A solution to what ails us... a "bullhorn" tax... and I am completely serious

Sometimes what begins in jest surprises us all...

So, I was sitting here thinking (it's rare, but it happens). How do we end the double speak, mis-info, dis-info, and yes my friends... blatant propaganda that spews forth from our politicians on a daily basis. Think about it... it is a constant barrage of utter bull# from both sides... it is numbing. As we all know here on ATS, the gubment luvs a numb, mindless public.

How do we get these morons to only say what is relevant to what WE need as a society, and a functioning American Republic once again?

We start taxing them (I will call it a tax... I am no politician) for every single word that they utter in public... in print media... in press releases... in ANY form of public media... every ELECTED or APPOINTED government representative or any government spokesman will be taxed when they open their mouths... this includes legislation!

This also includes their attorneys.

Let's face it. The people no longer have a voice... we can't get a word in anywhere with the cacophony of utter crap being flung at us by people whose paychecks WE ultimately sign.

We are three days screwed from last century and we get to pay for it. Why? They tax us. We have been lining their pockets for far too damned long, let's let them line ours for a change.

No, this isn't a joke, and it might be just damned crazy enough to work.

This actually empowers the people...

And it it so simple.

Mr. President loves to extoll the virtues of his White House.gov site and its land of misfit petitions. We could USE a Death Star, but probably should not be allowed to ever build one... but the press ate it up... (dis-infor, blabber...)

However, if a serious petition starts to garner literally tens of MILLIONS of signatures, maybe it will finally prove that we have had enough of their crap.

Now, this is subject to some tweaking... but I am thinking of sliding scales based on personal wealth, sleaziness, and hygiene...

Every time they open their yaps in front of a camera or microphone... 20 cents a word

Every written press statement... 40 cents a word.

Every piece of printed legislation brought to a vote... $1000 per word. (Any guesses as to what happens to 3000 page legislation forced down our throats? They go away or daddy is gettin a caddy... more to follow on that as well...)

Government regulations and all of the other crap that they churn out that only 3 people on Earth could possibly EVER understand without an army of lawyers and a miraculous stroke that just activated the other 90% of their brain...

$20,000 per word...

And, no, before you ask, they cannot just regurgitate old crap and call it an edit... no no no

All of those horrible wastes of dead tree get to be re-written under the new rules...

EVERY federal statute, regulation... any thing that they have used for so many years to hamstring us and take our money...

Need a regulation to define a flight safety issue? Write well. Want to craft a new regulation to define a ducks wet fart as a protected wetland? Another long winded tax loophole to make you rich buddies richer?... Maybe you save those words for the flight safety thing... Just sayin...

So, what happens to these tax dollars, you may ask? Easy.

Sign the petition, and you get a check every month for the rest of your life. (And be a US citizen eligible to vote in Federal elections)

We can't do that, you say... why not? Do they not get a check every month from us?

What about the 1st Amendment? Ask that young military man or woman what they are and aren't allowed to say publicly... we just happen to pay their checks as well...

You can't just tax someone for speaking... they do it all of the time. Does an DJ not get paid money for using his voice (on the air)... which is TAXED

The thing is... let's say you get 45 million signatures; no one is going to get very wealthy with this... maybe a couple of bucks a month. In fact, the less the better most of the time...

It isn't even about the money... it is about accountability. Generally, the more they screw up, the more they have to publicly back pedal and explain themselves... that gets pricey. That is why we tax their attorneys as well, incidentally... It is also about honesty. No more are the days of talking around an issue, or being vague and overly verbose as to confuse...

Election year and you want to make long campaign promises to everyone? Hope you brought your checkbook.

Part 2 of my plan is this... a website where we get to log on and vote for the tax rate we think is appropriate for the following month... within reason of course... we do still need them to speak for us as our representatives...

We could discount tax rates in election years... maybe...

The requirement for voting on the website is simple... sign the petition (and be a US citizen, eligible to vote)

It is the ultimate re-balance of power. Think about it. If the banks want bailed out, THEY get to go on CNN and explain to us why we need to save their asses... without paying a politician to handle it. Big pharma wants to do whatever it is that they do, THEY get to go on FOX news and explain why we need new pills to get erections paid for by medicare... let the CEO of Bayer be the one to sell that idea...

They may find a backdoor way of paying the politicians to talk, but it will now be our pockets getting lined...

Here is the best part... what happens if it were to get, say, 60 million signatures and suddenly the administration tried to make it go away? I think there could be serious hell to pay...

SO... I have made my pitch... I did the whole idea part... anyone want to run with it?

reply to post by madmac5150


Well at least this would ensure we Stop hearing the usual load of B.S. spewed from most of them on a daily basis, wouldn't it?
Throw in a Merit Based pay-rate for them and then maybe they will start telling us, and following through of course, with legislation that 'We The People' can benefit from. Far fetched idea ya got here, but intriguing none the less. Later, Syx.

Interesting idea, dream you have there. Lol the silence would be a nice moment to enjoy for the 5 minutes it would last. The things they would choose not to tell us that might actually be important could be scary though. You know they'd have to save their nickels for the bs, not something that would matter.

I wouldn't even care to be the recipient of the tax on them. I'd like to see it go to education or the veterans. Those could both use a nice boost.

Curious as to the path this thread is going to take.

I like the idea but..... When it comes full circle it will be us paying for it through our taxes. So they will not care and still write 3000 page legislation/laws etc... It doesn't matter to them.

Taxing written word or official spoken word won't solve anything beyond allowing the wealthy to gain influence over the poor.

To Me, that is the main problem which will only be made worse by imposing such a tax.

The US is such a young unique country when you consider the core ideals of liberty, freedom and opportunity available to the early settlers and subsquent generations, the political strive for capitalism and aversion to socialism flourished because it truely did allow people a chance to own a piece of the pie.

That 'young' America is no longer there, sadly the ideology and political views haven't changed much. The US needs to embrace socialism to 'counter the imbalance' of the Capitalist power bases that CONTrols the masses. People fear big government that they democratically elect, yet they are happy to embrace the notion of unelected individuals not only wielding power over them but directly influencing the elected government.

I believe that involuntary taxation of any kind is amoral; it is blatant theft. Sure, they've done it to us, but the problem won't be solved by turning around and doing it to them. The "eye for an eye" attitude is, in my opinion, a whiny chip-on-the-shoulder way of dealing with issues.

I'm willing to bet that a lot of you are also against taxation, so don't think it's suddenly okay when it's the other way around, or you're as bad as them.

You don't want to be lied to by politicians? Do away with government all together. Politicians can't lie if they don't exist.

Trying to solve government problems with more government regulation is why we're in the position we are now.

To make an important thing clear...

This is not an attempt to silence them or infringe on their rights as citizens...

This "tax" only applies when they make official statements of their office in public.

I do see a few important exclusions though... for instance, a Supreme Court judge publishing a ruling on a case would be exempt. I also believe that they should be tax free when talking to their constituents in an open town hall forum, if broadcasted; provided that the town hall is truly "open"...

They should be tax exempt when in their home districts and televised or otherwise broadcast... provided once again that any event be open.