February 1, 2013
Steven L. Goldstein
The Sun Sentinel

RE: Taxes – Some comments on your, as always, enjoyable column on taxes and why they are never high enough and why Mickelson should be ashamed.

My dear Professor,

If I were to say that Federal Judge Learned Hand said “It is a patriot’s duty to pay the least amount of taxes possible. Taxation is an enforced exactitude; it is not a voluntary contribution” would it get past the modern American Liberal mantra of “Tax and tax, spend and spend”?

Nah. It couldn’t.

If I were to tell you that the 20th century’s most successful community organizer, a dude named Lenin, said “People vote with their feet” would that register with the modern American Liberal maxim of “Children Are Our Future”?

Nah. It couldn’t.

You say that Phil Mickelson is a “selfish, insensitive ingrate”.

If he were to move to Texas, to Florida, to Monaco, or to one of Jupiter’s lesser moons to keep more of what he earned would he be breaking any law?

Nah. He wouldn’t.

Would you say that Secretary of State Jay Forbes Kerry who registered his $6,000,000 yacht, a vessel with 2 fireplaces, a yacht that was built in New Zealand because there are no unions there, in Rhode Island to avoid $500,000 in Massachusetts taxes was a “selfish, insensitive ingrate”?

Nah. You couldn’t.

[Nine years ago the Secretary said he had no money and lived on his paycheck. Last week he said he was worth $162,000,000. Do you think he used “Red Bone”, Mrs. Clinton’s successful commodities broker? Do you know how much money was paid in taxes as he went from zero to $162,000,000? I suppose his predecessor’s anguished cry, “What difference does it make?”, soon to become the anthem of modern American Liberals everywhere, applies. Maybe “60 Minutes” could do a story on that. Maybe my cousin the hunchback will straighten up.]

You advise Mickelson “For God’s sake, get good accountant. Tax laws are written with loopholes for the rich”.

The judgment of the calendar would argue against it but do you think the accountant who wrote the 1936 trust that Senator Suet Kennedy passed down to his layabout son, Patches Kennedy, is still alive? It’s been going for 77 years. Nobody knows what is in it. Nobody knows how much money has been spun out of it.

What we do know is that there ain’t no taxes been paid on the sucker.

That’s OK as long as “selfish ingrates” like Mickelson just pony up some more to pay for the Kennedy shortfall. Hey, it’s only money. He hits balls for a living. If he finishes 8th he wins $148,000 It’s not like the guy is an organizer for SEIU or is a full time protestor against Wal-Mart or some really hard job.

Shut up and pay up.

This time “Midnight Basketball” is going to work.

Speaking of “selfish ingrates”, how about renaming the entire Kennedy Kabal as such?

Nah.

You’ll get a new foreskin before you would say that.



KEVIN SMITH
WARRIOTBARDIT@BELLSOUTH.NET