Sounds GREAT. Where can I sign up?

I’m putting this under the Fairtax because what we’re paying is not FAIR…and tax time is NOW and all the way up until April…where we’ll find out how ’stimulated’ we are.

Meat-for-brains says “Why are you unable to cite any specific inaccuracies in the list of pre-9/11 terrorist acts provided by Wikipedia?”

Who said I’m “unable”???

Here are 100 or so examples of domestic terrorism which are missing from the Wikipedia list that Meatbrain referred to. Citing the missing incidents of domestic terrorism isn’t a problem….it’s just another reason to point and laugh at the endless cluelessness and moonbattery at thinkingmeat.net.

Update: One of the greatest examples is the murder of Pim Fortuyn on May 6, 2002 by ecoterrorist and animal rights activist Volkert van der Graaf, who confessed in court to murdering Fortuyn to stop him from targeting “the weak parts of society to score points” in seeking political power. The funny thing about this crime is that Wikipedia actually has an entry on Pim Fortuyn, but doesn’t include his murder in the list of terrorist attacks.

As muslims against sharia said in comments:

“Alas for Cao, history puts the lie to her clumsy attempt to proselytize for religious bigotry.”

What exactly did she say that qualifies as “religious bigotry”? That Muslims are responsible for most terrorist attacks? That’s not religious bigotry, that’s a fact. Those terrorist attacks qualify as religious bigotry or rather self-genocide, because the victims are mostly Muslim.

This just puts the lie to yet another one of meatbrain’s ridiculous claims.

A few articles recently came out that indicated the FBI has finally indicted some ecoterrorists from ALF and ELF. From this one:

A 65-count indictment unsealed yesterday describes the 11 defendants as members of a group that claimed affiliation with the Earth Liberation Front and the Animal Liberation Front, two loose-knit movements the government describes as eco-terrorists. The government accuses the group of committing 17 attacks across five states, causing millions of dollars in damage to property.

But I’m sure these are a number of heroes that meatbrain would be cheering on and defending.

The 11 defendants named yesterday are accused of a series of assaults on a broad range of businesses and facilities from 1994 to 2001, including forest ranger stations, meat-packing plants, lumber companies, holding pens for wild horses, and a high-tension power line tower. Several are also charged with starting a 1998 fire at a ski resort in Vail, Colo., that caused $12 million in damage.

Also, from this link:

Since 1996, numerous crimes in 14 states, totalling over $100 million in damage nationwide; see map, which is from Maxim Magazine’s 2004 article (Denson 2004)

• a 2004 firebombing of newly constructed homes in Seattle, costing $1 million
• a 2003 arson of a condominium complex in San Diego, costing $50 million
• a 2003 arson of a Hummer dealership and 3 other car dealerships in Los Angeles, costing $2 million each
• a 1998 arson at a ski resort in Vail, Colorado, costing $12 million

Add to those 4-these 12 incidents which are also missing from the Wikipedia entry:

1991 ALF raid, causing $100,000 in damages to the U.S. Department of Agriculture offices at Washington State University.
1991-December-Billingsgate Fish market in Edmonton, Canada-4 large fish delivery trucks were spray painted with slogans, tires slashed and incendiary devices left on their front seats. Three of the incendiaries ignited causing approx.. $75,000 damage. (Source: No Compromise: Interview with Darren Thurston)
1992-January-Another ALF incident occurred, also at Billingsgate Fish Company, when their store and three replacement rental trucks were spray painted with slogans and tires slashed. (Source: No Compromise: Interview with Darren Thurston)
1992-Attack on a research lab at the University of Alberta, “freeing” 29 cats.
1997 - July - Arson fire that burned down a horse slaughterhouse in Redmond, Oregon. ALF claimed responsibility for that fire, which caused an estimated $1 million in damage. According to an FBI affidavit, an informant told investigators that five-gallon plastic buckets filled with a mix of gasoline, diesel oil and soap were used to ignite the fire, using an electronic timer. This type of incendiary device is a signature of ELF and ALF fires.
1998-June-$1.2 million arson at a U.S. Department of Agriculture Building in Olympia, Washington.
1998 -December - fire at U.S. Forest Industries in Medford, Oregon, which caused an estimated $500,000 in damage.
1999 fire at Childers Meat Company in Eugene that caused over $1 million in damage.
1999-December-they knocked down an 80-foot transmission tower outside Bend, Oregon.
2001-May- fire at the Jefferson Poplar Farm in Clatskanie, Oregon.
2001 -Arson fire at the Litchfield, Calif., U.S. Bureau of Land Management wild horse corrals.
2001 -January-firebombing of lumber mill in Glendale, Oregon, which caused over $1 million in damage. ELF claimed responsibility for that fire.

And there are about 100 or so more:

MAY 1984
Philadelphia, Pa.
An ALF raid at the University of Pennsylvania Head Injury Lab caused $60,000 in damage.

DEC. 9, 1984
Duarte, Calif.
The ALF raided the City of Hope National Medical Center, causing $400,000 in damage.

APRIL 1, 1985
Riverside, Calif.
The ALF raided a laboratory at the University of California, Riverside, causing $700,000 in damage. About 500 animals were released.

OCT. 26, 1986
Eugene, Ore.
The ALF claimed an attack on a University of Oregon laboratory that did nearly $120,000 in damage.

APRIL 15, 1987
Davis, Calif.
An ALF arson attack at the University of California, Davis, Animal Diagnostics Laboratory destroyed a building and 20 vehicles, causing $5.1 million in damage.

SEPT. 1, 1987
Santa Clara, Calif.
The Animal Rights Militia, part of the ALF, claimed an arson fire at the San Jose Valley Veal & Beef Company that caused $10,000 in damage.

NOV. 28, 1987
Santa Clara, Calif.
The words “ALF” and “murderers” were sprayed on walls at the V. Melani poultry distribution company, where a fire caused $200,000 in damage.

APRIL 2, 1989
Tucson, Ariz.
The ALF set fires in a laboratory at a Veterans Administration hospital at the University of Arizona that caused $500,000 in damage.

APRIL 15, 1989
Monterey, Calif.
The ALF set timed incendiary devices at a meat company, where an apparently unexpected early morning crew smelled smoke and managed to flee to safety.

JULY 4, 1989
Lubbock, Texas
The ALF destroyed records and smashed computers and other equipment during a laboratory raid at Texas Tech University, causing $700,000 in damage.

JUNE 10, 1991
Corvallis, Ore.
ALF member Rod Coronado and others broke into the Oregon State University’s experimental mink farm and set timed incendiary devices that caused $62,000 in damage.

DEC. 15, 1991
Yamhill, Ore.
Rod Coronado set fire to a Hynek Malecky facility where mink pelts are dried, causing $96,000 in damage.

FEB. 28, 1992
East Lansing, Mich.
Rod Coronado and other ALF members set a $1.2 million fire at Michigan State University’s mink research facility. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) donated $42,000 toward Coronado’s defense, but he was imprisoned anyway and not released until 2001.

JAN. 1995
Henrietta, N.Y.
The ALF set two trucks on fire at the Conti Packing Co.

APRIL 14, 1995
Syracuse, N.Y.
The ALF ignited an incendiary device at Oneata Beef Company, causing $6,000 in damage.

JUNE 15, 1995
Murray, Utah
The ALF torched Tandy Leather, causing $300,000 in damage.

DEC. 24, 1995
Eugene, Ore.
The ALF planted incendiary devices under three Dutch Girl Ice Cream trucks, causing $15,600 in damage.

APRIL 2, 1996
Salt Lake City, Utah
The ALF burned an Egg Products store to the ground and damaged two of the firm’s trucks, causing over $100,000 in damage.

October 28, 1996.
Detroit, OR, USA
A U.S. Forest Service pickup is torched on the parking lot of the Detroit Ranger District headquarters. The building is spraypainted with “Earth Liberation Front” and anti-logging slogans. A incendiary device consisting of plastic jug is later found on the roof. It did not go off. Damages: $15,000 - Earth Liberation Front

October 17, 1996.
Cottage Grove, OR, USA
McDonald’s locks glued and slogans painted. - Earth Liberation Front

October 17, 1996.
Exit 104 on I-5, OR, USA
McDonald’s locks glued and slogans painted. - Earth Liberation Front

October 16, 1996.
Grants Pass, OR, USA
McDonald’s locks glued and spray-painted in support of the McLibel Two. - Earth Liberation Front

October 14, 1996.
Eugene, OR, USA
26th and Williamette Chevron Gas Station locks glued and painted with the slogan “504 years of genocide”. - Earth Liberation Front

October 14, 1996.
Eugene, OR, USA
The IZ and Pearl public relations office of Weyerhauser and Hyundai locks glued, spray-painted with “504 years of Genocide” and “Fuck Corporations”. - Earth Liberation Front

October 14, 1996.
Eugene, OR, USA
Hwy. 99 and Garfield McDonald’s locks glued and spray painted. - Earth Liberation Front

OCT. 27, 1996
Detroit, Ore.
The ELF and the ALF jointly torched a U.S. Forest Service truck.

