Get Our Land Back

I recently ranted about how it is impossible to actually own property in the USA due to the taxes. In the news this week we learned that BLM thinks that the federal government owns private property along the Red River between Oklahoma and Texas. Here we see literally hundreds of thousands of acres of private property which has been taxed again and again (see my rant on this outdated tax approach here), being taken from private owners without any regard for illegal search and seizure.

People's homes are being taken away from them after decades of ownership and taxation with BLM ignoring the landowners fourth amendment rights. There are talks of letting the landowners buy back their land. Really, buy it back? It does not belong to the feds. How can they even think about selling something they don't own?

Here is where this is going for me, is to the ownership of property by the federal government. Where are the national parks located? Denali, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Everglades, Haleakala, etc. They are all located in..... States. Why does this matter? Because the states should have sovereignty. If a state wants to maintain the parks, then the ownership, the revenue and the method for maintaining the park should reside in the power of the states.

I love the parks and I visit often. But the economic impact that they can produce should go to the respective states, not the federal government. When considering natural resources, permits should not be issued or denied by the federal government, but the states. More power should reside in the states and less with the feds. Honestly, there is no need for the federal government to own any property beyond what is necessary for the administrative buildings.

I have no problem with the feds owning the Capitol. I have no problem with the White House or the Pentagon being federal property. We clearly need federal land for military, but beyond the administrative and security needs, there is no reason for the federal government to own property. Dept of the Interior, just as most other agencies, has far overstepped its bounds. It is time to leave property to the people. If any state government wants to maintain parks, they are free to do so. Arizona should be free to benefit from the Grand Canyon. No more feds.

God Bless,

Geoff

Where did freedom go?

Did you ever notice that individual freedom is dead? Honestly, you cannot own property. It may seem like it, but if you don't pay taxes, your property can be taken away. At what point do you actually own the property? I bought my boat, paid tax, and now it is mine. I don't have to keep paying for it. I bought my car, paid tax and now it is mine. If I want to keep my car on my land (or what should be my land), I never have to pay for insurance, taxes, registration, etc.

The problem is that I will never actually own my land. If I can produce enough energy to run my equipment, grow enough food to eat, and survive off my own land, I will still have to pay taxes every year and could have my property taken away from me simply because I didn't give more money to the government. Just like being penalized for the Obamacare mandate, I am forced to pay. I don't get a choice.

We have no freedom to simply exist as we see fit without the government demanding something from us. Real freedom means simply that. I have no problem with sales taxes. In fact, I personally believe that all tax should be sales tax. It would incentivize savings and wealth creation while simultaneously removing the burden of tax season. Everyone who purchases any products would participate in the taxation and once a property is purchased, there would be no further taxation. People would keep the full value of their labors and only pay tax when choosing to make a purchase. The government would be forced to live on what they receive and it would incentivize the government keep a healthy economic environment.

All I am saying is that it is about time that we are able to own property, and there are several ways that this can be accomplished. I would love for my kids to be able to actually own property of their own as well. some day.

Peace and Freedom,

Geoff

Enough Already

Some love Trump, others well, not so much. I must admit that I am not a Trump fan, and here is why. I am tired of the unconstitutional wielding of executive orders. I know that every President does it, but that doesn't make it alright. It is time to stop the executive orders. If it is a policy worth adopting, use the legislature and let the process work. Republicans have the both houses and the executive branch. Lets go back to separation of powers and real leadership.

Can we really make meaningful change if with a simple signature from the next president, all good things must come to an end? I get it. With Obama, many bad things have come to an end under Trump's mighty pen, but neither Trump nor Obama should have that much power. Legislatures create the laws, Presidents must enforce the laws. Of course it is more complicated that a couple sentences in a blog. The reality is that the great American Experiment is still going on and as long as we maintain the Jeffersonian approach to freedom, giving the people the benefit of the doubt over the government, there is a chance this republic can sustain and persevere.

