President Biden pardon son, Hunter, despite "No One is Above the Law" promises

Merry Christmas to Hunter Biden!  His dad, outgoing President Joe Biden, has reloaded Hunter's "Get out of Jail" card, thus ensuring junior will skirt around the U.S. legal system once more.  Hunter's pardon  proves again to the American People and the world what we've known all along, that the United States has a dual legal system, one for the wealthy elites and one for the rest of us.

The then candidate President Joe Biden promised the American People on several occasions that his son, Hunter, would not be receiving a pardon from him, citing his trust in the U.S. justice system and Hunter's innocence (apparently he's not feeling so confident any more). If convicted, Hunter would be the first child of a president to face a possible prison sentence for felony criminal charges.

Hunter has been in repeated trouble for years including charges of cocaine possession (some have speculated that he may been the one who brought a stash of  "coke" into the White House, bypassing security. Something a ordinary visitor wouldn't be able to do), tax evasion, illegal gun possession to name but a few. There's been allegation that Hunter spent time on Jeffrey Epstein's "Pedophile Island" (who was actually there is still a matter of some dispute).  

Some believe his businesses dealings with Ukrainian oligarchs and politicians was a factor behind the current war between Ukraine and Russia. The war has caused the loss of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in damage, threatened Europe with war, ruined U.S. and Russia's relationship, and all over a  deal with oligarchs in the Ukrainian government involving oil and gas rights in the Black Sea in exchange for NATO protection (and supposedly guaranteed by then Vice President Joe Biden).

Of course, Trump supporters are giddy about President Biden's Christmas gift to Hunter since this appears to be a gift which just keeps on giving.  Thanks to Hunter's pardon, conservatives now see an opportunity for President Trump at being able to pardon all those facing possible jail time and/or fines for their part in the so-called "January 6th Insurrection" using the same legal argument.

If, as it's argued, Hunter can skip away untouched for all his misdeeds, then the "J6 political prisoners" as they're called, should be able to walk away too. If you think about it, it's hard to believe how far America has slipped. After all, the legal system, of all our branches of government, was expected to be the one branch  least affected by partisan politics and corruption, but here we are!  What happened?

Born in 1970, Hunter's life has been rife with trouble. Although his father doesn't drink, Hunter has more than made up for it. He's also had a long history of cocaine abuse dating back to his time in college and has been in and out of rehab centers (he attended Georgetown College and Yale's law school).

Shortly after graduating, Hunter was hired as a consultant by MBNA America, a holding bank with close tie to his father, Joe Biden, and one of his top political contributors. As Hunter quickly rose through the ranks to executive vice president, Joe was busy supporting a bankruptcy reform through Congress, which, as an aside, would aid certain financial institutions. You know, like MBNA America (which was eventually acquired by Bank of America).

In 2013, Hunter decided he wanted to join the U.S. Navy Reserves. And so following a swearing in ceremony at the White House under the  beaming gaze of his then Vice President father, Hunter was ordered to report to his first duty station...and was promptly discharged shortly after arriving for testing positive for cocaine. I guess he forgot having  read (and signed) the Navy's zero tolerance policy statement about drug use.

The death of his older brother, Beau,  from a brain tumor in 2015, sent Hunter back down the bottle again. He reputedly would never leave his house for days at a time unless it was for a trip to the liquor store! According to Kathleen Buhle, his ex-wife, that when they were going through their divorce, Hunter was consuming "massive" amounts of drugs and alcohol while spending a great amount of time and money on hookers, at strip clubs and with other women to the point where the family had no money left to pay their bills. 

A 2019 DNA test confirmed he was the father of child with a woman who had been employed as "exotic dancer". In a 2021 memoir, Hunter admitted that it was the unbridled infidelity that drove his wife away. As an aside, while the divorce with Kathleen was still pending, Hunter hooked up with Hallie Biden, the wife of his deceased brother Beau. Given that Hunter and Beau was considered inseparable, doing nearly everything together, perhaps this isn't too surprising.   The affair lasted about two years.

Despite being an addict and alcoholic, Hunter purchased a pistol in 2018, following another stint (this time for 60 days) in rehab. Allegedly, Hunter lied on the gun purchase application by saying that he was not a addict at that time. Hallie said that she found the gun and ammo in Hunter's car while she was removing drug paraphernalia.