OCT. 30, 1996
Eugene, Ore.
The ALF and the ELF burned the U.S. Forest Service Oakridge Ranger Station, causing $5.3 million in damage.

NOV. 12, 1996
Bloomington, Minn.
A firebomb claimed by the ALF was thrown through a window at the Alaskan Fur Company, causing over $2 million in damage.

FEB. 15, 1997
Troy, Mich.
The ALF left butyric acid, a foul-smelling chemical, in a McDonald’s and spray-painted “McShit, McMurder, McDeath” on the restaurant’s bathroom walls.

MARCH 11, 1997
Sandy, Utah
A series of firebombs claimed jointly by the ALF and the ELF destroyed four trucks and leveled the offices of the Agricultural Fur Breeders Co-Op, causing about $1 million in damage.

MARCH 18, 1997
Davis, Calif.
The “Bay Area Cell of the Earth X ALF” took credit for setting fire to the University of California, Davis, Center for Comparative Medicine facility, which was still under construction.

MARCH 18, 1997
Ogden, Utah
Montgomery Furs, a trapping supply store, was torched by the ALF while a night watchman was inside. The watchman escaped unhurt.

March 14, 1997. Mackenzie River watershed, OR, USA
Tree spiking at Robinson-Scott timber harvest site in the Mackenzie River watershed, Willamette National Forest. Joint ALF / ELF claim.

APRIL 19, 1997
Indianapolis, Ind.
The ALF torched an Archer’s Meats truck cab.

JULY 21, 1997
Redmond, Ore.
The ALF and ELF used napalm — which they referred to as “vegan Jell-O” — to destroy the Cavel West horse slaughtering plant.

AUG. 16, 1997
West Jordan, Utah
Four ALF activists burned a McDonald’s restaurant to the ground, causing $400,000 in damage.

AUG. 17, 1997
Morton Grove, Ill.
The ALF threw two Molotov cocktails through a Cosmo’s Furs window.

AUG. 19, 1997
Fort Collins, Colo.
The ALF claimed an arson attack on Wildlife Pharmaceuticals.

AUG. 26, 1997
Howell, N.J.
The ALF torched several Jersey Cuts Meat Co. trucks, destroying three that were valued at $60,000 each.

FEB. 28, 1998
Indianapolis, Ind.
The Outdoorsman Sport Shop had its windows broken and was set on fire. ALF slogans were spray-painted at the shop.

MAY 4, 1998
Wimauma, Fla.
The ALF claimed credit for burning down Florida Veal Processors Inc., causing $500,000 in damage.

JUNE 28, 1998
Olympia, Wash.
The ALF and ELF claimed responsibility for an arson at a U.S. Department of Agriculture Damage Control building.

JULY 16, 1998
Paramus, N.J.
The ALF claimed the destruction of a Steven Corn Furs truck.

OCT. 18, 1998
Vail, Colo.
The ELF burned down the Vail Associates ski facility, destroying seven structures valued at more than $12 million.

NOV. 16, 1998
Manalapan, N.J.
A van owned by the Leather and Fur Ranch was firebombed by the ALF.

NOV. 29, 1998
Burns, Ore.
The ALF and the ELF claimed joint responsibility for an arson at the Bureau of Land Management’s Wild Horse Corrals.

DEC. 26, 1998
Medford, Ore.
The ELF claimed the $500,000 arson of a U.S. Forest Industries facility.

FEB. 18, 1999
Chicago, Ill.
Unidentified PETA activists were credited for throwing two pies at Procter & Gamble executive John Pepper to protest the company’s animal testing.

MARCH 5, 1999
Eugene, Ore.
The “Biotic Baking Brigade” took credit for throwing a banana cream pie in Sierra Club staffer Charlie Raine’s face to protest the Club’s support of land exchanges between the government and timber companies.

MARCH 11, 1999
Hampton, N.H.
Three Biotic Baking Brigade activists threw pies at University of Wisconsin geneticist Neil First, who was speaking at the University of New Hampshire, to protest genetic engineering at UW. David Pike and Renee Medford were charged with assault.

MARCH 27, 1999
Franklin, N.J.
The ALF firebombed six Big Apple Circus vehicles, destroying two trucks.

APRIL 5, 1999
Minneapolis, Minn.
Laboratories at the University of Minnesota were vandalized and dozens of research animals stolen by the ALF, wrecking research into Alzheimer’s and cancer.

MAY 9, 1999
Eugene, Ore.
ALF set a fire that destroyed a two-story office building, a shipping dock and a refrigeration unit at Childer’s Meat Co., wreaking about $150,000 in damage.

MAY 10, 1999
Neah Bay, Wash.
Sea Defense Alliance activists Jake Conroy and Josh Harper (who would later work for Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty) were charged with felony assault after allegedly throwing ignited smoke canisters at a Makah tribe’s whaling support vessel and firing a lighted flare across its bow.

JUNE 25, 1999
Miami, Fla.
The ALF claimed the firebombing of a Worldwide Primates truck.

AUG. 7, 1999
Escanaba, Mich.
ELF arsonists torched two fishing boats at the home of veterinarian James Boydston and spray-painted his garage door with “FUR IS MURDER, ELF.”

AUG. 9, 1999
Plymouth, Wis.
Mink feed supplier United Feeds was burned down by ALF at about the same time as an ALF raid and mink release at Gene Myer’s Fur Farm, also in the Plymouth area.

AUG. 29, 1999
Orange, Calif.
The ALF claimed an attack on a Bio-Devices Inc., research laboratory that resulted in $250,000 damage and the theft of 46 dogs.

AUG. 31, 1999
Fulton County, Ga.
The ALF burned down a McDonald’s restaurant. PETA’s Bruce Friedrich announced the crime on AR-News, an online animal rights news service.

SEPT. 23, 1999
Phippsburg, Mass.
The ALF claimed a failed arson at the Phippsburg Sportsmen’s Association, where activists turned over coffee pots, left plastic cups on the burners, and turned on a gas line.

OCT. 1999
Various cities
An ALF faction known as the Justice Department took credit for sending over 80 razor blade-laced envelopes, each containing a threatening letter with a picture of a bomb on it, to animal researchers, hunting guides and others in the United States and Canada. An ALF communiqué said some of the razor blades, which were positioned so as to slice open the fingers of anyone opening the envelopes, were coated in rat poison.

OCT. 22, 1999
Warwick, R.I.
The ALF claimed the torching of four Harris Furs vehicles.

NOV. 1, 1999
Seattle, Wash.
Four gasoline bombs were thrown into a Gap clothing store in an attack the FBI attributed to the ALF.

DEC. 4, 1999
Las Vegas, Nev.
PETA activist Dawn Carr hit rodeo showgirl Brandy DeJongh in the face with a pie moments after DeJongh was awarded the Miss Rodeo America 2000 crown.

DEC. 25, 1999
Monmouth, Ore.
The ELF claimed responsibility for burning down logging firm Boise Cascade’s regional headquarters.

DEC. 31, 1999
Lansing, Mich.
The ELF used accelerants to destroy $400,000 worth of property at Michigan State University in an action targeting Monsanto’s genetically engineered products. The blaze was discovered by a faculty member working late inside the facility.

January 23, 2000.
Bloomington, IN, USA
A fire destroyed a house at the Sterling Woods Development in the Bloomington area with estimated damage of $200,000. The ELF communique stated, “The house was targeted because the sprawling development it is located in is in the Lake Monroe Watershed. This is the drinking water supply for the town of Bloomington, Indiana and the surrounding area. It is already being jeopardized by existing development and roads.”

JAN. 3, 2000
Petaluma, Calif.
The ALF set fire to buildings and trucks at Rancho Veal’s meatpacking plant, causing $250,000 in damage.

JAN. 15, 2000
Petaluma, Calif.
The ALF claimed credit for placing five incendiary devices in offices and trucks at a Petaluma Farms chicken farm (which “enslaves chickens for their eggs”). Two trucks were destroyed.

JAN. 23, 2000
Bloomington, Ind.
The ELF claimed credit for torching a house under construction, causing some $200,000 in damage. “No Sprawl, ELF” was painted at the site.

JAN. 24, 2000
Redwood City, Calif.
The ALF claimed credit for attempting to burn down Primate Products, a medical research facility.

February 9, 2000.
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
ELF Crop Destruction, $1000+ damages.

March 24, 2000.
Highway 55 reroute, Mineapolis, MN, USA
Extensive damage doen to construction equipment $500,000 in damages.

April 22, 2000.
Richfield, MN, USA
Earth Night action at road construction site, a bulldozer front window wall smashed out and tire slashed, a truck windshield and window smashed, smaller vehicle and an equipment trailer have tires slashed.

