Tax Reform Now!

Posted on May 21, 2013 by flyfishnevada

As Rahm Emanuel likes to say, never let a a good crisis go to waste.  Unless you live under a rock or work in upper management at the IRS – that’s a joke – you have no doubt heard that the Internal Revenue Service has been targeting conservative groups and individuals for extra scrutiny when filing for tax-exempt status.  Many of these groups have never been granted status seriously impeding their ability to exercise their First Amendment rights on a level playing field with other groups expressing other view points.  Ah, isn’t big government grand?

I’m not going to hash out the whys and wherefores or try to explain how this activity threatens everyone’s liberty and freedoms.  I mean if you can’t figure that out, you’re either stupid or you voted for Obama (sorry, couldn’t resist).  But this situation goes to show what big government and punitive tax law can do.  It can be used to hurt, to ruin or to silence individuals.  The tax code is full of loopholes that benefit all manner of different constituencies and is so complex it is difficult not to file incorrectly.  The tax code is used to coerce individuals and businesses into acting certain ways, engaging in certain activities or avoiding others.  It’s a freaking mess and not the kind of tax system that should be used in a free and open society.

So, you are no doubt about to ask, what can we do that is more fair, more equitable and makes this kind of scandal less likely to occur?  Well here’s a few ideas to ponder: (more…)

Filed under: Freedom and Liberty, Rantings | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Say No to Universal Background Checks

Posted on April 3, 2013 by flyfishnevada

I don’t support universal background checks.  You shouldn’t either.  There have been ads played locally about the issue.  A supposed hunter and gun owner tells how how much he cherishes his 2nd Amendment rights.  How he is handing down those traditions to his son.  Then he says he wants universal background checks and tells everyone to urge my Senator, Dean Heller, to support them too.  If this wasn’t brought to us by the mayor’s group headed by New York’s Mayor Bloomberg, the same mayor that wanted to control his constituent’s soda intake through backdoor regulatory means, I might have listened.  Instead, I sent a message to Senator Heller telling him I don’t support expanded background checks.

You see, universal background checks aren’t going to work.  The present background checks don’t work.  Look, if background checks worked, I’d support them and thousands of people would have been saved because criminals wouldn’t have guns.  But they are nothing more than a feel good measure meant to make politicians look as if they are actually doing something and make voters feel safe.  Look, here’s why:

  1. Criminals don’t submit to background checks.  I’m sure a few idiots do and get caught, and usually they aren’t even prosecuted for breaking the law.  Criminals, and data backs this up, Google it, get their guns from friends and family, on the black market or they steal them.
  2. And speaking of enforcement (more…)

Filed under: Rantings | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Gun Control, Outraged Yet?

Posted on February 25, 2013 by flyfishnevada

I’m a proud gun owner and member of the NRA.  I firmly believe in the 2nd Amendment and it’s intent to allow citizens to arm themselves against those that would do them harm including a tyrannical government.  A man (or woman) cannot truly be free if he cannot defend his own life, those of his loved ones or protect his property.  People cannot truly enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness if their government does not fear them or forgets from where that government derives its power.

So it is with great interest that I watch Congress and several states try to make us all safer by banning high capacity magazines, banning certain weapons and further clamping down on the free exchange of legal goods.  I’m not going to focus on the specific stupidity of these measures.  They are apparent to anyone with the ability to employ reason and logic.  As if fifteen rounds will save lives as compared to twenty.  As if banning weapons because they look like a military weapon instead of function like one accomplishes anything.  As if criminals or the insane give a damn.

No, what I want to focus on is the politician that thinks passing these feel good measures will solve any problems.  I want to focus on whether or not they even care. (more…)

Filed under: General, Rantings | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

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