Douglas C. Lyons – Editorial Writer, The Sun Sentinel

July 26, 2008

Douglas C. Lyons – Editorial Writer
The Sun-Sentinel
200 East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

RE: The one constant modern American Liberal mantra – more money – as proselytized by you in your column this day.

Mr. Lyons,

As your paper becomes thinner and thinner it becomes easier and easier to read.

The perpetual ideological bent is easily discernible. The problems, what ever they may be, cannot be solved without more money. Thus, the hunt for new sources of revenue is like the hunt for the Holy Grail. Perhaps the horizon would be a more apt description. Whatever the problem it is now empirically self evident that they are never “solved”. They are addressed; they are funded; they are made the focus of the gentle hand of government; but they are never “solved”. If they were “solved” the next problem requiring more and more revenue would be the unemployment of the poverty pimps, hucksters, racial panderers, and morons who refuse to let the evidence of History detract them from just one more program that will make the poor less poor. These people make a comfortable living issuing constant Jeremiads about the system and its “victims”.

The victims and their victimhood must be helped. If they can’t be helped immediately then the villains, usually rich Republicans, must be punished. One of the favorite modern American Liberal punishments is the tax code. Clap-trap flapdoodle about “fairness” fills the air like grapeshot. [I’m sure someone out there knows how to give a tax cut to someone without income. I still don’t know how. Also, those who were unemployed last week will be glad to know that this week they will still be unemployed. The difference is that this week they will be unemployed at a higher minimum wage. For people who cherish the ideal of “Midnight Basketball” for idle teens on the edge of ferocity who are betrayed by a school system that rewards mediocrity that’s progress.]

In your article you mention “felony rights”. Surely you meant “felons rights”, didn’t you?

I seem to recall that a popular cause du jour was the restoration of voting rights to felons who did their time. Last week there was a kerfluffle about released prisoners becoming mortgage brokers. I don’t know about you but in a time when the term “black hole” is deemed to be a racist statement any impediment to ex-cons becoming mortgage brokers has racism written all over it.

In your hunt for yet more revenue with which the government would do good things you have a suggestion for Governor Crist. You say he should “fist bump” – Ah, the memories of the New Yorker cover of Senator and Mrs. B. Hussein Obama! – some of his friends at the Florida Retail Federation “and collect revenue from Internet sales”.

Silly boy!

Haven’t you ever heard of Gibbons v Ogden?

I’m from New Jersey so it has a special interest for me.

It’s about competing businesses and corrupt politicians and sweetheart deals – it fits the Florida template even though it was a Garden State delight, don’t you think? – and getting along by going along.

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that no state can tax a transaction in another state. Thus, the great idea for more revenue to do really good things is against the law of the land.

If you don’t like the law then work to change it. In the meantime, obey it.

If you’re looking for additional revenue why not have Florida buy Power Ball tickets?