April 30, 2000.
Ind. 46 construction, Bloomington, IN, USA
At least six pieces of logging and heavy construction equipment are sabotaged and a trailer full of wood chips is set ablaze at a road construction site just outside the city. $75,000+ damages.

MAY 30, 2000
Washington, D.C.
PETA activist Arathi Jayaram was charged with assault after throwing a pie at U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman at the National Nutrition Summit.

June 29, 2000.
Bloomington, IN, USA
Crooked Creek Road timber sales had tree spiked.

JULY 2, 2000
North Vernon, Ind.
The ALF took credit for burning a Rose Acre Farm chicken feed truck, causing $100,000 in damage. “Polluter, animal exploiter, your turn to pay,” was spray-painted at the scene.

July 21, 2000.
Rhinelander, WI, USA
U.S. Forest Service - Forest Biotechnology Laboratory, the ELF cut down thousands of experimental trees, mostly poplars, andspray-paint vehicles. The Earth Liberation Front claims the attack was against bioengineering. $1 million damages in crop destruction & vandalism

JULY 30, 2000
San Francisco, Calif.
Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade activist Bhaskar Sinha was charged with battery after threatening rock star Ted Nugent outside a Neiman Marcus department store.

SEPT. 9, 2000
Bloomington, Ind.
In an attack aimed at a highway project, the ELF claimed a minor fire at the Monroe County Republican Party headquarters that was meant as “a reminder to politicians.”

October 18, 2000.
Martin County State Forest in Indianna, USA
Logging equipment (Three skidders and a loader) had hoses cut, slash seats, destroy gauges and pour sand in the engines, fuel tanks and radiators. They leave spray-painted graffiti including, “Earth Raper,” “Go Cut in Hell,” and “ELF.” $55,000 damages.

November 11, 2000.
Coram, Long Island, NY, USA
The ELF visited a housing construction site. The newly built houses had their windows smashed and slogans spraypainted. The ELF stated they carried out their action to appose urban sprawl.

NOV. 27, 2000
Boulder, Colo.
The ELF claimed responsibility for torching a $2.5 million Legend Ridge mansion.

December 1, 2000.
Middle Island, Long Island, NY, USA
The ELF visited another housing construction site, monkey wrenching 12 vehicles and smashing over 200 windows of new houses. The ELF claim this action was to set a precedent that Long Island’s unique Pine Barren ecosystem wil not vanish without a fight.

December 9, 2000.
Middle Island, Long Island, NY, USA
Fire erupts in a condominium under construction. The Earth Liberation Front claims responsibility, saying the homes were “future dens of the wealthy elite.” The group, announcing “an unbounded war on urban sprawl,” claims it checked for occupants - human and animal - in 16 condos before setting incendiaries in them. $200,000+ damages.

DEC. 19, 2000
Miller Place, N.Y.
The ELF claimed credit for burning down a home under construction.

DEC. 29, 2000
Mount Sinai, N.Y.
The ELF took credit for burning down four new homes at Island Estates. Teenagers Jared McIntyre, Matthew Rammelkamp and George Mashkow III pleaded guilty to charges connected to the attack. Fellow teen Connor Cash was later indicted for arson, arson conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists.

JAN. 1, 2001
Glendale, Ore.
The ELF torched the Superior Lumber Co., causing $400,00 in damage. “This year,” the ELF said, “we hope to see an escalation in tactics against capitalism.”

JAN. 23, 2001
Capitola, Calif.
Peter Schnell and Matthew Whyte, both of the Animal Defense League, were found behind the Capitola City Hall with plastic milk bottles, gasoline and candles. After five containers of gasoline were found in Whyte’s car, Schnell told police he was working on a “craft project.” Authorities ultimately would sentence Schnell to 24 months and Whyte to 14 months in prison for attempted arson.

FEB. 20, 2001
Visalia, Calif.
The ELF claimed a fire at a research cotton gin owned by Delta & Pine Land, a firm accused of ties to Monsanto’s genetically engineered seed program.

MARCH 2, 2001
Douglas County, Ore.
The ELF claimed responsibility for spiking trees at the Umpqua National Forest to prevent a timber sale.

MARCH 30, 2001
Eugene, Ore.
Thirty SUVs at Joe Romania’s car dealership were torched, causing about $1 million in damage. The ELF said the attack was in support of Jeff “Free” Luers, who was serving a 23-year prison sentence, in part for torching cars at the same dealership.

APRIL 5, 2001
Arlington, Wash.
The ALF set fire to a National Food Corp. egg farm, causing $1.5 million in damage.

APRIL 15, 2001
Portland, Ore.
The ELF claimed an arson attack, using time-delayed fuses, that caused $210,000 in damage to cement trucks at Ross Island Sand & Gravel.

MAY 21, 2001
Seattle, Wash.
The ALF set fire to the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture, causing $5.6 million in damage and wrecking years of research on genetically altered poplar trees and similar projects.

JUNE 1, 2001
Estacada, Ore.
One logging truck was destroyed and two more damaged during an arson attack on Schoppert Logging trucks.

JUNE 12, 2001
Tucson, Ariz.
Four under-construction luxury homes were set afire and “CSP,” for Coalition to Save the Preserves, was found spray-painted at the site.

JUNE 14, 2001
New York, N.Y.
PETA activists aiming for fur designer Karl Lagerfeld missed and hit designer Calvin Klein with a tofu cream pie. Six members were charged with disorderly conduct and attempted assault.

JULY 2001
Cowlitz County, Wash. The ELF claimed responsibility for spiking hundreds of trees slated for a timber sale in the Cowlitz Valley.

JULY 4, 2001
Detroit, Mich.
The ELF torched an executive office of logging giant Weyerhauser to protest the company’s part in funding Oregon State University and the University of Washington’s poplar and cottonwood genetic engineering research.

JULY 24, 2001
Sands Point, N.Y.
The “Pirates for Animal Liberation” claimed responsibility for unsuccessfully trying to sink a Bank of New York employee’s 21-foot boat.

SEPT. 8, 2001
Tucson, Ariz.
Saying the attack was meant “as a warning to corporations worldwide,” the ALF and ELF claimed joint credit for the $500,000 arson of a McDonald’s restaurant.

SEPT. 20, 2001
Alamogordo, N.M.
The ALF claimed a $1 million arson fire at Coulston Foundation’s White Sands Research Center. Lab owner Dr. Fred Coulston had earlier had a bomb scare at his home and had also received razor blades in the mail.

OCT. 15, 2001
Susanville, Calif.
The ELF planted four firebombs at a Bureau of Land Management corral, burning down an $85,000 barn.

OCT. 24, 2001
Long Island, N.Y.
The “Special Operations: Huntingdon Life Sciences” cell of the ALF attacked Bank of America offices, smashing more than 30 windows and later boasting sarcastically that it had “joined the United States in their [sic] noble War Against Terrorism!”

NOV. 5, 2001
Idaho County, Idaho
The ELF claimed the spiking of trees in the Nez Perce National Forest to prevent a timber sale.

NOV. 5, 2001
Houghton, Mich.
After a series of ELF E-mail threats, suspected ELF activists planted incendiary devices at the U.J. Noblet Forestry Building and a U.S. Forest Service laboratory at Michigan Tech University. Security guards disarmed the devices.

NOV. 11, 2001
San Diego, Calif.
The ALF destroyed a contract animal research lab owned by Sierra Biomedical, causing $50,000 in damage.

JAN. 29, 2002
St. Paul, Minn.
The ELF claimed a $250,000 arson at the University of Minnesota’s Microbial and Plat Genomics Research Center, which was under construction.

JAN. 29, 2002
Fairfield, Maine
The ELF and ALF jointly claimed the sabotage of a biotech plant being built for Jackson Labs, an animal testing business. Sand and mortar mix were used to wreck construction equipment at the site.

Dec. 28, 2002
Philadelphia, Penn. ELF claims vandalism against new housing development in Philadelphia suburb.

Dec. 02,2002
Harborcreek, Penn. ELF & ALF joint claim fire at the Mindek Brothers Fur Farm.

July-Oct, 2002
Richmond, Virginia - The ELF takes numerous actions against SUVS in and around Richmond - causing between $50-100,000 in damages.

Aug. 11, 2002
Irvine, Penn.- The ELF claims attack on the United States Forest Service Northeast Research Station in Irvine, Pennsylvania causing over $700,000 in damages and destroying 70 years worth of research.

MARCH 24, 2002
Erie, Penn.
Saying it was trying to stop a highway project, the ELF spiked trees and torched a $500,000 construction crane at a bridge worksite.

MAY 3, 2002
Bloomington, Ind.
The ALF claimed a fire that destroyed a Sims Poultry truck.

JULY 10, 2002
Seattle, Wash.
Animal rights activists set off smoke bombs in two downtown buildings, sending 700 office workers fleeing into the streets. The targets were firms insuring Huntingdon Life Sciences, a company that does animal testing.

