Posted on 07/05/2006 6:38:50 PM PDT by K-oneTexas
Misplaced Priorities Again in the Senate By Herman Cain
It could cost more to get caught working in the world's oldest profession if a bill passed last week by the U.S. Senate Finance Committee becomes law. The Finance Committee approved legislation that would allow the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prosecute pimps and prostitutes for tax code violations. Senate Finance Committee chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) proposed the legislation, which would impose a 10-year prison term on pimps for each prostitute in his employ on whom he fails to file a W-2 form.
What's next? Will the Senate Finance Committee require pimps to pay for their employees' health care? Will they be forced to deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes? Will pimps be subject to OSHA regulations requiring a safe workplace?
Not surprisingly, tax evasion by pimps and prostitutes does not rank high in polls of issues most important to the public. This is another frustrating example of Congress working on the wrong problems and finding the wrong solutions while the serious issues are left to fester. To observers of the Senate Finance Committee, Grassley's pimp tax is just the latest dereliction of leadership and misplaced priorities.
In January 2005 committee member Olympia Snowe (R-ME) dismissed reports that the Social Security program is nearing bankruptcy by stating, "There is a lot of fear among seniors." She refused to even consider President Bush's proposal to make optional personal retirement accounts part of the Social Security structure. Throughout 2005, Snowe blocked every effort to bring the optional personal retirement accounts proposal out of committee for a vote by the entire Senate.
Senator Grassley failed to show much leadership on restructuring Social Security, saying in July 2005 that his fellow Republican senators were reluctant to "walk the plank" on fixing the program without bipartisan support. Regarding a proposal to pull the issue from the Finance Committee and bring a Social Security bill directly to the floor, Grassley said, "I would not discourage leadership from doing that, but you don't build consensus that way." Senator Grassley, you don't need consensus to pass a proven idea that has worked since 1981. We need leadership. If you cannot lead the majority party toward a proven solution to one of the crumbling pillars of our economic infrastructure, you need to step down from your chairmanship position.
In November 2005, Grassley criticized oil companies for making profits, suggesting they contribute 10 percent of their profits to supplement the federal heating assistance program for the poor. He and other committee members threatened a windfall profits tax on oil companies, but did not advance the idea because of feedback from the public and possibly some of his clearer thinking colleagues. Instead, Finance Committee members proposed a "backdoor" tax on oil company inventories. Yes, this senator calls himself a Republican.
Most recently, Senate Republicans have been unable to pass a full repeal of the estate tax, the most immoral tax in the entire tax code. A number of liberal Republicans, including Senator Snowe, have voted against full repeal. While senators continue to debate various compromise plans to eliminate the estate tax for all but the wealthiest Americans, it is doubtful any of them will pass this year.
The Senate Finance Committee, one of the most powerful and influential committees in Congress, is in desperate need of an overhaul. The American people and American businesses deserve representation from a body that is focused on solutions, not assaults on capitalism. The first and best solution is to replace Senators Grassley and Snowe with conservatives who have the political will and ingenuity to fix Social Security, Medicare and the tax code.
Senators such as Jim DeMint (R-SC), Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John Ensign (R-NV) have demonstrated a willingness to speak out for fiscal conservatism and common sense this year on issues such as spending and dealing with illegal aliens. They would make fine replacements for Grassley and Snowe.
A second solution is to replace outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist with a conservative willing to call the Democrats' bluff and exercise the so-called "nuclear option" on legislation they threaten to filibuster. The American people sent a Republican majority to the Senate, but current leadership has proven incapable of breaking from inane Senate traditions that respect filibuster threats and other procedural roadblocks over solving the problem. That Democrat may be your "good friend" from so-and-so state, but to my fellow conservatives and me, he is an enemy of economic freedom.
It is frustrating to watch Republican majorities pass phantom taxes on pimps and prostitutes and continue their assaults on our free market economy. This week, as we celebrate our nation's declaration of independence from tyranny just 230 years ago, we need independence from misplaced priorities and an unwillingness to lead.
© 2004 T.H.E. New Voice, Inc.
This will never pass. The US Senate itself is one of the greatest consumers of prostitution, being a body made up almost entirely of whores.
Agreed. Which is the oldest profession? The taxee or the taxer.
R O T F L M A O
Libertarians & Constitution party candidates need to run as Republicans, bottom line. They need to realize that the Dims and RINOs are the real enemies of freedom. Too many regular Republicans have lost their principles at the altar of big fat government.
I agree. Only the reason for the "fat" big governemnt changed (from Dem to Repub).
The Immigration issue separates out all the corrupt
officals in our government.
This tax on a already illegal trade just highlights
how dysfunctional corrupt officals are.
What's next? .... Will they be forced to deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes? ....
Another misuse of our massive tax code. No matter how noble the goal, a tax system should be strictly for collecting taxes, not social engineering.
The NRST would collect all the necessary taxes without all the paperwork.
Another misuse of our massive tax code. No matter how noble the goal, a tax system should be strictly for collecting taxes, not social engineering. The NRST would collect all the necessary taxes without all the paperwork.You think that pimp is going to charge sales taxes on the services he is selling?
I think he is going to pay taxes when he buys that bling and his pimpmobile. He doesn't under the present system.
I think he is going to pay taxes when he buys that bling and his pimpmobile. He doesn't under the present system.But the John (also a criminal) doesn't pay taxes on the money he uses to buy the hooker. He does under the present system. One system gets the money going in, the other gets it going out. Big deal.
How do you know he has paid taxes on that money? You don't.
How do you know he has paid taxes on that money? You don't.Then you don't know if the pimp will pay taxes on his purchases.
Well, I do know he won't be expected to submit a W-2 or 1099, keep receipts for all income and expenses, and decide on which method is best for depreciating his equipment, the girls.
Well, I do know he won't be expected to submit a W-2 or 1099That's not true. Actually the Fairtax law requires the reporting of wages paid and self-employment income...not doing it would be a violation of the law.
`SEC. 903. WAGES TO BE REPORTED TO SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
`(a) In General- Employers shall submit such information to the Social Security Administration as is required by the Social Security Administration to calculate Social Security benefits under title II of the Social Security Act, including wages paid, in a form prescribed by the Secretary. A copy of the employer submission to the Social Security Administration relating to each employee shall be provided to each employee by the employer.`(b) Wages- For purposes of this section, the term `wages' means all cash remuneration for employment (including tips to an employee by third parties provided that the employer or employee maintains records documenting such tips) including self-employment income;....
Thank you for the correction. I suppose it is necessary to know how much SS credit to give someone. What about the rest of the paper work for business expenses, depreciation, etc.?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.