Mood: sharp
Topic: "Yes, No, Who Knows?" (2)
There is one very incontrovertible fact about the national political scene today, and that is that the Republicans are in charge. The President, George W. Armstrong Custer Bush, is a Republican. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives hold Republican majorities. The Supreme Court, also, has more Justices appointed by Republicans than those appointed by a Democratic President. Frodo believes that it would logically follow that there would be a singleness of purpose, unanimity if you will, on an agenda if not on indiviudal pieces of legislation.
As Johnny Carson might have said, "Incorrecto, Camel's Breath."
A few days ago, Frodo was reminded of the miasma of partisan politics by elected representatives with conflicting "special interests." The Senate Finance Committee approved a bill directing the IRS to make electronic tax filing through its' Web site. This would allow individuals, within the next three years, to file tax returns by computer without buying commercial software or paying a professional tax preparer to do so in their behalf. In and of itself, a very noble-sounding effort to make tax filing both easier and less costly for the consumer.
The problem is that the foregoing action is the exact opposite direction taken by the House of Representatives earlier this year when they voted to PROHIBIT the IRS from developing or providing free electronic tax preparation or filing services for individuals.
As Joan Rivers might have said on The Johnny Carson Show, "Can We Talk?"
Frodo offers the following as a taxing mental exercise dear reader, see if you can guess where certain organizations may have directed campaign contributions in the past year?
The makers of the software program "Turbo Tax."
The tax preparation firm "H&R Block."
What about The United States Postal Service?
For whom do these characters work, and why do we tolerate them?