk that you
seldom use.

Step6
Restaurant coupons do not help you eat on a strict budget
because they encourage you to eat out. To eat on one hundred dollars
a month you must eliminate most if not all out-of-house dining.
Clip coupons. You can save nearly a third of your budget by
carefully using coupons. However, make sure that the coupons do not
control your grocery list or you will end up spending more than you
save. Decide first what you want to buy, then examine your coupons to
see if you can save.

Step7
Making any one of these items will likely cost as much as the entire
meal that precedes them.
Give up sweets. Desserts are not nutritious and are generally one of
the more expensive aspects of a food budget. Giving them up entirely
will take an enormous chunk out of your food bill.

Step8  Set designated snack and meal times. Many people--children and
adults alike--eat simply because they are bored. Set specific times
for all meals and snacks, then do not snack in between times. It will
lead to less wasted food at meals and help your entire family avoid a
bad eating habit.

Step9  Comparison shop every time. Many discount or "dollar" stores
receive shipments of damaged goods that vary from month to month. Go
to your local dollar store to see what is available before going to
the grocery or bulk-buy store. Sometimes the dollar store may have
items that are significantly less expensive because the packaging is
crumpled or damaged, and buying these goods can save you a great deal
of money. However, make sure that a dollar is the cheapest price you
can get before you get carried away. For example, canned goods are
frequently forty to fifty cents cheaper at a regular grocery than at
a discount store.

Step10
A large pot of spaghetti will last an entire week in the form of
dinner, leftovers and micowave lunches.
Be repetitive. A limited budget does limit the number of dishes you
can serve. Do not hesitate to serve spaghetti or rice multiple times
in one week. School lunches will also be limited to sandwiches and
leftovers. As long as they are nutritious, then there is nothing
wrong with repetition.

I already have an online business and I am looking for free/inexpensive ways to promote and grow it without breaking my budget. It is an online mall where there are more than 1100 stores, some are well known and some aren't, and I would like feedback on how to increase the traffic coming to the site.

Things are much better.  I'm back to work the baby is 7 months and smart as a whip.  I pay about $600 month Daycare and it's a lot but I use Diaper coupons and Second Harvest Food'Bank provides about $150 in foods and toiletries for my family.  Its a grind,but I do my best.  I think I'm at a good point.

June 30,2008

To God be the glory, I had my children support hearing I'm getting much more than expected

almost all my daycare.  He agreed to three days on for him and four days off.  I was worried

he told me I would get little without him living with me I'd get very little.  I said, OK.  I also,

previous week found part-time PCA work in my building for extra $1000 a month.  I'm really

less stressed.  Always do the right thing and be blessed.  I was the Minnesota ProLife

Mother/Child of 2008 w/baby(there were 4).  

  Today is a warm sunny day- that is one thing I love about his area- even in the winter there is bright sunshine!    We are making it- one day at a time!  We were denied govt. help, even thouh we met the qualifications, and were told there must have been some kind of mistake, and to reapply!   So we will.  My husband has a job interview tomorrow!  There are so many blessings in between the nagging financial stresses- we are hoping he will get it-he went to a staffing agency this time, and because he is a big dude, and done a lot, they are almost sure to have a position.  School isn't over for another year.  He was elected class president yesterday, which we are excited about!  We have food- somehow it always stretches just a little farther- even my wonderful coffee with flavored creamer in the morning.( A luxury for me, since coffee is now a 'non-necessity item' on our 'budget'.  Like a treat.  BTW- how do you budget when you have no money to budget,LOL????)  Life is interesting, even though I live it vicariouly through my husband these days.  I am applying to an online school for medical transcriptionist, which guarantees job placement apon graduation.  So, while we are still prety out of money, there are positives happening that money can't buy.

I am a single mother of two wonderful kids. I work 40 hours week. I don't go out because I beleave that a brought these two beautiful children into the world and it is my responsibility to raise them with good values, honesty and pride...and lots of love. I have recently found out that my ex took a $30,000.00 equity loan out on the house while we were married. I got the house in the divorce. It is now my responsiblity. He had an affair while we were married and I found out about it and filed for divorce. I have found out now that at the time of the signing over of the house to me and me signing over the business to him that I incurred all debts toward the house. I was doing good before this happened and now I'm not. I am trying to make it and not loose my home. I feel beaten up over the affair but this was the icing on the cake. If anyone has any advice on finances, it would be greatly appreciated. I am in the process of looking for a second job. The thing that scares me about that is my children, they need guidance and structure in their lives and if I'm working 24-7 I'm worried I won't be their to show them the right path in life.

I have MAJOR cabin fever, and would love some advice.  My husband and I have been married 5 years, and we have two kids.  We filed bankruptcy in February 2005 because we both had so much personal debt when we met that we never were able to get our heads above water.  We have both taken a credit course and a first time home buyers course, and have now written and followed a budget for the past year.  But, now were are not able to purchase our first home, which we have decided that we want a ranch style modular on a foundation for the price of no more than $140,000.  Does anyone have any suggestions?