Tax reform not a bill to take lightly
Officials have responsibility to take time, read legislation
How does one sign a tax reform bill — or any legislation, for that matter — without actually taking the time to read it and process it first?
The revised bill that passed Friday night was 479 pages long, and one elected official, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, told reporters, “You really don’t read this kind of legislation.” According to The Associated Press, Johnson said the focus is on the major provisions and not the “mind numbing” comparisons to current law. Frankly, that’s terrifying.
Forbes, meanwhile, notes that Senate Finance Committee Leader Orin Hatch did not publish the legislative text of his proposal until Nov. 21, which weighed in at 515 pages. The Finance Committee moved the bill forward after only seven days — that doesn’t seem like much time to grasp the implications of the hefty bill before them.
And when it came time for the Senate to vote, Forbes notes that the final version of the bill was made available in the middle of the night, with notes hand-written in the margins of the pages and voted on before most Americans woke up.
When our elected officials are rewriting our tax laws, their moves and decisions impact every single American. And those who are elected to faithfully serve the American people should be reading those bills thoroughly, to make sure any actions contained within are in the best interest of their constituents.
Now, this bill is still not a done deal, but it is dangerously close.
The Senate passed their bill Saturday, while the House of Representatives passed their bill two weeks ago. According to the AP, the next step is for congressional Republicans to work together on a compromise measure to send to President Trump by Christmas.
And that process too is flawed. Why is it only Republicans at the table? If the government wants to truly function and be representative of the people, there should be bipartisan representation at the table.
Passing a tax reform bill without taking the time to understand it is reckless and irresponsible. Reach out to your elected Senators today, Yuma, and let them know this is unacceptable.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?
I am at a loss to understand how our United States senators can vote for a major overhaul of the tax system without reading the bill or at least understanding the ramifications. I served on the Yuma County Board of Supervisors for 12 years, and would never vote on something I did not fully understand!
Don’t ask a senator (or representative) how the tax bill will impact you, because they have no idea. It is full of last-minute amendments and was voted on at 2 a.m. They cast a blind vote for the sake of getting something — anything — passed. For shame. I am appalled!
I read of many people in an uproar over a tax program that may increase the national debt by a trillion dollars over a ten year period. Where were these fiscal conservatives when the previous administration was increasing the national debt by one and a quarter and one and a half trillion a year? Is this what hypocrisy looks like? I want to know the name of every senator and Congress member who authorized taxpayers’ (we people) money to pay “hush money” in exchange for many someones signing confidentiality paper for said persons not to expose the “cause” of the payoffs.
And every elected person who did so should have to return said monies from their own pocket to the Treasury.
That would help to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. Now we know how the debt has become so huge! Payoffs.
Knowing who is guilty of this wrong doing could make more changes to the 535 members in 2018, by electing new people vs. quid pro quo or you vote for my project and I will vote for yours (career politicians who became multimillionaires by being re-elected to so many terms by supporting choice contracts and PACs).
2018 elections will be the most important elections in getting your monies worth for the taxes you must pay. Pay attention as to who is running and be ready to vote in 2018 if you want to reduce the taxes you send to Washington, D.C., and reduce the fluff that is in their budget (which could improve many miles of roads) and really have a say as to how our dollars to are spent.
Many things are being said of Assemblyman Don Shooter I know nothing of, yet here’s what I do know. Last year, Mr. Shooter was the only politician who even listened to me when the City of Somerton filed misdemeanor criminal charges against me and the upstart church on Main Street, Iglesia Bautista de Somerton. This past Nov. 7, the last of the charges were completely dismissed in court, but I still have the city-initiated Registrar of Contractors complaint with an expected decision in December. Where were all the other politicians, including the governor, I contacted? There was no help, not then and or now. Apparently my case is too toxic having to do with religious freedom and abuse of regulatory power. I am relying mostly on the court system, and some from the U.S. DOJ for any relief. As such, I want to thank Mr. Shooter for the encouragement he gave me at my lowest moment.
Bye-bye, Fats Domino. No single musician invented rock ’n’ roll, but you, Fats Domino, did more than any other to shape its sound. Pounding out bouncy three notes to the beat, the drummer hitting the second and fourth producing a mix of BoogieWoogie and the swing of a marching band. Perhaps today’s guitar pickers don’t remember, ’cause rock ’n’ roll was my day. Here’s lookin’ at you, Fats.