The standard method of operation should benefit the citizen over the government, the business over the regulator, the truly free enterprise over favoritism. Incentivize companies to do business in the USA by eliminating the corporate tax. Encourage real wealth and growth of all classes by eliminating income taxes. Switch to sales taxes and grow the economy through ingenuity, a level playing field and let the markets make the decision.

Trump claims to be a great businessman and his platform is based on America first. I think this all sounds good, but populism and executive orders are not how to make long lasting change. My hope is that congress will review each of the policies set forth and consider how to make any of the executive orders into law if they warrant such movement. If they are not worthy of law, then it is time to eliminate the executive orders altogether.

No More Taxes and the IRS Sucks

So I haven't posted since the election. I know, I know. A political blog that doesn't even acknowledge the election? Get over it. I figured that there was no real analysis that I could do that would somehow change or alter anyone's perspective. Now looking back, we have something to talk about.

Why all the tax threats? I am all for keeping American jobs right here. However, threatening to tax the crap out of a company that leaves and then tries to send products back is not the answer. Lets simply reduce the tax burden on the company and the employees. Lets reduce the regulation and red tape. Lets incentivize the company to stay and invest locally instead of penalize for leaving. If the government would stay out of the way, businesses would want to invest. I know I would. But right now the amount of upfront costs to the government bureaucracy is prohibitive to get in the market. Which leads me to the IRS.

I spent 45 minutes on the phone today trying to reach someone to change my business address. The website said that I could do one of 4 options. Download and mail a form, send my own letter with some specific information, update when I file my next tax return, or call and have a representative take care of it over the phone. 

The download option seemed simple enough. Download, fill out, send. I am out of town for a few weeks and it would be simple enough, but I cannot get to it. Same goes for sending my own letter. I could wait till tax season, but I get regular mail from the IRS so this is too long to not get the information. Calling works perfect. Except, there is no phone number listed. So I search and find a dozen IRS numbers. I finally narrow it down to a business customer service number. I call. Automated message: Press or say 1 for English. Don't get me started. How about assuming English and only make me tell you otherwise? Next I get a list of business related services, but none of what I need. I don't have questions about my EIN, I don't have questions about employer taxes, I don't need to order IRS forms or publications, I don't need to know about Obama care, I don't need to know about how to file form 0394909023445902-B. I need to change my business address. There is no option to even get to a person. Dial 0 and it says "sorry you are having trouble, please call again later," and it hangs up on me. 

Repeat process. Okay, I need and EIN. I go through three more prompts to hear, "EINs are issued through our online portal. Go to www........... for more information. Good bye," and Click. I am hung up on again. Now I try to call for tax filing information. "We are sorry, but we are experiencing very high call volume for the issue you are calling about. Please try your call again tomorrow." Click. Are you kidding me? Finally, I want business publications. I don't really, but that is what I tell the machine. I get hold music. For once this is an improvement. After a brief hold (5min.) I get to a woman who is actually pleasant. However, she can only get me the form for change of address. It will take 10 business days to get the form, then I will have to fill it out and send it back. Again, I can do this, I just don't want to use this method. She tells me to call the customer service number so I can talk to someone. She tells me that she cannot do it because she can only take orders for publications, and I need to talk to some one in the correct department. 

As I am writing down the number she is giving me, I realize that it is the number I called every time I have been hung up on. It is the number I used to talk to her. So at this point I tell her I will download the form and send it back in a couple weeks. However, I have one question about filling it out. There is a section that I don't think applies, so how do I handle it? Leave it blank? She informs me that she cannot advise me on how to fill out any form and that I will have to figure it out for myself. Well, isn't that grand. 

Tell me why it is that we still fund this organization? Implement a national sales tax and eliminate all other income taxes and we can save 95% of what we are spending on the IRS. In fact, we can eliminate the IRS. Imagine the saved revenue to the people and increase the revenue to the government for important things like Military and the VA.

ARRRGH. It is time to get rid of income taxes and the IRS! Let people keep their funds and only be taxed if they buy something. More on that next time. 

God Bless,

Geoff