Hallie went on to say that she put the gun in a old grocery bag and pitched it into dumpster. Hunter and Hallie split in 2019 just as Joe Biden announced another bid for the White House, this time against sitting President, Donald Trump.

Hunter didn't morn the breakup for long. Just about a month later, he met and married Melissa Cohen, documentary producer and social activist from Johannesburg, South Africa  following a six day "romance" on May 19, 2019. Shortly afterwards she became a naturalized citizen U.S. She is 16 years his junior.

By this point, while still employed by MBNA Bank, Hunter started a lobbying firm (no potential conflicts there). Politico Magazine reported that many of his early clients were in industries overseen by Joe Biden's committees in the Senate. In 2008, Hunter, along with another family member, acquired a hedge fund group, Paradigm Global Advisors just as Senator Biden resumed his chairmanship of  the Foreign Relations Committee (both Joe and Hunter have denied any collusion or wrong doings).

The Foreign Relations Committee is the only Senate committee to oversee, debate, and report on treaties directly to the president as they pertain to national security issues, including war powers, foreign aid programs, treaties, military deployment, executive agreements with foreign powers or agencies,  arms control, sales, and training matters, global economic policies, holding confirmation hearings for high level positions within the State Department, oversight of the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as monitoring all American embassies, diplomats, and international posts.

By 2013, Hunter finally made it into the majors. He took a founding board seat with the Chinese private equity firm, BHR. Originally, he was apparently there as a unpaid consultant. Later, however, apparently because of his vast knowledge of foreign affairs, he was given a 10% equity stake in the company.

Much has been made in the media of a official trip by Vice President Biden, accompanied by his son, Hunter, to China for a simple "meet and greet" with Chinese government officials and various business leaders, including BHR's chief executive. Hunter described the meeting as merely stopping by for a "cup of coffee".  Shortly afterwards, BHR was registered in Shanghai, often called China's  "economic and technological crown jewel".

According to the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Justice, during this same time frame (between 2016 and 2020), Hunter knowingly and willingly set out to defraud the government. Officials  estimated that Biden filed to pay some $1.4 million dollars in taxes.  When he did finally file his tax returns, he included false business expenses in order to reduce his tax liability, misrepresented payroll and other deductions among other allegations.  

In 2017, Hunter joined with Chinese businessman, Ye Jianming, founder and former chairman of CEFC China Energy Company Limited, in a deal to acquire natural gas rights in Louisiana (Ye was also an economic advisor to Czech president, Milos Zeman). However, before the deal could take off, Ye was picked up by Chinese security on charges of bribery and other "economic crimes".  As of March 2018, Ye hasn't been seen.

In 2014, Hunter Biden joined the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy holding company headquartered in Kyiv involved in exploration and production. The company was owned by Russian oligarch, businessman, and politician, Mykola Zlochevsky, through his private company, Brociti Investments Limited.  For his participation on the board, Hunter was paid $1.2 million dollars a year.

 Later, through investigation by Ukrainian authorities, it was determined that oligarch, Ihor Kolomoisky, was the real owner behind Burisma.  Kolomoisky, a Ukrainian born Israeli businessman and billionaire, was at one time considered to be Ukraine's most powerful oligarch.  It bears mentioning that  Hunter's presidential pardon by Biden extends back to the start of his dealings with Burisma Holdings in 2014.

At the same time, Vice President Biden promoted the investigation of the Ukraine's leading legal prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who was being accused of corruption. By pure happenstance, Shokin, the Prosecutor General of the Ukraine (equivalent to our U.S. Attorney General), was investigating alleged corruption between government officials and Burisma Holdings and its board members.

Now, why should a U.S. Vice President concern himself with a clearly internal legal matter in the Ukraine? Claims of collusion was denied by the White House and Democratic members of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.  In 2016, the Ukrainian parliament voted to remove Shokin from his office. Not surprisingly, Viktor Shokin maintains his removal was due to his investigation of Burisma.      

Nevertheless, an FBI informant claimed that Joe and Hunter Biden were paid $5 million dollars each by Burisma executives for helping stop the investigation. The claim proved later proved to be false  (apparently you just can't trust FBI informants despite what they say on those TV shows). Meanwhile, one of Hunter's reputed business partners said that Joe Biden was part of conference calls with Hunter and other contacts, implying that Hunter had the support of his father.

