In July of 1862, Abraham Lincoln informed his cabinet that he planned to issue an emancipation proclamation that he believed would greatly aid their efforts to save the Union and end the war.
His cabinet was worried. Some were concerned that Lincoln’s proclamation would so alienate some who were supporting the preservation of the Union but not the freeing of the slaves, that these elements would withdraw their crucial support.
Secretary of State Seward and others who favored the proclamation felt that he must not appear desperate but wait for a Union victory in battle. This is why Lincoln held the proclamation until after the battle of Antietam in September of 1862—not a clear Union victory but not a defeat. On September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the proclamation and it changed the course of the Civil War. Here is an excerpt and you can read the entire proclamation by clicking here:
"That on the 1st day of January, A.D. 1863, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.”
Many people have said that this proclamation actually freed no slaves because it exempted slaves in states not in rebellion on January 1, 1863 which included border states and any southern state under Union control. It was a “Presidential Order” issued under his military powers and not an act of Congress or a law, but it did send a message to the world that the Union was fighting to free all men.
On September 24, 1862, Lincoln responded to supporters of the emancipation by stating, “What I did, I did after very full deliberation, and under a heavy and solemn sense of responsibility. I can only trust in God that I have made no mistake.”
On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation, which restated that slaves in all of the southern states still fighting the Union were free. Of course, it was only as the southern states were subjugated by the North that the slaves were actually “freed.”
In this proclamation, Lincoln also stated the Union’s position that it would recruit blacks for service in the Union army. An estimated 200,000 blacks responded and served in the Union forces.
In a January 8, 1863 letter to a supporter discussing the Emancipation, Lincoln stated, “Still, to use a coarse, but an expressive figure, broken eggs cannot be mended. I have issued the emancipation proclamation, and I cannot retract it.”
When another letter writer asked for clarification of how the Emancipation applied to Arkansas in July of 1863, Lincoln replied:
"The emancipation proclamation applies to Arkansas. I think it is valid in law, and will be so held by the courts. I think I shall not retract or repudiate it. Those who shall have tasted actual freedom I believe can never be slaves, or quasi slaves again."
As the Civil War ended, in order to ensure the continued freedom of the slaves, Lincoln pushed for passage of the 13th Amendment. It was not ratified until December of 1865—nearly eight months after Lincoln’s death.
We Need Emancipation From Our Income Tax/Payroll Tax System And Not Evasion Of The Law For Reasons Even More Important Than Economics
When you speak with people who admit to evasion of the income tax/payroll tax, they generally have a number of explanations. Some of these are:
- It is an unfair system
- Everyone else is doing it
- I need the money for myself
- It is a protest because the government just wastes the money
The young lawyer Lincoln gave an address in 1838 and said:
"When I so pressingly urge a strict observance of all the laws, let me not be understood as saying there are no bad laws, nor that grievances may not arise, for the redress of which, no legal provisions have been made. I mean to say no such thing. But I do mean to say, that, although bad laws, if they exist, should be repealed as soon as possible, still while they continue in force, for the sake of example, they should be religiously observed."
If it is okay to make a decision to obey only laws that we like, are we not setting up the end of an organized society?
Conclusion
Since the need to actually “reform” the current tax code is so obvious, one wonders why this is not obvious to Congress. In my dealings with many Members, it seems that they are applying legal principles as to the validity of tax reform proposals. The two most used standards in trials are “beyond a reasonable doubt” and “preponderance of the evidence”.
“Beyond a reasonable doubt” is the higher standard of proof and generally is applied in criminal cases. “Preponderance of the evidence” is the standard used in most civil trials. A person wins or loses their case depending on which side the judge or jury deciding the case believes has the preponderance of the evidence. One of the best descriptions of this standard was given by Abraham Lincoln who said:
"Gentlemen of the jury, did you ever see a pair of steel yards or a pair of store scales? If you did I can explain, I think, to your satisfaction the meaning of the word. If the plaintiff has introduced any evidence, put that in the scales and have it weighed. Say it weighs sixteen ounces. If the defendant has introduced any evidence in the case, put that in the scales; and if that evidence weighs sixteen ounces, the scales are balanced and there is no preponderance of evidence on either side. There are four witnesses on each side of this case. If the plaintiff's evidence weighs one grain of wheat more than the defendant's, then the plaintiff has the preponderance of evidence - his side of the scales goes down, is the heaviest. If this defendant's evidence weighs one grain of wheat more than the plaintiff's, then the defendant's side of the scales goes down, is the heaviest; and that movement of the scales tells what is the preponderance of evidence. Now apply this illustration to the state of your mind on weighing the evidence for the plaintiff and defendant."
