Who Are the Servants?

John Kerry "draining the swamp"

Public servant?


Just a few tidbits to consider here. Charles Rangel, who runs the committee that tells us how we are supposed to pay taxes, is scrambling to make a deal to avoid a House trial on multiple dirty tax violations. So are we going to see an agreement where Rangel agrees to certain violations and remains a Congressman? Where's the justice in that? What was it Nancy Pelosi said when she became Speaker of the House-she was going to "drain the swamp"?

And talk about timing! Treasury Secretary Tim (Turbo-Tax) Geithner has stated this week that it would be a mistake not to let the Bush tax cuts ("for the wealthy") expire.

Then there is John Kerry, who supports every tax ever invented for the rest of us, but he sure knows how to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars when he buys a yacht and keeps it tied up in Rhode Island. When first exposed, the Kerry party line was that the boat had to be in Rhode Island for maintenance. When that didn't work and Kerry found himself surrounded by reporters asking him about paying taxes. Now the line is that he will pay his taxes as he always has.

Then there is the "People's President", who this week blew off an appearance with the Boy Scouts of America so he could appear on "The View" instead. But don't call him the "Detached President".

Here is the point I am driving at, and I know there are Republicans who fit the same mold. But our federal government is today in the hands of the Democrats; the House, the Senate and the White House. When you look at just the above examples, do you still want to call these people "public servants" or are we the servants of our government? You watch the government take over the banks, the car companies, the decisions of how much CEOs can make and health care. One by one, this government is taking more and more control over our lives.

Meanwhile, state and local governments are taking their cuts in taxes and fees. The California state government in Sacramento is owned by government service unions, who are thriving, awash in high salaries, benefits and lush retirements-as tax-payers and businesses flee the state taking their tax revenue and jobs with them and leaving behind a state with 13.7% unemployment.

Who are the servants and who are the masters?

In Los Angeles, we have a Department of Water and Power so awash in money that they kick back tens of millions every year to the city of LA for their own employees-in exchange for 28% rate hikes to keep them from "going bankrupt".

And this week in Bell, California, we have discovered a tiny town on the fringes of LA with 38,000 poor people, largely illegal aliens, whose chief executive officer was making $787,000 a year while the chief of police was making $457,000 a year. Where was the money coming from? That's what the State DOJ and the LADA's Office is investigating as we speak. It seems that in 2005, an election was held in Bell on the question of the town becoming a "charter city" (which would among other things, allow the city's rulers to set their own salaries). Problem was, nobody knew there was an election going on. The town has no newspaper, and only some 400 (mostly absentee) ballots were counted. It was, apparently, an election by invitation only. The measure "passed", and boy, did they ever set their salaries!

What does it take to solve the problem in Bell? Well, for one thing, they now have their own Tea Party going, hundreds (who don't consider themselves Tea-Partiers) are turning out to the city council meetings to demand everybody resign. Hopefully, somebody will go to jail.

But who are the servants here? The people of Bell have been the servants. The people of California are the servants of the state. And we are all the servants of this federal administration-unless you are among those who look to the government to get you through life because you don't pay taxes anyway.

Meanwhile, we have a president who constantly prefaces his remarks by stating that "he will not rest" until this or that is accomplished, but spends most of his time taking vacations and enjoying all the perks that go with being president.

And for those of you who still maintain that nobody's taxes are being raised, just wait until January 1, 2011 when all the Bush tax cuts are allowed to die and the inheritance tax and who knows what other taxes are brought back into force. And even if it is only the "wealthy", do you really think this will not adversely affect our economy to the detriment of all? Sure, go ahead and crack down on all those "evil corporations", the ones who provide jobs and have made our economy what was (once) the greatest in the world. Watch how small business owners discover that it isn't worth the effort to even begin a business or keep it going. They are already leaving California. Soon there will be no place to hide.

Jobs? Well, if you are one of those 400,000 temporary census takers, you have a job-according to the government. A government job. But that's not what a country needs-more government jobs. Private jobs are what makes the economy successful. That is a different story, isn't it.

So next time you see your representative or senator-Democrat or Republican-watch how they are living. Check out the chauffeur-driven limousine, security, first-class accommodations, the nice restaurants. Maybe, if you catch Nancy Pelosi at an airport, you might see her big private jet.

This essay has turned out longer than I expected, but I guess I just kept thinking of more and more to say and point out. The main point, the thesis, if you will, is still the same. Who are the servants and who are the masters? The answer is pretty obvious. We are the servants of our government.