Jan. 29, 2002
St. Paul, Minn. The ELF claimed a $250,000 arson at the University of Minnesota’s Microbial and Plant Genomics Research Center, which was under construction.
News Release & Communique

Jan. 29, 2002
Fairfield, Maine. The ELF and ALF jointly claimed the sabotage of a biotech plant being built for Jackson Labs, an animal testing business. Sand and mortar mix were used to wreck construction equipment at the site.

October 8, 2003
Jemez Mountains, New Mexico Construction equipment belonging to the US Forest Service in the Jemez Mountains (New Mexico) had electrical wires cut, tires cut and windows broken. Officials say both vehicles had the initials “ELF” scratched onto them.

September 23, 2003
Mecosta County, Mich. Earth Liberation Front claims incendiaries left at a pumping station supplying a water bottling plant owned by Nestle Waters North America (formerly known as the Perrier Group of America) in Mecosta County, Michigan. According to news reports, these incendiaries failed to ignite and were removed from the station without incident.

September 19,2003
San Diego, Calif. ELF takes action against urban sprawl in the upscale Carmel Valley neighbourhood of San Diego, torching four houses and causing an estimated $1 million in damages. A banner left at the scene read “Development destruction. Stop raping nature. The ELFs are angry.”

September 05, 2003
Santa Fe, New Mex. ELF takes action against SUV dealer in New Mexico - spraypainting SUVS with messages naming the seven deadly sins. 1/3 of the dealership’s stock was marked, leaving thousands of dollars in damages.

August 22, 2003
West Covina, Calif. ELF takes action at four SUV delearships in Southern California causing an estimated $2.5 Million in damages. In West Covina, California an early morning fire ripped through a GM autodealership, destroying and damaging several SUVS including several Hummer H2s. A warehouse on the site was also destroyed by fire. Messages left at the scene there included “I (heart) Pollution,” “American Wastefullness” and “ELF”.

August 01,2003
San Diego, Calif. In the largest act of environmental sabotage in US history, the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) claims responsibility for a $50 million fire in San Diego, California, that destroyed an unfinished five-story condominium complex.

June 4, 2003
Macomb County, Mich. ELF sets fire to two luxury homes in a Macomb County housing development in an action against urban sprawl. Damages estimated at $700,000.

June 3,2003
Chico, Calif. Attempted anti-sprawl fire at Sterling Oaks development claimed by ELF.

March 28, 2003
Montgomery, Ala. Vehicles at Navy Recruiting Headquarters in Montgomery attacked. Damages included messages spraypainted on three Navy sedans and two Navy vans. In addition, a large two-panel truck was set on fire. This is the first specifically anti-war action carried out by the ELF in North America.

March 21, 2003 Superior Township, Mich. ELF sets fire to two luxury homes in a Superior Township housing development in an action against urban sprawl. Damages estimated at $400,000.

Jan. 1, 2003
Erie, Penn.ELF torches Bob Ferrando Ford Lincoln Mercury Dealership causing $90,000 in damages. Specifically targeted were SUVs in the lot.

January, 2004
Fayetteville, Arkasas Hummers in Fayetteville area vandalized over several weeks, tires slashed and vehicles spraypainted with “Glutton” and “ELF”

February 7, 2004
Charlottesville, Virginia Construction equipment at 30-acre development site targeted. One bulldozer set on fire and several other pieces of construction equipment have minor damage (broke windows and cut wires). Banner left at scene reads “YOUR CONSTRUCTION = LONGTERM DESTRUCTION - ELF”

Some of these incidents have been squeezed into the timeline, taken from ELF’s website–Diary of Actions.

How odd.

Congress has been dawdling all year on a tax bill, and as a result, millions of early filers could have to wait extra weeks for refunds that averaged last year at $2,291.

The Internal Revenue Service is looking hard at delaying the start of its filing season, set to kick off on Jan. 14, if Congress fails to pass legislation in the next two weeks. At issue is how to handle what could be a dramatic increase in the number of people facing a higher alternative minimum tax.

What it boils down to, is -approximately half of taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes in the $75,000-$100,000 range will be affected by the “Alternative Minimum Tax” this year; which is a huge tax increase.

The alternative minimum tax was passed in 1969 and was aimed at about 155 very wealthy families who used deductions to avoid paying any federal income tax. The AMT disallows certain deductions and credits. It was not adjusted for inflation; as a result, over the years it has hit a growing number of middle-income taxpayers.

More than 4 million were subject to it in the 2006 tax year, and that could soar to 25 million this year without congressional action.

We just need to go to the FAIRTAX and stop monkeying around with all of this.

X posted at Cao2

BY STEPHEN MOORE - Wall Street Journal - November 9, 2007

[ Yat’s Editorial Statement…

Let’s see why the Demonrats say it won’t work… ]

“I was told, ‘We cannot do a flat tax. It is untested. It will not work. It will cause budget deficits,” Mr. Laar recalls. However, he believed it would work because of what he’d read about it in Milton Friedman’s classic, “Free to Choose.” And so, in 1994, Mr. Laar ignored the economic pundits and snapped into place a 23% flat tax. Estonia has since experienced one of the most rapid growth spurts of any nation in the world.

There’s a lesson here for our country — Revolutionary ideas in economics, especially if they don’t leverage the power of the state, are often resisted by the intellectual elite. Ronald Reagan discovered this in 1980 when he was ridiculed by the establishment for proposing cuts in marginal tax rates as a cure for the high inflation and economic malaise of the 1970s.

Here we are 27 years later–with 40 million more jobs and a nearly $50 trillion higher net worth–yet the left intelligentsia is still obsessed with discrediting supply-side economics. In recent weeks, the New York Times, the New Yorker, the New Republic and many other liberal publications have devoted great space and attention to attacking the entire theory that lower tax rates can increase incentives for investment, saving and work.

Why are there 18 countries with flat-rate
taxes?

I’m a Natural-born Texan who’s always been fiercely proud of my state — but, this has got to be the biggest dumb-a$$ed idea I’ve ever heard of — they must’ve imported alot more stupid Demo$hitters to have come up with such an ignorant idea like this!

Texas Pushes to Add Tolls to Interstate Freeways

Tolls may be added to nearly all interstate highways and state freeways in Texas.

Driving in Texas could get very expensive as the state seeks new ways to collect money from existing roads. The Lone Star state is just one step behind Pennsylvania, which, earlier this month, filed an official request to impose a $25 tax on motorists who use an existing, free interstate highway. Now the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is lobbying Congress for blanket authority to toll Interstates 10, 27 and 35.

“Tolling isn’t an easy or popular decision for states, but TxDOT is leading a national trend toward innovative financing,” stated Forward Momentum, a TxDOT report presented to members of Congress earlier this year. “Congress must upend institutional thinking and embrace innovation.”

TxDOT’s proposed innovations include:

* Imposing a tax on motorists driving on existing federal interstate freeways
* Increasing TxDOT’s ability to borrow money
* Exempting private companies that operate toll roads from federal taxation

Because federal law prohibits the addition of tolls on freeways that have already been constructed with federal money, TxDOT wants to repay these funds so that it can buy its way out of the obligation to maintain them for free use. To obtain the money to do so, one option for TxDOT would be to sell the road to foreign investors, as happened in Indiana. In return, the investors would collect tolls on the freeway and share a small portion of the tax-free revenue with TxDOT.

The agency has already embarked on a proposal to add tolls to its own freeway network. Texas Toll Party founder Sal Costello described TxDOT’s plan for the Austin area which would spend nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars in gas tax money to convert existing state highways including 290, 71 and 183 into toll roads.

“This is an unacceptable double tax,” Costello said. “The $700 million in tax dollars should be spent on new capacity freeways, not tollways.”

The interstate highway tolling plan fits right in, Costello said. “Why toll only tax-funded freeways when you can toll tax-funded interstates as well?”

TxDOT complains that it does not have enough money from conventional funding sources such as federal and state gas taxes, sales taxes on automobiles and parts, registration and licensing fees, and traffic tickets. For each dollar Texans spend in federal tax at the gas pump, only 70 cents comes back to be spent on highway projects. Of this amount, a billion dollars is wasted, according to the TxDOT report. Over $333 million appropriated for Texas must be spent on items such as hike-and-bike trails. An additional $669 million was earmarked by individual members of Congress for projects in their own districts.

“While this may seem like a substantial and useful sum, approximately a third of the total dollar amount was designated for projects that had not been previously approved via a statewide or regional planning process,” the TxDOT report stated.

U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) reacted strongly against the TxDOT proposal in a statement issued today.

“Texans should never have to pay twice for a highway and I will fight any such efforts,” Hutchison said. “I intend to immediately introduce as free-standing legislation my amendment that the Senate passed in 2005 to specifically prohibit states from tolling existing interstate highways.”