A laptop belonging to Hunter was left with a repair shop in Wilmington, Delaware eventually found its way into the hands of the FBI. An examination of its hard drive was said to hold evidence of Hunter's dealings in China and Ukraine as well as his extensive use of drugs and booze.

Just exactly what was on the hard drive remains unknown, although since the revelation of the hard drive's possession by the FBI, the media has repeatedly implied that it proved Hunter's shady dealings which may have affected our national security, proof of bribery and corruption, or Joe Biden's direct or indirect involvement.

Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence release a report which proposes that 51 CIA subcontractors, including then CIA Director, Gina Haspel, aided the Biden presidential campaign in misleading the public about President Biden and the contents on the laptop's hard drive. If the report is accurate, it would further damn Biden's political legacy not to mention the already crumbing credibility of the U.S. government and the power of the Deep State.  

On September 5, 2024, Hunter Biden was found guilty of tax evasion pertaining to a nine count complaint. Biden was found guilty on three felonies and six tax related misdemeanors. The Justice Department said that there was no plea deal made with Hunter. On December 16th, Hunter is scheduled to appear for sentencing, which carries a maximum 17 year prison sentence. On the gun possession charges, Hunter could face up to 25 years of prison time.

Although whatever was on the hard drive was enough for federal prosecutors to bring a criminal investigation against Hunter. But with Hunter's blanket pardon, the issue is moot. Hunter gets to walk away virtually unscathed despite President Biden's statement that "no one is above the law", well, except apparently his son, Hunter.

The U.S. Constitution grants the president the authority to issue a pardon, amnesty, reprieve, or commutation. A commutation reduces a sentence without completely setting it aside. A reprieve is a temporary delay or suspension of a sentence. A pardon absolves the person of all criminal charges as well as restore all civil rights while an amnesty is the same as a pardon but applies to multiple individuals or groups.

It's doubtful the American public will ever know the full contents for sure.  Nevertheless, the whole nefarious episode demonstrates to all just how broken society has become and how just much value we place on money, power and prestige, even if it means destroying our own lives or the lives of others. It also shows that those with money or hold power don't face the same rules or outcomes as does the common citizen. This is truly a nation of two separate and unequal legal systems.

 

Thank you for reading Another Opinion! We hope you enjoyed this article and will pass it along. Please don't forget to subscribe. It's free! Lastly, please "like" us on whatever platform you use to read anotheropinionblog.com. It helps beat the algorithms and keeps our articles in circulation. Please find below the links we consulted in researching this article.

 

Biden, Inc.

The Bidens' Influence Peddling Timeline

From laptop to pardon: The Hunter Biden story explained

Joe Biden pardons son Hunter: What it means and why itmatters

Melissa Cohen Biden

Burisma

Mykola Zlochevsky

Ihor Kolomoyski

Committee on Oversight and Accountability (Democrats)

Hunter Biden laptop controversy

 

New Information Shows CIA Contractors Colluded with theBiden Campaign to Discredit Hunter Biden Laptop Story

Robert Hunter Biden Convicted on Three Felony Tax Offensesand Six Misdemeanor Tax Offenses

Hey Buddy, Can You Spare A Dime? Taxes In America

As I wrote in my previous article, Washington is heavily dependent on personal income tax to fund the federal budget. In fact, about 51% of the entire budget is derived from personal income tax which has been historically paid mostly by the Middle Class. Yet, 44.4% of Americans don't pay any federal taxes, which means the fewer individuals are shouldering more of the tax burden.

Of course, that doesn't mean they aren't paying any taxes. They pay taxes in form of sales, school , property and payroll taxes among other types of taxes and fees (payroll tax includes Social Security and Medicare). The reason is that the federal tax code has built in exemptions which allow some individuals and households an out, such as through Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Credit. In particular, low income individuals and families are also typically exempt.

The U.S. tax code is considered to be "progressive"; that is, its calculated on a adjustable scale whereby the more you earn the more you pay. Well, at least that's the theory. The fact of the matter is that the wealthy have more than their fair share of exemptions and tax shelters which allow them to actually pay less than an average Middle Class household. As a result, the upper class earning millions may not pay any more in taxes than a family earning under $50,000.

Again, I don't think this isn't anything that everyday American doesn't already know, even if it's on an intuitive level. However, I was interested in know exactly how many taxes the average American is required to pay . I was also interested in knowing what the typical American pays in taxes based on where they live.

