Posted on 03/16/2009 4:35:57 AM PDT by abb
Polish the pitchfork, fire up the torches, and join the revolt preparing to storm the Bastille.
That's the impression from several corners of the state about the public's mood. Voters already steamed about the recession, rising unem-ployment and corporate bailouts are growing angry about taxes, too.
News that one in 10 Georgia lawmakers is a repeat violator of tax laws has fueled a call for a rewrite of the state's tax code. And it's not just conservatives who feel that way.
When a series of President Obama's appointees to senior posts revealed they hadn't paid their taxes, the anger grew. Then the Georgia Department of Revenue distributed a list of outstanding taxes owed by 19 unnamed legislators, frustration boiled further.
Rep. Al Williams, D-Midway, is the only one of 46 legislators whose districts are near Augusta, Athens, Savannah and Glynn County publicly known. That's because his legislative pay is garnished and the state has a lien on his house.
The rest of the group, when surveyed by Morris News Service, said they were current, including Sen. Lester Jackson, D-Savannah, who has had tax issues in the past that became public.
Jackson's seatmate, Sen. Eric Johnson, R-Savannah, poured gasoline on the issue March 3 when he announced he would seek a change in Senate rules to punish legislators for not filing.
Johnson's proposition was a rush job, though, taking advantage of a provision that requires action within 48 hours of any proposed rule change.
Senators felt trapped. They said on the Senate floor that it was hastily drafted, and privately they said he was pressuring them for the sake of his campaign for lieutenant governor next year.
They defeated his proposal without a recorded vote. But if they intended to teach Johnson a lesson, they got one themselves from voters in the form of emails, blogs, phone calls and editorials.
So, on the next legislative day, last Tuesday, the Senate overwhelmingly passed another resolution by Johnson to create a commission of 18 appointees to offer ideas for tax reform.
But that didn't stop the public's complaining, so Thursday, the Senate took his original idea and tacked it onto another bill to make it a matter of law that any legislator who didn't file tax returns would be subject to investigation by the House or Senate ethics committees.
Also that day, they thumped Johnson again by letting his school-vouchers bill stall in the Senate Rules Committee until next year.
Johnson may have peeved his colleagues adding to the annoyance from reporters questioning them individually about their taxes, but anyone with an ounce of political awareness has to concede he's scored points with the voting public.
He's not the first one smelling an air of public scorn.
A month earlier, Rep. Bob Smith, R-Watkinsville, introduced legislation calling for nothing less than a constitutional convention to revise the state's tax system, composed of 56 people elected from each senatorial district in the state.
Even the liberal-leaning Atlanta think tank, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, has agreed the idea has merit.
"It's coming," Smith said. "It's just a matter of time before people are so mad that they have a tea party."
He figures a constitutional convention will prevent a true revolution. But he can't prevent tea parties because one was held at the Capitol Feb. 17, and another rally is planned this Thursday, followed by a third April 15.
Smith said, "People are sick and tired of being sick and tired of unfair taxes."
He complains that attempts to cut taxes are repeatedly blocked by associations of local officials and educators that are all funded with money that originated with taxpayers, to the tune of $24 million in Georgia this year.
"They come up here and lobby against the taxpayer," he said.
Those associations argue they need state funds to comply with state laws. However, instead of lobbying to change those mandates, they push for the funding.
Unlike the Great Depression when the protesters were seeking milk price subsidies, veterans' benefits and other government aid, during this recession the middle-class taxpayers are the ones taking to the streets.
ping
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/mar/16/galt-wants-atlas-to-strike-what-would-we-do-if/
Paulson: What would we do if Ayn Rand’s novel were real?
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11900621
When will Atlas shrug?
http://thevirtuousrepublic.com/?p=3034
Cincinnatis Sunday Tea Party
http://michellemalkin.com/
Huge: Thousands converge for Cincinnati Tea Party; Update: 5k strong
http://loungedaddy.us/?p=467
5,000 protest Government in Cincinnati
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090316/NEWS0108/903160337
‘Tea Party:’ Stimulus bill too steep
http://bornavol.blogspot.com/2009/03/tea-party-cincinnati-style.html
Tea Party - Cincinnati Style
http://dosesofreality.blogspot.com/2009/03/cincinnati-tea-party.html
Cincinnati Tea Party
STOP THIS NOW, attempts to cut taxes are repeatedly blocked by associations of local officials and educators that are all funded with money that originated with taxpayers, to the tune of $24 million in Georgia this year.