Interestingly enough, many Members apply the “preponderance of the evidence” test for the income tax/payroll tax to temporary and ineffective tax reform plans, but the almost impossible standard of “beyond reasonable doubt” is applied to justify their refusal to embrace the FAIRtax.
They believe that if there is any doubt that the FAIRtax will work it must be avoided. This allows them to talk about the potential advantages of the FAIRtax but decline to endorse it and pass it because it is not “guaranteed” it will work.
This arrogant dismissal of the FAIRtax, while the basic willingness of the people to pay taxes is rapidly eroding, reminds one of the phrase “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic” after the ship hit the iceberg and was sinking.
Our society is breaking down and one of the biggest causes is the out-dated and openly evaded income tax/payroll tax system. The FAIRtax will happen, but we must redouble our efforts if we don’t want it to happen only after the collapse of our country into more anarchy. It is that serious.
Planes, Steak and Water
Autry Pruitt, one of our directors, has written an entertaining and informative book discussing how he became a supporter of Donald Trump—although he didn’t start as one. AFFT does not endorse either presidential candidate and notes that neither is proposing the FAIRtax as their tax plan.
We include this note because it is important that your vote in November be an informed vote. This book may not make you a Trump supporter, but it will provide accurate information. Autry concludes that he thinks one of the bold ideas that Trump will consider, if elected, is the FAIRtax and explains this.
Finally, he is offering to make a 20% donation to AFFT of the price of each person purchasing a book by hitting this link.
Time to Invest in the FAIRtax and Save America
As, noted above, the longer it takes to replace the income tax/payroll tax system, the harder it will be to save our great country from going the way of other great civilizations and rapidly declining.
When you make a donation to Americans For Fair Taxation “(AFFT”), you are making an investment. You could be investing the money in something else. All of us want to see a return on our investment. We want to see the investment used wisely and that the organization provides what it promises.
AFFT has been working for a long time to educate people about the FAIRtax. We are still running into people who have not heard about the FAIRtax, but what a difference it is from even five years ago. The biggest fear of the D.C. Elites is if the American people realize that they have been “had” and demand common sense reform like the FAIRtax. The Elites know that their “friends” in Congress will desert them if threatened with being thrown out of office.
There is going to be some sort of change in the income tax code in 2017. If AFFT is not demanding, on behalf of you, that Congress not just make a few changes but make real reform, then there will be more of the same and America will continue to lose jobs and more of our children will be living with their parents because they cannot find jobs.
By contributing (investing) $10.40 per month, you help provide a financial base to AFFT. If you can make larger contributions (investments) these will be used not for salaries, as we are all volunteers, but for the needed updates to our economic studies which will be vital in 2017.
Please go to this link to invest in AFFT and in your and your family’s future.
New FAIRtax Book
Do you know of someone who would like to learn the basics of the FAIRtax but is not an avid user of social media? Perhaps someone who would prefer to read a booklet either in print or electronic form? If so, we have just what they need. The title is America’s Big Solution which is available in both print and electronic formats. America’s Big Solution was written by Florida volunteer Terry Tibbetts in an effort to reach people who lean toward getting more information than you can fit into a 140 character “tweet" or a Facebook post. America’s Big Solution will take the reader through a brief but thorough introduction to the FAIRtax and give suggestions for further study.
You can find America’s Big Solution on the three most popular platforms -- Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Apple iBook Store. To purchase the electronic form for the Amazon Kindle or the print form, go to this website. To find it for your Barnes & Noble Nook, go here. And if you’re an Apple user, go to the iBook store at this site. The print version (only available at Amazon) is $9.25 whereas the electronic versions are all priced at $2.99. (Apparently electrons are less expensive than paper and ink!) All royalties go to Americans For Fair Taxation.
Please share this information with everyone you know. The more people know about the FAIRtax, the easier it will be to steer Congress into the only REAL tax reform proposal on the table at this time.
AFFT National LOGO Store
THE FAIRTAX® LOGO STORE
SUPPLYING EDUCATIONAL/PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
September BOGO TIME
25% discount on all event banners
Now is the time to get the FAIRtax℠ word and logo in public’s eye. Therefore, we will be offering numerous BOGO’s ( buy one get one free ) for the month of September. Also, we will continue to offer all FAIRtax℠ banners at a 25% discount during the month of September.