It may come as a rude shock to you, but did you that there are approximately 97 different types of taxes that we are subject to? Yeah, you read that right. There are 97 different types of taxes that the average taxpayers can get stuck with. Now, most people are familiar with property or school taxes, but how about inventory taxes or septic permit taxes? Plus there are transportation, passport, self-employment, utility taxes, tobacco, liquor, gasoline, and dozens more. In addition, there are indirect taxes which are applied in the form of fees such zoning permit, water rights, traffic tickets, parking meters, recycling, toll booth charges, and bunches more . Heck, there's even a tanning bed tax!

Ever take a good look at your phone bill? Depending on where you live, there can be as many as a dozen different fees or surcharges. For instance there is a federal excise tax, a 911 service tax, a minimum usage tax, a universal access tax, and a universal service fee tax. Do you remember ever voting on these? Yeah, me either. Yet, here there they are!

Then there are a number of corporate taxes specifically for small business owners. Kentucky has a minimum $175.00 fee simply for the privilege of doing business in Kentucky, regardless of whether you actually make a profit. As an aside, the average corporate tax is 30%. However, most large companies manage to pay little or no taxes, especially at the federal level. In fact, some of the largest companies actually not only don't pay any taxes, they actually receive millions back. Want examples? Think Chevron, General Motors, Goodyear, Amazon, Netflix, Occidental Petroleum , Honeywell, and John Deere.

With that in mind, let's look at taxes paid in by individuals at the state level. The average resident of Alabama pays in $8,407.85 in state and federal taxes. Their average property tax bill is $556.80. Compare this with residents of Alaska. They pay in $14,640.22 in taxes. Their average property tax bill is $3,309.03. On the up side, Alaskans pay on state income tax. The folks in Arizona pay $10,278.85 in taxes. Their average property tax bill is $1,972.32. Californians pay on average $15,642.81 in federal and state taxes. Property tax is $4,308.09.

Connecticut residents pay $17,037.90 in taxes. The average property tax bill is $4,713.88. Floridians pay, on average, $9,839.21 in taxes. Property tax bills average $2,390.30. However, like Alaska, Florida has no state income tax. Want to live in Hawaii? Be prepared to pay an average of $13,528.92 in taxes. However, property taxes average just $1,735.28 which isn't too bad for a piece of paradise. The average Kentuckian pays $7,536.60 in federal and state income taxes. Property tax averages $1,160.92.

Maryland residents pay around $16,096.75 in taxes, while their average property tax is $2,967.48. Now compare that with Massachusetts which has a comparable federal and state income tax of $16,598.00. However, their property tax is almost double at $4,564.57. Nevada's average federal tax rate is $11, 135.01, but there's no state income tax. Their property tax is $2,403.81.

New Jersey has an average federal and state tax rate of $19,977.91. The average property tax bill is $7,163.33. Neighboring New York is not as bad. While their combined tax average is less, just $15,467.46; their property tax average is $4,877.60. Tennessee, which has no state income tax, pays an average federal tax of $8,746.85. The average property tax bill is $1,100.31. Another state with no state income tax is Texas. Their average federal tax bill is $12,392.38. The average property tax bill is $3,383.11. If I didn't mention your state, you'll find a link below.

While no one likes paying taxes, it's considered the price we pay for civilization. After all, taxes cover the costs paving roads, providing clean water, schools, garbage pickup, police protection, the military, and so on. The issue, however, is whether everyone is paying their fair share. Unfortunately, that answer is no. As stated earlier, the bulk of the taxes continues to fall on the Middle Class.

The result is typically a two or more income family; not to get ahead, but just to keep their heads above water. Too often politicians see raising taxes as a first and only option rather to find other avenues to fund projects (including whether the project is even necessary). In some cases, it's actually a duplicate of another program or could be incorporated into an existing program. But as often as not, it's just another "bridge to nowhere" boondoggle.

Lastly, taxes, fees, and rate increases should be our decision to make, not politicians. After all, politicians have shown time and again that they are incapable of managing our money. I think the best solution is to allow us--the taxpayer--to have the final say. Each proposal should be placed on the ballot along with an explanation as to what the tax or fee is for. Since we are the ones being forced to pay for it, shouldn't we be the ones to decide whether or not we want it? Besides, I'm pretty sick and tired of getting "nickeled and dimed" to death. Aren't you?

