Taxes!! Lying Legislators and The Terminator

I've got a son who is about to turn 14 and has always been pretty bright. He's been an excellent student, almost straight A's, and he's a pretty decent kid overall. Like most teen boys he loves his Xbox, and the Internet. Unlike most teen boys he's usually reading two or three books at a time, and he also listens to talk radio.... So how does a teen boy spend his Saturday afternoon?

Turns out my son spent it at KFI's Tax Revolt 2009, which blows me away. I don't know one adult, including myself, that took the time to go. And really what the hell is Tax Revolt 2009? Turns out that it's actually a pretty important little gathering on a topic that affects he all, but I'd bet not one in ten Californians even knows about.

The budget fiasco that was in the news a few weeks back seemed to have gotten it's happy ending, but it didn't cost the usual $20 bucks. It actually cost about 28 billion dollars!! $28,000,000,000.00 This is the amount of new taxes we've been saddled with for the next 2 years... The cost for your car tags will double, the state sales tax us going up 9.25%, and now we will all be paying a "surcharge" on our income tax... Yes a tax on a tax. This budget also includes borrowing against future lottery sales ( supposed to be used only for schools), as well as using cigarette tax money ( supposed to be for healthcare if I remember correctly), and taking money from the millioaire taxes ( was supposed to fund mental health services).

This budget was passed by a shady, super secret, behind closed doors, and behond the green curtain alliance of Democrats, Republicans, and The Terminator. So what...? The Terminator was elected the first time so he could control wasteful government spending, and reduce our taxes. He was re-elected on a promise of NO NEW TAXES, and even campaigned for McCain saying Obama was going to raise our taxes. So what does he do? Signs a budget with the biggest single tax increase of any state in history...

The republicans in the state all run for office screaming how they'll never increase taxes. They even signed a no new taxes pledge this budget year, several of them went on KFI and on a show with about 3 million listeners promised no new taxes. The state of California needs a two thirds majority vote to pass new taxes, so the state democrats needed 3 republicans to renig their promise on the taxes, and they got them. Although it was a big production with lots of sleepless nights, and the legislators "locked in" until the budget passed, it was actually over easily. The republicans selected 3 people amongst themselves as a "sacrifice" to vote yes on the taxes and take the flack from the news and the public. One of the lambs got caught on radio admitting to it, saying he'd be "taken care of" later by the party.

The democrats of course are unabashed. We need more money, we're not cutting spending, and you the public will pay for it... Shameless but honest, what else to say?

If it's all said and done, the fat lady gave us her best, why is my son still out there revolting (and why aren't all of us there with him)? Turns out we're about to be propositioned... And not for a $20 happy ending. We are being offered two more years of higher taxes under the guise of a spending cap. Prop 1A in the special election promises to cap government spending, sort of... If the state revenues, pronounced taxes, increase the legislature can still increase spending. Also by "capping spending" we agree to let the legislature tax us for a total of 5 years instead of 2 at all the higher rates.

Not only are we voting to keep taxes higher, we are being lied to about it. Every election we get a voter guide, the little paper booklet that "explains" the props and gives the pro's and con's. It's supposed to be written by an impartial person, the person is selected by the legislature, and guess who's writing up Prop 1A. A tax loving democrat is writing both the pro and con, and omitting entirely that it will extend the taxes to 5 years. The terminator knows both of these things and he is out campaigning for the prop. The republicans know this and are keeping totally quiet, not a peep, not a complaint. The democrats are the architects of this and will not ever mention it.

As I write this Prop 1A is actually ahead in the polls... As I write this my 13 year old son has done more about this than anybody I know... We are a state and country of apathetic whiners, we suffer because we can't get off our asses and go complain, vote, spread the word. In short we suck, we are shitty citizens. I hope my son can maintain his interest in the political system, with the job we're doing his generation will be screwed. They will need so much help to get out of the hole we're digging them. And by the way there are 4 more shifty props out there. And we can still make a difference, and the fat lady isn't quite done... And maybe a 13 year old boy can shame us into action..,