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBSlfuY8Q5g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MY0bFjOB7I
http://redstaterocketeer.blogspot.com/2009/03/cincinnati-tea-party-draws-thousands-of.html
abb.... copy/paste has been your friend this morning.
:)
have a good day
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/16/MN9T16DDOA.DTL
This circular firing squad was on display last week at a “Tax Revolt” rally that drew 8,000 people to a Fullerton parking lot. It was organized by popular conservative talk show hosts John and Ken - John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of radio station KFI in Los Angeles.
The raucous California tea party featured such dramatics as the spearing of a likeness of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s head, and the sledge-hammering of a pile of Schwarzenegger dolls, videos and movie memorabilia - even an action hero lunch box.
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090316/NEWS0108/903160336
Tax bill challenges hit record
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207409/posts
Columbus Townhall Tea Party 15-MARCH-2009
Personal Video of Event posted by me on You Tube. ^ | 16-MAR-2009 | RamingtonStall
http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91398
Fed-up Americans mobilize: More than 150 tea parties
Patriots put blazing heat on Washington, rebuke reckless spending
This ping list is great! Keep up the good work, and thank you...
Trying to get all this stuff hemmed up into one thread. Like trying to herd cats, lol!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207278/posts
Tax Day Tea Party Planned for Staten Island, NY
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207270/posts
Pictures from Columbus Tea Party 3/14/09 (vanity)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207219/posts
Cincinnati Tea Party Photos
RWNJ.ORG ^ | March 15, 2009 | RWNJ
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207176/posts
Cincinnati: Thousands gather for ‘Tea Party’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2207166/posts
Cincinnati Tea Party, March 15, Pictures and Stories
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/KC17Dj04.html
Enough is never enough
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977626235
Cincinnati Tea Party: I don’t want to waste money
http://www.kypost.com/content/wcposhared/story/Thousands-Support-The-Cincinnati-Tea-Party/jEByecYgr0ikWevbeXm5wQ.cspx
Thousands Support The Cincinnati Tea Party
http://thelibertysphere.blogspot.com/2009/03/tea-parties-taxpayer-revolt-in-high.html
TEA PARTIES! Taxpayer Revolt in High Gear
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/03/15/obama-protests-aka-tea-parties-largely-ignored-media
Obama Protests aka Tea Parties Largely Ignored by Media
any party leader brave enough to advocate everyone to stop paying income taxes and he will give amnesty to them when he/she become president?
http://www.politicalcoffeehouse.com/2009/03/cincinnati-tea-party-3-15-09.html
videos here
http://www.therealitycheck.org/2009/03/16/tremendous-tax-day-tea-party-protest-big-government-in-a-big-way/
Tremendous Tax Day Tea Party - Protest Big Government In A Big Way
http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/73369/
http://choosethehero.com/mccain-palin-updates/more-%E2%80%98tea-parties%E2%80%99-in-ohio
More Tea Parties in Ohio
http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com/2009/03/could-state-authorities-now-be.html
Could State Authorities now be monitoring the Tea Party protests?
http://arkansasgopwing.blogspot.com/2009/03/saturdays-arkansas-tea-party-success.html
Saturdays Arkansas Tea Party a Success
http://knowledgecreatespower.blogspot.com/2009/03/grassroots-movements-and-tea-parties.html
Grassroots Movements and Tea Parties Are in the Wind
http://www.flashreport.org/blog.php?postID=2009031600250764
Whos In Charge Here?
http://www.texasteaparties.com/press/?p=454
Tea Party in Nacogdoches April 15
http://taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/
More Cincinnati Tea Party reports and images
http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=view-events&type=1&sort=date&reverse=false&future=true
schedules of future events.
http://www.batonrougeteaparty.net/news_article.asp?id=19
Audio Greta Perry Interview with Robin Edwards
(Baton Rouge - 4/15 event)
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