Of course, most politicians don't think we're smart enough to understand what we're voting on. Seriously. In my 40+ years as a political activist and community organizer, I've been told repeatedly by political hacks that voters don't have the common sense God gave a goose; that we are incapable of understanding what we're voting on. I disagree. I think most people, when it comes to their money, have a pretty good understanding about how and where it should be spent. I think we need to start demanding that increases, be they property tax, school tax, water or utility rates, or fees for services should be decided by us.

Finally, I want to point out another "tax" of sorts that few of us think about. Corporations, who often receive taxpayer based subsidies, often charge fees, be it handling or restocking charges, late fees, processing fees, a charge to access our money, or whatever, are in fact a form of tax. The difference is that these are "taxes" by another name imposed on us by corporations.

I admit that some of these charges are legitimate. They actually incur an expense for one reason or another which caused. However, many of these charges are simply BS. They're just a means to "penalize" us for some make believe charge while in reality they are just creating a new source of revenue. We need to question these charges every chance we get. Let's make them justify these charges. Personally, I'd like to know why I have to pay a fee to return a product that simply goes back on a shelf or to get some extra cash after just spending a hundred dollars or so buying my groceries there.

So, let's start asking questions. Let's start demanding answers, especially where our money is concerned. Politicians are suppose to work for us right? Instead, many of them act as if what goes on , be it in Washington, the state capitol, or locally, is none of our business. They cater to Corporate America; the Oligarchy, and why not? After all, they underwrite their campaigns. They pay attention to us only when they need something--- like our votes.

Well, it's every bit our business. They are there to represent us--the working class. It's time we control the purse strings. Let's also demand real tax reform. Personally I favor a consumption tax which is tax only on what you buy. You can control the amount of taxes you pay by increasing or limiting your purchases. Just think, no need to even file a tax form. Others, however, prefer a flat tax rate based on their gross income. Again, no income tax forms to file!

As for these businesses who want to charge us an unofficial "tax", let's remind them that in a capitalist economy, it's the consumer who calls the shots. Without us, there are no profits. Without us, there is no business. Let's make them fight for our business. Let's seek out businesses who don't try to take advantage of us with their bogus fees and surcharges. The others will either follow or fade away. Frankly, I don't care which and I don't think you do either. Let's put them to work for us for a change.



Here's how much Americans pay in taxes in every U.S. state


A List of 97 Taxes Americans Pay Every Year


More than 44% of Americans pay no federal income tax

Types of Taxes


You Pay Taxes. These Corporations Didn't.

Where Do We Stack Up on Taxes? A Comparison of Tax Rates Between Countries, States and Cities

"I don't have a dollar to my name. Hey brother can you spare a dime?". That was a common refrain during the Great Depression. With the rate of tax increases across the country, it may become a common refrain once again. Just how much off are Americans when it comes to taxes than their international counterpart? How does America stack up when it come to taxes? To hear it from Corporate America and the super wealthy, the US is the most heavily taxed country on the planet. Why, they can hardly earn a decent profit on their investments! But how true is that? According to the Tax Policy Institute, which is part of the world famous Brookings Institute, Americans are taxed on average 26% of the Gross Domestic Product. This compares to an average of 33% among the world's developed countries---the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (aka the OECD).

By comparison, Denmark is the highest taxed country in the world with a tax rate of 48%, followed by France which has a tax rate of 45% and Belgium, which has a tax rate of 44%. Germany has a tax rate of around 36%, and Norway, which is the lowest taxed nation among the Scandinavian countries, has a tax rate of about 38%. Israel has around a 33% tax rate while Japan's is right at 31%. The US, as we said, is 26%, and just below Switzerland and just ahead of South Korea with 25%. Of all of the 35 OCED countries, the least taxed country is Mexico. It's tax rate is around 16%.

Where does this tax come from? After all, someone has to pay for government services. Nothing is free. According to the same article, 48% of America's tax revenue comes from income and profits. 24% comes from Social Security while 17% comes from taxes on goods and services. The least taxed sector is property, which accounts for just 10% of the tax source. Meanwhile, Australia gets about 55% of its taxes from income and profits with about 25% from goods and services. Roughly 9% comes from property tax . However, there is no tax on social safety net type programs. New Zealand is pretty much the same way.

