Category Archives: Government

My Fair Share

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Taxpayers with incomes in the top 10 percent of adjusted gross incomes pay about 70 percent of all federal taxes. My income falls in that range, so some people might buy the argument that I pay more than my fair share of taxes, but that’s not true. I pay almost exactly my fair share. My total federal tax bill (income tax, FICA, etc.) as a percentage of my gross income comes to just a bit more that than total federal spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product. I’m just covering my share.

If I’m in the top 10 percent and just barely covering my share, what does that say about the long-term stability of a system where 90 percent of all taxpayers are receiving government services at a discount—and a substantial portion are getting a free ride?

But a larger long-term problem may stem from the fact that the top 1 percent pay around 39 percent of all federal taxes. Given their options to move their wealth around the world, what are they getting from the system that appears to take so much from them? Harvey Weinstein’s fundraising is not even the tip of the iceberg.

Legal LULZ Du Jour

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The Cabin Boy™ had a Feldtdown on the Twitterz this afternoon. It seemed to have something to do with the VA freezing his bank account as a the result of an investigation of an allegedly fraudulent claim. Schmalfeldt seems to think that the VA is going to identify the person who filed the complaint.I wouldn’t bet on the Cabin Boy finding out who complained to VA. Most such complaints are made anonymously, and according the VA Inspector General’s website, the VA is prohibited by 5 U.S.C. 552a from divulging the name of the complainant to the person who is the subject of the complaint.

It would be very unusual for the VA to resort to a bank levy without first contacting the person who they believed had been overpaid or paid in error. Yet, the Cabin Boy™ seems to have been surprised by his account being frozen.

Hmmmmm.

UPDATE—This post seems to have spurred Feldtdown 2.0 during which the Cabin Boy™ now says that his bank account wasn’t frozen. If it wasn’t frozen, why did he need to contact his bank? Doesn’t he have a copy of his account number? It’s printed on his checks. It’s printed on his account statements.

Further, why would the VA need his bank account number? Whenever I’ve dealt with the VA, they’ve IDed me though my Social Security Number.

Hmmmmm.

UPDATE 2—And the UPDATE triggered Feldtdown 3.0 in which the Cabin Boy™ offered a theoretical example of contacting NASA with false information about me. After having cooperated with the NASA IG and NASA Facilities Protection Division on investigations resulting from false complaints made about me, I’ll simply say that the information from the VA IG that I cited above is consistent with my experience.

I’ll also note that it would be most unwise for the person or persons who made false complaints about me in 2014 and 2015 to ever do so again.

Trump Obeys Constitution—Democrats Hardest Hit

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The Constitution specifically forbids the spending of any money from the Treasury of the United States unless the expenditure is authorized by a law passed by Congress. Congress has never authorized any Obamacare subsides, and a federal court has ruled them unconstitutional. President Trump has ordered that no further unconstitutional payments be made. The whining by the Democrats in Congress and with media bylines is interesting to watch.

The President sure is unpredictable. Why, the next thing you know, the President might do something like start acting as if treaties have to be ratified by the Senate.

Do Something!

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One of the most offensive things that I’ve heard from certain quarters on the Left is that we Conservatives who say that we pray for the victims of mass shootings should “do something” instead. As someone who believes in the efficacy of prayer, I believe that praying is doing something.

Moreover, the Left also generally implies that we Conservative don’t want legislative action taken to make mass shootings or gun violence less likely, and that’s simply not true. The rejection of flawed proposals from the Left by thoughtful Conservatives is not a call to do nothing. Rather, we propose solutions which involve moving away from failed policies and repealing ineffective (or actually harmful) laws.

For example, the elimination of gun-free zones allows people to better defend themselves. A mass shooting was nipped in the bud at a church near Nashville a few days ago by a concealed carry permit holder who resisted the shooter.

So it is time to do something. Let those of us who pray do so, and let’s all of us demand that Congress repeal and replace federal laws and regulations that cannot be shown to have improved public safety and demand that Congress exercise its authority under the Fourteenth Amendment to preempt state laws which deprive citizens of their rights under the Second Amendment.