Presently, BOGO’s are available on the following promo items:
Palm Cards, Business Cards, Adhesive Bumper Stickers, Magnetic Bumper Stickers,
Event Stickers, Scrolling Banners, Pens, Notepads, Pocket Calendars
EVENT BANNERS
We currently offer four event banner designs and all are available at a 25% discount, a super deal.
Your FAIRtax℠ Store is ready for the September/October national election time period with GREAT DEALS so you can present the FAIRtax℠ concept and logo at all Presidential campaign stops, at elected representative town halls/events, and all other political meetings plus your own FAIRtax℠ educational meetings.
WWW.FAIRTAXLOGOSTORE.ORG
When visiting the Store, don’t forget to order a supply of FAIRtax palm cards. Besides handing out palm cards at meetings and events, whenever you send mail through the post office, including at least one FAIRtax informational palm card in your envelope. And remember, many entities send you postage paid envelopes for whatever reason. So, why not send them back with an enclosed palm card and a FAIRtax sticker on the outside for all to see - keep spreading the word.
Please take a moment and visit our store by clicking here.
FAIRtax Power Radio
When is the last time you heard Thomas Jefferson on the radio or in a podcast? He recently visited the FAIRtax Power Radio studio - twice!
FAIRtax Power Radio is the brainchild of Bob Paxton, a Florida volunteer with previous radio experience and someone who is devoted to getting the FAIRtax passed into law as soon as possible. He invited Ron Maiellaro, another Florida volunteer, to join him. Together they are “The FAIRtax Guys” and they have created a series of podcasts that not only introduce the listeners to the FAIRtax but also discuss the many different aspects of the FAIRtax as it relates to the economy, our Constitutional rights, politics, business and anything else that comes to mind. After all, the FAIRtax will affect and be affected by every aspect of American life.
FAIRtax Power Radio has been around for almost two years, but a few months ago, we had a new beginning. We moved our main distribution platform to Spreaker where you can listen to and download our 30 minute podcasts for free.
Last April, when we moved to Spreaker, we decided to start from scratch and reintroduce the FAIRtax from the beginning to our listeners. In the first few episodes, you will hear details of the immense problems with the current income tax system and why it cannot be fixed. In fact, it’s so serious that even Thomas Jefferson gets involved in the discussion in episode 3. Then you’ll hear the most important aspects of the FAIRtax explained by Bob “Paxworthy” using his “You Might Be A FAIRtax Fan!” routine. We have interviews with various people such as a local business man, a Congressman and a member of the Board of Directors of Americans For Fair Taxation. We have examples of some of the wackiest tax deductions allowed by the IRS and the tax courts. We have analyzed the proposed tax reforms that the House Ways & Means Committee titled “A Better Way” and explained why it’s not “the best way.” In episode 18, Thomas Jefferson returns five years after his first visit however this time, the FAIRtax is the law of the land. A new episode is posted every Friday morning but you can tune in at anytime that is convenient to you.
If you’re an iTunes user, you can find FAIRtax Power Radio in the podcasts section of the iTunes store. Again, it is free and you can listen and/or download the podcasts at any time.
Both Spreaker and iTunes are available for your smartphones using the free apps. We are also working to get FTPR on other platforms such as iHeart Radio and TuneIn; more on those efforts at a later date.
Since our move to Spreaker and iTunes, we have increased our listenership but we need more, many more people to listen to FAIRtax Power Radio if we are going to force Congress to adopt the only REAL tax reform in front of them. YOU can help to inform the American people by not only listening to FTPR but also by sharing this information and these links with everyone in your contact list.
As The FAIRtax Guys say in every episode, When You Understand It, You’ll Demand It!
Thank You For Opening The FAIRtax Chronicles, Our Sponsored Mailings
We plan to do several of these mailings each month. If you take a minute to open the sponsored emails and click through to the website, you are making an in kind contribution to AFFT. It is not required to actually make a purchase, but your minute of time will ensure that AFFT is paid ever larger amounts from people paying for us to send their offers to our supporters.
Again, we are making every effort to ensure that we work with only reputable companies. If you feel that any FAIRtax-sponsored email is objectionable, please email us at info@fairtax.org and tell us why. You can also opt to not receive these sponsored email messages but still receive FAIRtax emails.
Thank you for staying FAIRtax strong!