If we look at Denmark, which is the heaviest taxed of all the 35 OCED countries, we find that about 55% comes from income and profit. About 33% is from goods and services and least than 1% comes from social safety net programs. Turkey taxes income and profit at about 25% but about 48% on goods and services. Property tax is about 5% while it taxes social programs at 30% The average among OCED countries is 34% on income and profits, 32% on goods and services, 26% on social safety net programs and 6% on property tax.

So, what does this mean for the US when compared to the other developed nations? It means that we're in the top 25% when it comes to tax on income and profits while we tax less on goods and services, collecting just 17% compared to the OCED average of 32%. In terms of property tax, the US taxes an extra 4% over the OCED average (the majority of this and taxes on goods and services are collected at the state and local levels). In terms of Social Security or social safety net programs, the US collects slightly less tax---24%---compared to the OCED average of 26%. An interesting aside, several countries on the list collect over 40% in taxes on social safety net programs!

Therefore, in answer to our original question, America is actually among the least most taxed countries among the OCED nations, coming in 30th out of 35. However, we are tax heavy on incomes and profits and slightly higher on property taxes, which affects middle class Americans the most (property ownership is typically the largest investment among the middle class). Meanwhile, goods and services, which pertains primarily to businesses get off pretty light compared to other countries by almost half.

This brings us to the second half of our look at taxes, namely how do the states compare with each other? This is perhaps particularly important as Tax Day---April 15th---quickly approaches. As of 2015, most Americans paid almost 1/3 of their income in taxes. In 2015, the IRS assessed taxes of $1.454 trillion dollars on Americans. Based on 150.6 million returns processed and an average income of $71,258, that means on average Americans paid approximately $9,655 in taxes just to the federal government (which equates to a tax rate of 13.5%).

In addition, most Americans pay state and local taxes, Social Security tax, property tax, sales tax, plus so-called "hidden taxes" such as on water, drainage, electricity, toll, usage, garbage, and gas. Meanwhile, corporations levy their own taxes in the form of access fees, late fees, processing fees, convenience fees and a whole range of other fees and add-ons which often doubles a bill. Often times, corporations will claim that these are merely fees actually charged by local or state governments which they are "obligated" to pass on. Some claim that this or that charge is "voluntary" but added on without our consent. As many of you know, trying to obtain details about these various fees is often so difficult most of us simply give up, which I suspect is their intent.

In terms of personal taxes, which states have the lowest and highest? Let's start with the highest personal tax rates by state first. Coming in tenth is Wisconsin which has a state tax rate of 7.65%. In ninth place is New York at 8.82%. The eighth spot goes is the nation's capital, the District of Columbia. It's tax rate is 8.95%. This ties with Vermont. New Jersey is next with a 8.97% state tax. The fifth highest taxed state is Iowa at 8.89%. Coming in at fourth is Minnesota with 9.85%. Third place belongs to Oregon. Its tax rate is 9.9%. Second place goes Hawaii with 11%. Finally, the most taxed state is California whose tax rate is a staggering 13.3%. No wonder so many people are leaving.

So, now let's find out who has the lowest state taxes. Here there is a bit of a surprise since we have ten way tie! That's right. We have ten states with no state tax. They are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington State, and Wyoming. While Tennessee and New Hampshire have no state income tax, they make up for it taxes on dividends and interest. Many of these states also use a consumption tax in lieu of a income tax. Among the states which do have an income tax, the state with the lowest is Pennsylvania which has a tax rate of 3.07%.

If we look just at property tax, the top three highest spots belong to three counties in New Jersey (Union County with 8.13%, Essex County at 8.27% and 8.79% in Passaic County). The bottom three in terms of least highest property tax all belong to Louisiana. In Vernon Parish it's 0.25%. For Assumption and Grant Parishes the tax rate on property is 0.26%. However, all isn't gumbo and crawdads in Louisiana. Louisiana has the nation's highest sales tax at 9.98%, followed by Tennessee with 9.46%. Arkansas comes in third place with a 9.30% sales tax. As for the lowest, that technically belongs to Alaska which has a 1.78% sales tax. I say "technically" because Oregon, Delaware, New Hampshire and Montana have no sales tax.