This is just absolutely stupid

The following is a press release from Representative John Linder, and published at the FairTax.org web site. With each new Congress, the FairTax bill must be reintroduced. Please make sure you let your Senators and Representative know of your support for the FairTax.

Washington, D.C. - Today, Representative John Linder (R-GA) introduced H.R. 25, the “The FairTax Act of 2007.” This bill was first introduced by Congressman Linder in 1999, and has become increasingly popular since that time. At the close of the 109th Congress the FairTax Act was the most popular tax reform bill in Congress with 59 supporters in the House, which far exceeded any other piece of tax reform legislation.

“The progress we have made since first introducing the FairTax is simply amazing. The grassroots growth has been phenomenal and it is evident that Americans get it. They are way ahead of the politicians on this one. In the 109th Congress, we had 59 supporters on the bill, and we did not solicit a single one. They came to my office because their constituents demanded it. That is happening all over the country.”

This bi-partisan legislation, with Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK) as an original co-sponsor, will repeal all corporate and individual income taxes, payroll taxes, self-employment taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes and gift taxes and replace them with a revenue-neutral personal consumption tax. The revenue neutral number advocated in the bill is 23%, which is very near to the average 22% embedded cost of the current system in every good purchased today. This embedded cost will be driven out of the price of goods because the FairTax will also eliminate all business to business taxes.

“Americans realize that we can achieve a voluntary tax system by allowing everyone to pay taxes when they choose and how much they choose by how they choose to spend. We are giving Americans an option of paying 23 cents of every dollar they spend with the freedom of anonymity, or paying 33 cents of every dollar they earn and the fear that the IRS will come knocking because of some unintentional mistake. They get it, and they are coming in droves to support change.”

The FairTax achieves voluntary taxation by providing a prebate to all Americans that offsets the tax consequences of spending up to the poverty level. This aspect of the bill makes it the most progressive tax proposal today. In essence, if a family of four does not exceed the poverty level spending which is established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, then, with the prebate, they will pay no federal taxes for that year.

“Big ideas take a long time to achieve in Washington D.C., and I am excited with the progress we have made in such a short period of time. There are certain economic forces that are pushing us toward the FairTax. If we are going to continue to compete in a global economy, then we will have to move towards a system that removes the foot of the IRS from the throat of our economy.”

Congressman Linder added that he has a new grassroots oriented website, linderfairtax.house.gov that contains answers to any FairTax related questions.

Of course, you may also find the latest and most definitive information about the FairTax right here at FairTax.org.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry . You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

by Debbie of Right Truth

John Edwards is running for president of the United States on his same old theme, ‘two Americas‘. He hopes to get votes by pitting the ‘haves’ against the ‘have nots’. He even chose New Orleans to make his announcement, with the unspoken message that the government failed the poor people and he has stepped in to be their savior.

Edwards is promising universal health care, pulling out of Iraq ,taxing oil company profits and eliminating President Bush’s tax cuts to pay for his priorities. Edwards is not alone in his thinking about the evil rich (of which he happens to BE ONE). Yesterday Thomas Sowell had a wonderful article that relates to this, titled ‘A Dangerous Obsession’.

Mr. Sowell picked up on the media, the left, and academia’s continuous obsession with “gaps” and “disparities” in income. ‘As one talk-show host put it, “It makes no sense” that a corporate executive makes over $50 million a year.’ Sowell says, “Ninety-nine percent of all the things that happen in this world “make no sense” to any given individual.”

If you cannot understand something as simple as making a lead pencil, why should you be surprised that you don’t understand why someone is making a lot more money than somebody else?

Moreover, if this obsession with income disparities is to be something more than mere hand-wringing or gnashing of teeth, obviously the point is that somebody ought to “do something” to change what you don’t understand.

That’s what the left, liberals, and Edwards wants to do. They want to correct what they perceive as something wrong, …some people having more money than others. And how would one go about correcting such an atrocity? That’s easy. Take away the excess from one, and give it to another. Or as Mr. Sowell puts it, “Usually that means that the government — politicians — should impose policies based on your ignorance of what is going on.”

Of course, such political control of incomes is usually advocated only to deal with “the rich.” But, when income taxes were imposed in the early 20th century, they applied only to “the rich” and they took a very small percentage of their income.

Once the floodgates are opened to this kind of political power, however, we have seen with the income taxes that they not only spread far beyond “the rich,” they took a serious share of even middle class incomes.

Moreover, the income tax has spawned an intrusive bureaucracy, creating so much complexity and red tape that millions of ordinary citizens have to go get some accountant to fill out the forms for them — and then sign under penalty of perjury that it was done right.

If you knew how to do it right, you wouldn’t have to go to somebody else to have it done, would you? …

It is also worth noting that the people who are said to be earning “obscene” amounts of money are usually corporate executives. There is no such outrage whipped up when Hollywood movie stars make some multiple of what most corporate executives make.

In short, Mr. Sowell is asking, “Whose wealth is it anyway?” Did the government earn this wealth? No, they didn’t. Why should they be the ones to decide who is worthy to spend that wealth? Did the government produce any product, any widgets, any business that will employ others? Unless you count the bureaucracies needed to collect and redistribute this wealth, the answer is no.

In reading Mr. Sowell’s article, I thought directly of the United States, but Tom at Libertarian Leanings looks at this from a world view.

Israel has nowhere near the natural resources of the Arab states, yet they are wealthier by far. According to the CIA World Factbook, Israel produces a measely 2740 barrels of oil per day. At the same time Saudi Arabia puts out 9,475,000, and Iran 3,979,000. Yet Israel enjoys a per capita GDP of $25,000, while Saudi Arabia and Iran come in at $13,100 and $8,400 respectively. The income gap is not a crisis in Israel because Israelis have the freedom to produce wealth. Arab state citizens have less freedom, less wealth, and less hope for getting it.

Unfortunately, leftists (and Democrats) can’t bring themselves to support the spread of freedom. Their antidote to the growing gap between the rich and the poor is to prevent the creation of wealth. Taxation discourages an activity, so the lefty solution to their contrived crisis is to tax wealth (income) at ever higher rates as a person demonstrates ever higher success in creating it. The Arab solution is to wipe Israel off the map. Actually, there are Democrats who seem to be coming around to that view.

This brings me back to the United States, to the Fair Tax, which would replace the federal income tax system with a progressive national retail sales tax. It provides a “prebate” to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level, dollar-for-dollar federal revenue replacement and, through companion legislation, repeal of the 16th Amendment.

This nonpartisan legislation (HR 25/S 25) abolishes all federal personal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes and replaces them all with one simple, visible, federal retail sales tax – collected by existing state sales tax authorities.

The FairTax taxes us only on what we choose to spend, not on what we earn. It does not raise any more or less revenue; it is designed to be revenue neutral. (more)

Why should people be punished because they took the risks to build a business, to produce a product, to creat a new widget? Why should they be punished by having the government take away a large portion of their profits, profits that could be used to produce MORE jobs, more widgets, more wealth? Why should the creators of wealth, who give much of that wealth away to worthy and needy organizations, be punished? They shouldn’t.

On the world scene, Brad leaves a comment at Thought Streaming
“One can never force a productive, ambitious, disciplined spirit to subsidize weak mindsets girded by overactive libidos, they will always rebel,…”. Graeme also leaves a comment, ” …if you give people a “voice” at work, they will produce more. They have incentive to work.”

If you let people produce wealth, reinvest wealth, and use it as they see fit without government intrusion, you will actually see more help being given to those in need; more opportunities for those in need of better jobs, higher salaries, more education. Don’t punish people for using the gifts and opportunities God gave them.

That my dear friends is what folks like Edwards (and Hillary Clinton) want to do.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry . You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

by Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous

I came across this article several weeks ago from one of my favorite columnists. Professor Williams has a very succinct way of conveying complicated topics and themes. If you are not a regular reader of his, you should at least check out his regular column at Townhall.

In this piece, Professor Williams tackles the Fair Tax, and as we would hope he describes some of the highlights and benefits that would be reaped upon its passage.

If enacted, the Fair Tax would eliminate: the federal individual income tax, alternative minimum tax, corporate and business taxes, capital gains tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes, and estate and gift taxes. These taxes would be replaced by a 23 percent sales tax on all goods and services sold at the retail level. The Fair Tax would be revenue-neutral in the sense that it would replace the revenue from current federal taxes; thus, it would change the way government is funded. Our current tax code is an abomination, and we desperately need that change. The time Americans spend simply complying with our tax code comes to 5.8 billion hours of record-keeping, filing taxes, consulting, legal and accounting services. Breaking those hours down to a 40-hour work week, it translates into a workforce of 2.77 million people. That’s more than the workforce of our auto, aircraft, computer and steel manufacturing industries combined.

