Posted by
peripheral on Friday, October 09, 2009 5:50:09 AM
From My Perspective - - -
One of the key qualities for any person must be Integrity. It is a
return and commitment to the concept that “one’s word is his/her bond.”
It is one thing to address issues in Washington, DC and a previous
administration and Congress generating a “Culture of Corruption”, it is
another to maintain a non-corrupt environment for doing the nation’s
business. When a transition is taking place and a number of key
individuals are seen to have evaded or avoided paying particular taxes,
what should be done? How should a government of non-corruption act?
Should the voices of non-partisan Integrity unite to condemn and
correct unacceptable behavior – especially on the part of those who are
being elected and chosen to “lead”?
This past week the House of Representatives voted – and on an almost
unanimous party-line vote - the majority successfully killed a
resolution that would have removed Charles Rangel as Chairman of the House Ways
and Means Committee. He is the Chairman in charge of drafting tax
legislation. While writing the tax laws that govern the nation, Mr.
Rangel has neglected and avoided the law for his personal finances. At
least six (6) areas have surfaced so far: 1) Failure to report over $1
million in outside income and $3 million in business transactions as
required by the House; 2) Failure to disclose at least $650,000 in
assets he had previously failed to list on his House financial
disclosure forms; 3) Failure to disclose to the IRS or on his financial
disclosure forms $75,000 in rental income for a beach villa in the
Dominican Republic; 4) Violation of state laws by claiming three
primary residences and breaking New York City regulations by
maintaining four rent-controlled apartments; 5) Violation of House
rules by using congressional letterhead to solicit donations for an
education center bearing his name at City College of New York; and 6)
Delinquency in paying his property taxes on two New Jersey parcels and
failure to report the sale of a $1.3 million brownstone.
How does a Congress whose spokes-person condemned the “culture of
corruption” view such behavior. One view was stated on MSNBC and
reported as follows: "Many members" of Congress suffer from the same
disclosure issues as Rep. Charles Rangel (D.N.Y.), one of his allies
said Wednesday. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) appeared on MSNBC and
downplayed the seriousness of allegations against Rangel that he failed
to disclose sources of income and pay taxes on some properties, saying
that many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment when filing
mandatory financial disclosure forms. "I want to tell you, there are
many members who, if you go back over all of their records, over all of
the years, you're going to find that there were disclosures that were
not made," Waters said…” At least three significant phrases stand out
in that statement: (1) Many members of Congress suffer from the same
disclosure issues; (2) she downplayed the seriousness of allegations;
(3) many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment. The Nealz
News contains the following statement: "When plunder becomes a way of
life for a group of men living together in society, they create for
themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and
a moral code that justifies it." Frederic Bastiat.
Have you ever been audited by the IRS? Have you been extended any of
the charitable assessment afforded the Chairman of both the IRS and The
House Ways and Means Committee? Have you been extended the opportunity
of paying past taxes with impunity – No Interest and No Delinquency
Penalty payments? If you think so, dream on! The overall point is that
the Bible gives basic principles and guidelines for proper and
practiced behavior – Romans 12:17, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”; II Corinthians 8:21, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.; and these words by Jesus in Matthew 22:18-21,
“Jesus knew their evil motives. You hypocrites! he said. Whom are you
trying to fool with your trick questions? Here, show me the Roman coin
used for the tax. When they handed him the coin, he asked, Whose
picture and title are stamped on it? Caesar's, they replied. Well,
then, he said, give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that
belongs to God must be given to God." We should expect and demand
integrity! We should all be champions of integrity. We should be
committed to doing all things honest in the sight of all people!
Consider these things with me!