In terms of which cities have the highest local taxes, Louisville Kentucky is ranked 21st in terms of worst cites to live when it comes to taxes with an average tax bill of $11,517 despite an average income of only $49,439 coming in just ahead of Atlanta and just behind Los Angeles. I expect Louisville with move up on the list even higher very shortly. The mayor is proposing a 300% tax increase on insurance to make up for a "surprise" pension shortage which the city has known about for just over two years. As an aside, the mayor, who just ran for reelection, publicly stated on several occasions that the city actually had a surplus. What wasn't disclosed was the wasted millions of dollars on numerous pet projects such as bike lanes, paying gang members and criminals to monitor other gang members and criminals (which was hidden from the public), floating private non-profit organizations which are not self-supporting, and buying property or putting up bonds on behalf of corporations. This doesn't include top heavy agencies or executive "make jobs".

If that isn't bad enough, the residents of Louisville will be facing a new gas tax, an increase in gas and electricity rates, sewer rate, water rate, and property rate increases for 2019, which is one reason many people and businesses are moving out of Jefferson County. Meanwhile, public outrage is palpable. A number of groups have come together to fight these tax and rates increases. However, it's expect that despite public outrage, the local Metro Council will likely rubber stamps the increases while the Kentucky State Legislature does likewise.

In tenth spot of the worse taxed cities is Boston Massachusetts where the average tax bill is $14,623, not to mention being one of the worse taxed states in the country. Ninth place belongs to Oakland California. The average tax bill for residents there is $14,916. In the eighth spot is New York City, where the average resident can expect to pay $14,987. Unlucky number seven belongs to Portland Oregon with a average total tax of $16,034, followed by Seattle with $16,891 in taxes shelled out. The fifth place loser is Virginia Beach Virginia, a big military supported city. Residents there can expect to pay on average $17,763. fourth place belongs to San Diego California, another big military city. It has an average tax bill of $18,143.

In the third spot of worse taxed cities, we have Washington DC. Residents there have a average tax bill of $20,686! That's almost inconceivable for the average American. Coming in second is San Francisco, which is represented by Senator Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in Congress. Bay City residents pay, on average $27,810 in taxes. Lastly, the worse city to live in when it comes to taxes is San Jose California which is represented in the US Senate by Ellen "Zoe" Lofgren (D-CA). San Jose is on the southern edge of the Bay Area outside San Francisco. Its residents pay an average of $27,973 in taxes! That's simply outrageous. However, we should bear in mind that while the cost of living...and taxes...are much higher, so is the overall income level.

The best spots to live in to avoid these municipal leeches include Houston, Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio Texas, Tampa Florida, Milwaukee Wisconsin, and Tucson Arizona. However, the top three in reverse order is New Orleans Louisiana. It's residents have an average tax bill of $6,928. In the number two position is Memphis Tennessee. While residents pay approximately $5,882, Memphis is known to have a high crime problem. Next on the list is Detroit Michigan. Detroit has long been known for having its share of problems, especially with crime and corruption as well as a population flight creating a "hollowed out" or "donut" city, it's residents pay on average $5,505 in taxes. Perhaps if they paid a bit more, they could hire more cops Now, for the best place to live in terms of lowest taxes, is Miami Florida. You wouldn't think a city as large as Miami would have the lowest average total tax---approximately $5,050---but apparently it does.

So, there you have it, how America stacks up to other countries in terms of taxes, along with the best and worse states and cities to live in when it comes to taxes. Overall, America does well when compared to other industrialized nations, yet it puts too much emphasis on individuals to meet its tax obligations. In terms of states, there are a surprisingly large number of states with no or a very low tax rate. The majority of these state use consumption tax to collect revenue, which is really the most practical way to collect taxes. Others make up for having no state sales taxes by going after interest and dividend payments; essentially taxing those with the most money the most.

As for cities, it goes to show that there are a lot of places to live where the average tax rate is reasonably affordable. However, in several cases, we find instances of low tax rates and high crime rates, high unemployment, poor social services and crumbling infrastructures. In the case of a few, such as Louisville Kentucky, we see incompetence (and many would add corruption) in government to the point of committing economic suicide while a small elite profits. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

The city has tried numerous public funded ventures, only to see them fail. Nowadays it's putting all its eggs into revitalizing the "Bourbon Trail" downtown which had last prospered there over 100 years ago. Instead, the city should focus on basics. While will likely happen at its current rate is creating a Southern version of "Detroit". Other cities manage to survive thanks to a large corporate base which underwrite its services. If they go, so goes the city. Detroit is a classic example. Cities like this often fail to listen to their residents. It's politicians become arrogant and out of touch. When that happens, it's just a matter of time. Taxes are also the price we pay for convenience. Some would say it's the price we pay for civilization. However, taxes should be thought of as a limited resource, especially for ordinary people. If it's managed properly, we all prosper. If not, cities, like civilizations, crumble and fade away.