The Fair Tax has much to recommend in its favor, such as being a more efficient form of taxation. It would go a long way toward protecting our privacy and preventing Congress from using the tax code to micromanage our lives. The Fair Tax is an excellent idea, but only under three conditions: first, the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment that created the income tax; second, a provision fixing the tax at, say, 23 percent; and third, a constitutional amendment mandating that a tax increase requires a three-fourths vote of Congress. Notwithstanding any provisions within the Fair Tax, if the Sixteenth Amendment weren’t repealed, down the road we’d find ourselves with a national sales tax and an income tax.

But, what I found to be the most interesting is the Professor William’s take on the prospects of the passage of the Fair tax. Seeing it as a tremendous obstacle, Professor Williams is quite pessimistic in outlook. While we here at the Fair Tax Blogburst respectfully disagree with this synopsis, his underlying rationale for the difficulty of passage of the Fair tax cannot be ignored.

You say, “Williams, it sounds as if you don’t trust Congress.” I don’t trust Congress any farther than I can toss an elephant. During the debate prior to ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment, congressmen said that only the rich would ever pay income taxes. In 1917, only one-half of one percent of income earners paid income taxes. Those earning $250,000 a year in today’s dollars paid one percent, and those earning $6 million in today’s dollars paid 7 percent. The lie that only the rich would ever pay income taxes was simply propaganda to dupe Americans into ratifying the Sixteenth Amendment.

Here’s my prediction: The Fair Tax will never become law. The two most powerful congressional committees are the House Ways and Means and the Senate Finance committees. These committees write tax law, and as such they are able to confer tax privileges on some Americans at the expense of other Americans. The Fair Tax would reduce or eliminate this form of congressional privilege-granting power and, subsequently, campaign contributions from the beneficiaries would dwindle.

The method used to finance the federal government is very important, but I’ve always argued that government spending is the true measure of its impact on our lives. If there were a Fair Tax, what’s to stop Congress from deficit spending or inflating the currency? Deficit spending and inflation are simply alternative forms, albeit less obvious, of taxation.

You say, “What’s Williams’ solution?” My solution is an amendment limiting federal spending to a fixed percentage, say, 10 percent of the gross domestic product. You say, “Why 10 percent?” If 10 percent is good enough for the Baptist Church, it certainly ought to be good enough for Congress.

The question we must ask is “What makes Williams think that this will pass any easier than the FairTax?” The outcome is doubtful for the exact same reasons that Williams argues would doom the FairTax — the committees which decide where certain monies are spent can also confer privileges on some Americans at the expense of other Americans. Limiting spending to 10% would eliminate much of the congressional privilege-granting power, and corresponding campaign contributions.

The one thing that the FairTax has behind it is the power of a grassroots organization. Ultimately, this is still a government of, by, and for the people. It is up to us to see that our representatives perform as we believe they should. It is up to us to insure passage of the FairTax bill. We must take Mr. Williams arguments for the FairTax and spread them as widely as possible, while ignoring his pessimism. Together, we can get this done.

And maybe in the meantime we can also cut spending, thus reducing the amount of tax required for the FairTax. Now isn’t that an idea?

Why our Political Leaders Should Embrace the FairTax Plan
by John DeJong of NotMeUSA.com

The Fair Tax Plan (HR.25/S.25) has been out for well over a year now and yet there are still many people who have never even heard of it. One would think that a plan as bold and beneficial as this would be sounded from one coast to the next. Yet that is not the case. As a point of fact there are many liberal political leaders who continually ridicule the Fair Tax Plan whenever it is mentioned. They’re acting under the misguided belief that this wonderful plan favors the “rich”. That is the farthest from the truth as one can come.

The sad fact is that if any of these doomsayers would take the time to actually read the entire plan then they would quickly recognize it for what it is—the greatest social welfare program of all time. This belief Fair Tax proponents share is held because HR.25/S.25 will do more for the “lower income” wage earners in the U.S.A. than any other liberal program(s) in existence today.

You see, all consumers will receive an annualized rebate (in 12 equal monthly installments) on necessary living expenditures up to the poverty level. The size of the monthly rebate will be determined by the government’s published poverty level for a particular household size, multiplied by the tax rate. What this means is that for each person the monthly rebate will be increased in order to pay for the entire household costs for the basic necessities of life. This monthly rebate is given to all citizens regardless of age, sex, race, or income level.

This is how the Fair Tax would have worked in the year 2000. An individual would have received 100% of their pay check. That is if they earned $250 per week they would have taken home $250 per week. Plus, the individual would also receive a monthly check of $160 each month to help pay for their basic necessities of life.

That’s a tax-free income and another $40 a week for your own benefit. The best part of all is what the Fair Tax Plan will do for families. Back in the year 2000 a family of four would have received an additional $431 rebate per month for their livelihood. That payment will happen each and every month until the children become adults. When one considers all of the added values with the Fair Tax in buying used items like cars and homes tax free; there is no better way of helping others to live the American dream.

Is that not what we all want in these United States? Is it not the entire Democratic doctrine to bring equality among the masses? So then why do your democratic leaders refuse to back HR-25/S-25 and all that it will do for America? These are the questions that you must demand of all of your representatives to answer — Democrats and Republicans alike.

The above are just a few of many more questions to be asked and I will address them all in following articles. Until then you can download and read the entire 40 page Fair Tax Plan brochure at the Fair Tax Volunteer website. While you’re there you will also find tons of stuff and highly important political information on how we can all persuade our representatives into enacting the FairTax Plan. Of course you can also join the revolution while you are there.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

What Would It Mean to Pass the FairTax Plan?
by John DeJong of NotMeUSA.com

How would you like to keep one hundred percent of everything you earn? That is one hundred percent of your paycheck, your savings interest, your inheritance, your winnings and any money given to you from a benefactor. How much would you like never to have to worry about tax laws, deadlines, audits, penalties and punishments? Imagine a world where April 15 is just another day of the year… won’t that be wonderful?

It will soon come to pass. Some day in the not so distant future we will all benefit from the passage of the FairTax Plan (HR 25/S 25). Once this piece of legislation becomes law the United States will experience an economic escalation that is unprecedented in history. Imagine the cost of living actually moving downward! Envision fuel prices falling and the prices for everyday consumables lowering back down to sixties proportions. How about being able to have mortgage companies actually compete with low prices against each other?

With the FairTax in place we will see incredible job growth. There will be hundreds even thousands of jobs that foreign companies will be bringing back to America. It will be poetic justice when Asian companies start building “call centers” all over the USA. We’ll see Japanese, German, Chinese and even Mexican manufacturers moving into the USA to save huge sums of money while providing Americans with jobs-a-plenty.

Our farmers will actually be able to cultivate their lands knowing full well that their family business will stay in the family and not be sucked dry by the banks. There won’t be any need for tracking thousands of expenses just for tax purposes. When the patriarch passes away his family will be able to keep the farm because there won’t be anymore inheritance taxes. In fact, farming will become highly profitable again.

The FairTax will equally lessen crime and make criminals pay taxes from their illegal income for the first time ever. Because when crooks buy with their ill gotten gains they’ll be paying taxes on their purchases. For the first time ever, illegal aliens will also pay taxes despite their “under the table” cash income. Most of the lobbyists on Capital Hill will have their power brokerage decreased because tax “favors” will no longer be used to garner corporate political clout.

I have just touched the surface on all the inconceivable benefits that are going to be reaped once we make our political leaders realize that we want and need the Fairtax. The United States was always the world’s model for economic prosperity…that was up until the mid to late 1990’s. Then somewhere in that decade we fell behind several other nations. With the FairTax enacted, we will once again become the world’s economic trend setter and employment magnet.

This is the first in a series of FairTax articles that I will be writing. In each of the subsequent articles I’ll focus more on informing you with better detail about the FairTax benefits. If you would like to know everything about (HR 25/S 25) in advance then please go to the Americans for Fair Taxation website at www.fairtax.org. There you will find tons of stuff and highly important political information on how we can all persuade our representatives into enacting the FairTax Plan.

by Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous

Now that the aftermath of the elections have subsided, I want to follow-up on what TD said in the FTBB a couple of weeks ago about grassroots campaigning. As we have mentioned on countless occasions, whether you are a Republican or Democrat or Libertarian, the FairTax is for you.

I, myself did not heed my own advice for I grew disconcerted immediately after the election for the FairTax’s prospects. Me, being an individual that leans right of center in virtually every facet of my life thought the Democrat Party would not be the party to implement the FairTax.

But, the more I have come to think of it the more I grow somewhat optimistic. Why? Well, the Democrat Party has promised to reform government in many ways, and one in particular is ethics reform and reducing/eliminating earmarks. This is where our grassroots campaign must be decisive. We must remain vigilant to stay one step ahead of societal evolution in bring in the nation our message. The FairTax fits this agenda. It will and is designed to work to disrupt and eliminate the albatross that is our current system.

