Rick Barber. Remember that name. (And no, this is not the longtime radio talk show host at KOA in Denver. He could never be this stupid.)
This asshole is running for Congress. In the United States of America. Yes, last I checked, Alabama was still a state, and had a significant number of sane people living there.
Keep in mind as you watch this campaign video; this guy is running for a seat in the United States Congress, representing just under a million people. No, a million AMERICANS.
The sick goddamn thing about this is, these idiots think they’re being rational. They truly believe the historical revisionist horseshit they’ve been taught, and they believe their bullshit actually makes sense. If this guy thinks the Founders revolted and committed treasonous acts against the crown because of a goddamn tea tax, to say he’s woefully ignorant is being kind. The phrase “taxation without representation” should come to mind, right? Think about that famous phrase from the revolution, and understand; they weren't bitching about the taxation; they were bitching about the lack of representation. Inherent in that phrase is the inference that taxation WITH representation would have been okay.
Does Barber really think there were no taxes at the founding of this country? Really? That must be why Article I, Section 8 BEGINS with the following:
Section 8 -
Powers of Congress
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States
Funny that, after all that war over a TEA TAX(!), the first thing the new government would do is to charge Congress with creating new taxes. Of course, the war wasn't over a
Now, before I get to the truly offensive aspect of this ad, let’s address some of the other falsehoods;
- · Barber can’t impeach the president. He can submit articles of impeachment, of course, but they are subject to majority rule. And that’s the thing Barber seems to hate the most; he hates democracy.
- · The IRS works for us. It was created by us, and can be dismantled by us at any time. See, when these people bitch about the government, what they’re actually bitching about is the fact that they don’t have the majority. When our children complain like this, we call it whining; then adult right wingers running for Congress do it, we call it “campaigning.”
- · Businesses have to report income, and they have to report wages or payments to other people so that they can report income and pay taxes. Businesspeople go into business voluntarily, and they are aware of the rules when they sign up. If they don’t want to follow the rules that everyone else does, they can choose not to open a business.
- · The IRS is not forcing anyone to buy health insurance. The way the law works will be thusly; everyone who can afford it will be asked to buy health insurance. If they choose not to, they will pay a tax that will go into a fund that will be used to pay their bill when that ignorant bonehead gets sick or into an accident and needs health care, so that the rest of us aren’t stuck paying his bill for him. Businesses will now have to work from a level playing field, and provide health insurance to their employees, and pay most of the cost. If they choose not to, however, their only penalty is an extra tax, in order to pay the medical bills of their employees when they get sick or injured. If Barber wants to blame someone for provisions like this, he should blame the business community; they’re the ones who started the tradition whereby almost everyone who has health insurance gets it from their employer. Once again, a right winger whines about having to do that which almost every other business already does. They just can’t stand not getting their way in a democracy.
Again; the guy’s running for CONGRESS. That's the Congress of the United States of America, by the way. In other words, he’s running to serve in the same government he seems to think needs to be overthrown. And that’s the most offensive and sickening aspect of this ad; this idiot is actually advocating revolution. He’s advocating for armed insurrection because he doesn’t like the income tax and health insurance reform, all of which were passed by a majority and can be done away with a majority.
What else can “gather your armies” mean? He’s pissed off at the mere fact that he has to pay taxes and follow rules, and he’s advocating overthrowing the government because he doesn’t like the result of a democratic process in which we the people get to decide who we want to represent us and what we want them to do with that representation. The mere suggestion that someone who is running to represent the people of his district advocates the violent overthrow of our government is and should be offensive as hell to everyone concerned.
We used to call that treason. Has that definition changed? Has it really become okay for someone running for Congress to advocate for the overthrow of the government he's running for office in? How cynical have we become, anyway?
I know a lot of you find these “Tea Party” idiots funny. I find them an endless source of entertainment, as well. But there is a line, and Rick Barber has crossed it. If you have a problem with the tax code, then campaign on a platform of reforming it and making it easier for everyone. But to campaign on a seeming promise to “gather armies” and overthrow the system by force is irresponsible and actually goes against “that” which he points to in the ad and claims he swore an oath to defend with his life.
I’m getting really sick of these dipshits.
