Dec. 03, 2002 - 22:22 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Drums Of War

Somehow my thoughts of dis-ranting myself through December have tumbled down a steep slope. About the only thing I am capable of at my age is to rant. Not that mindless chatter of, "Everything was so much better in the old days and the world is going to hell." No, I remember the more or less recent, "old days," because myself and contemporaries were attempting to grow up through a drought and a depression, living through times when medical science wasn't as advanced as it is now, before even Sulfa drugs came into being, when many sicknesses were fatal and surgery often terminted in either death or being crippled for life. And I also don't believe our world is going to hell now either, but is in a mixed up in bit of dumkopf-ery.

But there are trends and things that concern me, more for their effect on our younger progeny and young folks in general. I am usually denounced as, "One of those damned liberals." It seems to me it is by those who don't want a tax dollar spent that doesn't benefit them directly, in their hand, in their pocket, only usable by them who call me a liberal.

There was a notoriously famous lady, Leona Helmsley, who said, "Only the little people pay taxes," that was in 1989 she said that. It seems to become more true as time passes. There is a rumble that inheritance taxes will go by the board soon. Who will that benefit but the wealthy ? In her column today Robyn Blumner of the St. Petersburg Times mentions, "The 2002 election was a juicy delight to two kinds of people: those who want to shift more of the tax burden from the investor class to wage earners; and those who want to further starve the Internal Revenue Service of the resources needed to catch tax cheats. It is no secret that Republican leaders serve those who seek an end to taxes on capital gains, corporate profits and investment income. The party's motto should be: 'The tax man cometh, but only for those subject to withholding,' President Bush has made clear that one of his priorities next year will be to work with the 108th Convress to make his mammoth tax cuts permanent, including the elimination of the estate tax."

She further says, "The total of the tax cuts already going to the richest 1 per cent will total $477 billion -- each taxpayer in that rarefied category receiving an average of $342,000 in cuts."

She goes on to say, "With one hand the administration will release the rich of their tax obligations; with the other it will choke off enforcement. As Charles Rossotti stepped down as the respected IRS commissioner last month, he warned that the niggardly budget for compliance had made complex cheating schemes relatively risk free."

Later M. Blumner says, "We should also thank the Republicans in the House for protecting the interests of all those turncoat companies tht have relocated to Bermuda or Barbados with little more than a post office box, to avoid U.S. taxes. The maneuver costs our treasury $70 billion annually. For all the grumbling this summer from both sides of the aisle over how unpatriotic these expatriate firms are to abandon their responsibilities as we fight against terrorism. Republicans slipped a provision into the Homeland Security Act that gives DESERTER COMPANIES THE RIGHT TO COMPETE FOR GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS IN THE NEW DEPARTMENT." (CAPS MINE)

Later she says, "Every possible scenario that would eliminate our progressive income tax structure -- from a flat tax to a value added sales tax -- would further stick it to the little guy."

M. Blumer didn't put in her article anything about all those companies and corporations who have shifted their manufacturing operations overseas, since a long time back. Who are now shifting book work to low bidders also.

Also looks possible that Miranda rights are threatened now. I have always valued the Miranda, realizing that someone caught up in something of not of their doing or of their instigation will be to remind them that they do have a right to remain silent, they do have the right to retain a lawyer, someone involved in an accident or shooting although innocent, being pointed out by the perps or friends of their's as being the guilty ones and then collared by the cops and being harassed and not being read their rights could in their confusion and disbelief be led to talk without the benefit of legal aid.

An article by Ron Kameas of the Associated Press Notes, "But since Sept. 11, 2001, and the government's extensive campaign of monitoring and detention, people are turning to the 82-year old organization (ACLU) to help safeguard their liberties. Among them are conservatives who made the phrase "card-carrying member of the ACLU," a political insult, but who are now signing up."

He mentions that 50,000 new members since the attack of 9-11. He mentions, "Last week, in response to an ACLU lawsuit, the government agreed to tell the group which documents it is willing to release about its increased surveillance activities."

Big item in this morning's Rocky Mountain News, "Bush Warns Saddam," from what I can gather, Mr. Bush is saying that even if the Iraqi's undergo the inspection, he still doubts everything about them. In a sidebar to the article there are three quotes of what he had to say, "The inspectors are not in Iraq to play hide and seek with Mr. Saddam Hussein." "Any act of delay, deception or defiance will prove that Saddam Hussein has not adopted the path of compliance and has rejected the path of peace." "America will confront gathering dangers early before our options become limited and desperate." In my opinion he is laying the groundwork for making excuses to attack Iraq if the slightest hitch or delay occurs, even if excusable or in reality can't be helped.

Veep Cheney was in Denver Monday. In an article by Dick Foster of The Rocky Mountain News, Cheney in speaking to approximately 1,200 Air National Guard leaders from across the country, "Cheney warned that a Dec. 8 United Nations deadline is fast approaching for Saddam to identify all nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that he possesses." "This time, as the president has has said, delay and defiance will invite the severest consequences," Cheney told the guard leaders at the Adam's Mark Hotel Monday morning according to the article.

Then according to Mr. Foster, Cheney mentions a link between Saddam and al Qaida going back some number of years.

In my opinion, we are putting ourselves in an untenable situation, or letting our leaders do it. The economy is down, the offshore companies are stealing rightful tax money, other US companies and corporations have shipped their operations overseas years ago, thus stealing work from people of our country. Now we are getting ready to beat the hell out of Saddam (the man we gave the armament to use against Iran) ? To my idea there are too many ways for us to get into another Viet Nam type thing or worse, we are now in Afghanistan, a country rife with warlords and opium and contemplating sending more troops overseas to Iraq. More troops, men and women who have enough faith in our country and are patriotic to the extent they willingly give up many civil liberties in order to serve our country. More troops, more materiel, more money more time spent.

Leaders don't seem to lead, they just seem to beat the Drums Of War . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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