People around this country can and are already beginning to realize this phenomenon. Take Mr. Stephen Sanders of Fayetteville, NC:

Congressional scandals were a part of the changes in the last election. Many citizens cast their votes out of disgust at the influence-peddling of some congressional representatives and their highly paid lobbyist friends.

Quite often, this influence-peddling involves special tax considerations for those who hire the lobbyists. The lobbyists make large salaries by persuading members of Congress to tweak the tax code in favor of the lobbyists’ clients. This is where loopholes, tax incentives, tax exemptions and tax exclusions come from. It is a large part of why the U.S. tax code is so complex and convoluted. It is also why we desperately need the Fair Tax.

The Fair Tax is very aptly named because it is, unlike the current income tax, fair. The Fair Tax replaces the income tax with a national retail sales tax. Under the Fair Tax, there are no exemptions, no loopholes and no special consideration for the privileged few. There is no convoluted tax code that even Internal Revenue Service experts cannot figure out. And because the Fair Tax treats everyone the same without exceptions, exemptions, and loopholes, there is less influence-peddling.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please
email Terry . You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

by Terry Dillard of The Right Track

Well, the elections are over and I’ve heard everything from “It’s a sure thing” to “No way it’ll even make it out of committee now” regarding the FairTax.

One thing I do know — never underestimate the power of a grassroots movement. Democrats were shown in 1994 not to take their power for granted, and Republicans had that same lesson hammered home to them a week ago. The American people have no hesitation whatsoever about “flushing the toilet” as I prefer to call it.

Whatever your political orientation, it’s been amply proven by now that lower taxes produce a stronger economy — if we can keep spending in check. Giving Americans the ability to choose exactly how much they pay in taxes via the FairTax is a win-win situation for individuals and our government.

I found an interesting blog article that managed to work the FairTax into a post on national security. From “Freedom Is Always the Right Answer”, the post is titled “Defeating China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran in the Cold War of Terror“. The post begins:

China and Russia are allied and using all the tools at their disposal, including supporting North Korea and Iran, and to a lessor extent Venezuela, to defeat us in a new Cold War of Terror. China and Russia have supplied weapons, diplomatic cover, and economic support to these rogue states to drain American resources, our respect in the international community, and generally create chaos. China is stealing our technological secrets through a coordinated program of traditional intelligence and computer infiltration. China and Russia are threatening our satellites. China constantly threatens our ally, Taiwan. We can use the lessons from the first Cold War to figure out how to win this new one.

The author postulates that winning the war against terror and those who sponsor it — directly or indirectly, it would seem — will require the same tactics used by JFK to get the missiles out of Cuba, and by Reagan to defeat the Soviet Union. Part of this, of course, is economic in nature. According to the author’s theory:

Once we put China in this position, it won’t allow North Korea to be the tail that wags the dog. China will be upset with the U.S., as will the rest of the world who will call us dangerous cowboys, like they did Reagan, but China’s only good option would be to work for a nuclear free Korean peninsula. China would suffer the economic pain (no more Kentucky Fried Chicken) of losing the world’s greatest consumer as a costumer, plus it would be in the untenable position of being at the mercy of the madman in North Korea. America could get China’s support for regime change or some other policy to remove the nukes in North Korea.

America would also suffer economic pain (T-Shirt prices would rise) from these trade restrictions, but domestic policy would limit that pain, and turn it into an advantage. By adopting the FairTax, America would begin to return as a manufacturing juggernaut. Reducing government interference in the free market would assist this process. American products, no longer burdened by the income tax, would compete with Chinese made products on the world market, further enriching America and hurting China/NK. This American growth in manufacturing would drive prices lower to compensate for the price increases from restricted trade with China/NK. This would put pressure on China to democratize. [TD - emphasis added]

But aside from National Security, the FairTax is just a good idea. The Kodiak Daily Mirror came out in favor of it because it is grassroots in nature. You know, “We the people” kind of thinking. In “New Tax Act Gives Power to the People“, the Daily Mirror gives its reasons for supporting the FairTax:

A proposed bill, The Fair Tax Act, would change the way our government collects our tax money. It sounds the death toll for the Internal Revenue Service, paycheck withholdings and tax returns. As the replacement, a national sales tax, designed to fund our government at its current rate, would replace our old system. It relieves the burden of an overly complicated tax code as special interests lobby for loopholes.

The national sales tax will be collected on all new goods and services and takes the place of our income withholdings. The system is blind to income levels, yet ensures the basic necessities of life are not taxed through a tax pre-bate system. This prevents the government from dictating what the basic necessities are and affords us the ability to make our own decisions. [TD - emphasis added]

How cool is that? What a novel idea! Letting us make our own decisions! I like it! The Daily Mirror finishes the article by referring to no less a document than our own Declaration of Independence:

As stated so eloquently in our Declaration of Independence, we hold the power, not the government or our elected officials. It is time for a real change offered by the Fair Tax Act to encourage economical growth and investment. It is time to do away with the burdensome taxation system that we detest and political officials use to gain votes.

All I can add to that is a hearty “Amen”!

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

By Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous

Here is an update of candidate positions/incumbent positions on the FairTax. More information like this can be found at the “FairTax Scorecard.”

Terry and I encourage each of you to consider writing and asking your candidates/incumbents in this, the final week before the election. Terry and I, as I am sure most of you, consider this to be a non-partisan, no-brainer and would like to see Republicans and Democrats alike come together over such a proposal.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

With this heated election approaching faster than one could imagine, we thought it would be a time to throw the FT BB into the debates to see where each of our respective candidates reside in these matters.

We have grown fast and have expanded further than Terry and I anticipated in such a short time, which should prove to be interesting as we will hopefully see. Since we have members of numerous states, and numerous districts of the House of Representatives, let us see where the incumbents and their challengers reside when it comes to the Fair Tax.

This is where Terry and I ask for a small Homework assignment, but Terry and I will be participating, as well…..

What we shall do is send a letter to each of the respective campaigns for the district you reside asking them how they feel in regards to the Fair Tax. It can be something as simple as an e-mail, and you can tell them that the Fair Tax BlogBurst will be curious to see their answers….that way, when we hear back from them, we can all report for our readers where these individual candidates stand. We have provided a form letter below, so feel free to borrow this letter and use it/modify it for your convenience. Readers of the FT BB, we encourage you to do the very same and send either Terry or I an e-mail and let us know what they have to say.

This should prove interesting, and should prove to be informative for voters, as well.

Good Luck!

Here is a valuable resource to look up the individual e-mail addresses of your Representatives.

Sample letter to Congress: The Fair Tax Act, a nonpartisan bill (rewrite this to be your letter)

[Date]

The Honorable [First and Last name of congressman or senator]
United States [House of Representatives or Senate]
Washington, D.C. 20510

Re: The FairTax replaces the current tax system.

Dear [Congressman or Senator Last name]:

The Fair Tax Act, a nonpartisan bill sponsored by Representative John Linder (GA) and Senator Saxby Chambliss (GA), removes the burden of the income tax and other federal income-based taxes.

The current tax system is incomprehensible. It is beyond reform. It simply has to go.

The Fair Tax Act replaces the current tax system with a national consumption tax that:

• Allows Americans to keep 100 percent of their paychecks, pensions, and Social Security payments.
• Provides a prepaid, monthly rebate for every registered household.
• Allows families to save more for home ownership, education, and retirement.
• Raises the same amount of money for the federal government.
• Makes American products more competitive overseas.

I urge you to heed the vast majority of voters who will surely support you if you are seen as responsible for passage of this historical tax reform measure.

As a constituent, I would like to know where you stand on the FairTax.

Sincerely,

Your Constituent
[Name]
[Address]
[City, State ZIP]
[Phone number]

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

Here are the blogs participating:

by TD of The Right Track

As I see it, the main problem with the Income Tax is that it is virtually impossible to enforce completely and fairly. Compliance with the Income Tax depends on taxpayer truthfulness, which generally is motivated either by a) good character, or b) fear of an IRS audit. With the FairTax, the tax is collected when the money is spent, from everyone, with greatly reduced opportunities for non-compliance by the public.

For instance, what about the criminal element in our country? Have you ever heard of the Mafia? Or the drug dealer? Do you think that these people report 100% of their income? Of course not! They get out of paying a huge percentage of their actual tax bill by the simple expedient of not reporting all of their income. But these same individuals still have to pay utility bills, purchase prescription drugs, visit doctors, and buy food. And if they believe in the “high life” of new cars, fancy clothes and jewelry, and new homes, they’re going to pay more than “Joe Six-pack” who chooses to drive a used car, or purchase a home that’s not brand new.

And it’s not just individuals who are managing to avoid paying taxes these days. Everyone in America has heard of the rush to move American companies “offshore”, whether in whole or in part. Think about it — have you ever seen an American-flagged commercial vessel? Oh sure, we’ve got our warships, but what about commercial boats that carry cargo or cruise passengers? Most of these are flying the flag of Liberia or Panama — low-tax nations.

In the mid-1950s, about 33% of all income taxes collected were paid by American corporations. Today that number is down to approximately 10%. From “The FairTax Book” by Boortz and Linder:

“That plunge is a major factor in our recent soaring deficits. Indeed, international corporations are essentially “voluntary” taxpayers today, paying only that amount in taxes that they believe will avoid attracting embarrassing news coverage. These corporations believe that our draconian tax structures make their actions necessary. The OFCs [offshore financial centers, or banks - TD] make their plans feasible” [Emphasis added - TD]

Boortz and Linder make the point that if we eliminated all taxes on capital and labor, (which the FairTax does), the United States would become the world’s tax haven.

We have the most stable economy, the most liquid and trusted markets, and the highest rates of labor productivity in the world — and the trillions of dollars in those OFCs would flow back home to the United States for the very reason they found themselves offshore to start with.

And we’re not just talking about American businesses coming home, we’re talking about wooing corporations based in other countries into America. Think of the economic benefits! More productivity, lower unemployment, higher wages, and all occurring within a tax system that allows you at least partly to choose whether to pay taxes! Buy it new, pay a tax, buy it used and don’t!

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

TD

Here are the blogs participating so far:

by Jonathan Garner of Publius Rendezvous

It has been interesting lately to observe just what the critics of the Fair Tax have to say. Lately, much of what has been said has centered around percentages. Clever as it may be to confuse people with cleverly worded assertions that tend to fool the average American when it comes to these issues. If anyone in the audience is similar to me, it takes focused attention lest my eyes glaze over at the thought of following someone’s lessons involving percentages, statistics and numbers in general.

Succinctly, what has been asserted that I have seen generally resembles something such as this: (http://www.jpfo.org/fairtax.htm)

Remember, even the proponents admit they’d need a 23 percent tax rate to fund the current size of the federal government. However, they are starting out their new “fair” tax system with highly deceptive language.

H.R. 25, Section 101(b)(1) states “FOR 2005- In the calendar year 2005, the rate of tax is 23 percent of the gross payments for the taxable property or service.” Note the phrase “of the gross payment.”

Here’s how it works: You buy a candy bar for a total price, including tax, of $1.30. One dollar of that price pays for the candy bar; $.30 goes to the federal government.

One dollar purchase + $.30 in tax sounds like 30 percent to you and me (and to every state that currently has a sales tax). But the “FairTaxers” don’t calculate it that way. They say: $1.30 total price. $.30 = 23 percent of $1.30, therefore the tax is 23 percent.

Many critics have pointed out that this is a deceptive way to calculate a sales tax. AFT rebuts the critics by saying (we paraphrase for simplicity), “If you made $1.30 in income and paid $.30 of it in tax, you’d call it a 23 percent tax rate.” The 23 percent figure is what AFT refers to as the “tax inclusive” rate.

But a sales tax is not an income tax, and when we see national sales tax advocates and uncritical journalists promoting the 23 percent figure without giving the underlying explanation, we can only think that some very thick wool is being pulled over people’s eyes.

But, as we shall see, there is yet again another major study that has been conducted that definitively illustrates the merit of the Fair Tax. As has been reported by The Fair Tax Blog (http://www.fairtaxblog.com/20061002/kotlikoff-study-23-fairtax-revenue-neutral/), Boston University Economics Professor Laurence Kotlikoff’s much-anticipated study of the necessary revenue-neutral rate for the FairTax has been published and released. Terry and I will refrain from reproducing the entire study, but peruse through the abstract below to see just how much the supporters already know!

As specified in Congressional bill H.R. 25/S. 25, the FairTax is a proposal to replace the federal personal income tax, corporate income tax, payroll (FICA) tax, capital gains, alternative minimum, self-employment, and estate and gifts taxes with a single-rate federal retail sales tax. The FairTax also provides a prebate to each household based on its demographic composition. The prebate is set to ensure that households pay no taxes net on spending up to the poverty level.

Bill Gale (2005) and the President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform (2005) suggest that the effective (tax inclusive) tax rate needed to implement H.R. 25 is far higher than the proposed 23% rate. This study, which builds on Gale’s (2005) analysis, shows that a 23% rate is eminently feasible and suggests why Gale and the Tax Panel reached the opposite conclusion.

This paper begins by projecting the FairTax’s 2007 tax base net of its rebate. Next it calculates the tax rate needed to maintain the real levels of federal and state spending under the FairTax. It then determines if an effective rate of 23% would be sufficient to fund 2007 estimated spending or if not, the amount by which non-Social Security federal expenditures would need to be reduced. Finally, it shows that the FairTax imposes no additional real fiscal burdens on state and local government, notwithstanding the requirement that such governments pay the FairTax when they purchase goods and services.

Implementing the FairTax rate of 23% would produce $2,586 billion in federal tax revenues which is $358 billion more than the $2,228 billion in tax revenues generated by the taxes it repeals. Adjusting the base for the prebate and the administrative credit paid to businesses and states for collecting the tax results in a net tax base of $9,355 billion. In 2007, spending at current levels is projected to be $3,285 billion. Revenues from the FairTax at a 23% tax rate, plus other federal revenues, are estimated to yield $3,209 billion which is $76 billion less than current CBO spending projections for 2007. The $76 billion amounts to only 2.73% of non-Social Security spending ($2,177 - $2,101). This is a remarkably small adjustment when set against the more than 30% rise in the real value of these expenditures since 2000.

Ensuring real revenue neutrality at the federal level, given the net base of $9,355 billion, implies a rate of 23.82% on a tax-inclusive basis and 31.27% on a tax-exclusive basis. These and other calculations presented here ignore a) general equilibrium feedback (supply-side and demand-side) effects that could significantly raise the FairTax base (see, for example, Kotlikoff and Jokisch, 2005), b) the possibility that tax evasion would exceed the considerable amount automatically incorporated here via the use of NIPA data, which undercount consumption expenditures due to evasion under the current tax system, and c) the roughly $1 trillion real capital gain the federal government would secure on its outstanding nominal debt, were consumer prices to rise by the full amount of the FairTax.

The FairTax redistributes real purchasing power from state and local governments to their state and local income-tax taxpayers. It does so by reducing factor prices relative to consumer prices and, thereby, reducing the real value (measured at consumer prices) of state and local income tax payments, which are assessed on factor incomes (namely, factor supplies times factor prices).

Gale (2005) and the Tax Panel (2005) recognized this loss in real state and local government revenues in claiming that these governments need to be compensated for having to pay the FairTax. But what they apparently missed is that this loss to these governments is exactly offset by a gain to their taxpayers.

Were state and local governments to maintain their real income tax collections - the assumption made here - by increasing their tax rates appropriately, their taxpayers’ real tax burdens would remain unchanged and there would be no need for the federal government to compensate state and local governments for having to pay the FairTax on their purchases. The second is that H.R. 25 does not preclude state and local governments from levying their sales taxes on the FairTax-inclusive price of consumer goods and services. This produces significantly more revenue compared to levying their sales taxes on producer prices.

Moreover, Gale (2005) and the Tax Panel (2005) arrived at a higher tax rate because they did not estimate the FairTax rate, but instead estimated a sales tax of their own design which had a substantially narrower base.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

Blogs contributing to this burst:

by TD of The Right Track

A quick and dirty search through Google News for articles, news, and editorials revealed no less than 14 pieces written in the last month regarding the FairTax. Fully 1/3 of those were editorials agreeing with the need for the FairTax.

A sampling:

From the Denver Daily News, an editorial titled “FairTax, not flat tax, needed to fix nation’s taxation woes“:

Dear editor,

The IRS needs to be eliminated and replaced with the FairTax, not the flat tax, as suggested by columnist Aaron Harber in Monday’s Denver Daily News.

The flat tax changes absolutely nothing — the IRS, tax code, regulations, 16th Amendment, corporate taxation and payroll taxes (the way Social Security is funded) stay exactly the same under the flat tax.

At best, the flat tax is temporary, the wrong direction to move towards simplification.

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “The Fairer Tax“:

The Fair Tax (FairTax.org) will make our true tax burden — most of which is concealed in the price of goods and services — visible to all and is a necessary first step toward smaller and less-intrusive government.

We cannot allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good.

So first, let’s replace the current complex and dishonest system of taxation with a fair and transparent system that will allow the people to choose how much government they can afford in full knowledge of how much it really costs.

The Raleigh/Durham News & Observer has an editorial headlined “Total Replacement“:

Our tax code has grown steadily more complex, unwieldy, expensive and out of control ever since its overhaul in 1986. The IRS is increasingly unable to cope with the tax code, and puts much of its resources to uses unrelated to raising revenue and contrary to the wishes of the Founders.

Like Icarus flying ever closer to the sun, the tax system appears to be headed for self-destruction. It is far beyond any fix and is losing respect and credibility. The only reasonable solution is to finally and completely scrap it and replace it. I supp