How Do US Taxes Compare Internationally?

States With the Highest and Lowest Taxes

The Average American's Tax Bill In the 50 Biggest Cities

For Your Own Good: Government Surveillance

What has become of America? You know--"home of the free and land of the brave" and all that? Is it really necessary that we have to have a government that monitors our phones calls, be it landline or cell, or our emails? Do they need to record our banking transactions or credit card use? Is there a point to checking out our Facebook or LinkedIn pages to see what we're reading; who we're "friends" with; or what games we're playing? Is it especially important to US national security to know what news articles, videos, or jokes we're reading or watching? Is our credit history reports all that important? Do we really need satellites or drones watching and photographing us? We have the NSA and other federal agencies spying not just on ordinary citizens, but on the governments of our allies (and quite probably their citizens as well). No honor among thieves I suppose. I always thought their job was keeping an eye on the bad guys intent on doing harm to Americans. Apparently, somewhere along the way, the American People morphed into the "bad guys". That's seems to always be the trouble with "protectors of the common good", be it spymasters or the self appointed "defenders of public morals". There's always an evildoer hiding behind every tree (see Robespierre or Stalin, or Cromwell, or the Salem Witch Trials, or even more recently, the Senate hearings of Joe McCarthy for examples of how quickly things can snowball out of control). Even our friendly local police officer has become a real life "Robocop" who increasingly sees everyone not for what they are---people going about their lives---but potential criminals waiting to be caught.

Don't think it stops there. We have the federal pit bulls, the IRS, going after individuals and/or groups viewed as a "threat" (a threat by just who, I don't know) and then threatened with all sorts harassment from simply delays to audits to possible fines or jail time. Of course, one is still free to defend their selves, but at what cost? It takes an enormous amount of time, preparation and money to fight back; money and often time that many of these groups simply don't have. Why is that? Whatever happened to our right---our duty---to question the government and its leaders? When did the tools given to us by our Founding Fathers get tossed overboard?
Did you ever notice that while our Founding Fathers specifically said that when the government failed to act in the best interest of its citizens, and when all else failed, we not only had the right, but the duty, to overthrow that government, but no one today will either actually say it out loud and direct? Why you wonder? Because it's against the law. Seriously. It's called "sedition". The government said, in effect, that yes, while it's true the Founding Fathers told us we had a duty as citizens to preserve our freedoms, your action in doing so would be deemed as "un-American" and treasonous against the American People. Now, just how can the American People's action against a government which is infringing on the rights of its citizens (which in itself, could be considered treasonous), turn around and say the American People were being treasonous against themselves? It would be like getting punched in the mouth and then being denied the right to punch back. So, we're left with empty words and bravado.

What's more, our Founding Fathers gave us the tools to fight back. Most notably, the 1st Amendment (freedom of speech), the 2nd Amendment (the right to own and bear arms), the 4th Amendment (illegal search and seizure), and the 6th Amendment (the right to know the charges, a speedy trial---that means no undefined seizure and/or detention of a individual). Well, if you thought sedition was bad, steps are actively being taken to usurp those rights as well.

The current administration is acting as the purveyor of public safety and morals (once again, on actually whose behalf I can only guess), by using the press and media to push an agenda contrary to the truth; that is, their definition of the "truth" by alledging the old tried and true "villains behind every tree and under rock". But, to be sure, this has been going on for awhile both parties. Having "exposed" the crime, they also have a ready solution at hand. We will limit your freedoms---for your own good and protection naturally. It worked in Ancient Greece and late Republican Rome. It worked in Fascist Spain and Italy. It worked in 1933 Germany. It worked in 1917 Russia, and later in China. The sad fact about the human condition it that historically, a free people has always been willing to sacrifice their freedom in the name of security, especially when it's someone willing to take responsibility.

The next logical step would be to secure the means of self-defense. In this case, guns. To do so, it's necessary to convince the masses that by surrendering their right to self-protection, the State could better protect you. After all, since only the criminals will have guns, you, as an unarmed citizen, could much more easily be identified as an "innocent" in need of protection. Only those still with guns will need to bear closer watching in anticipation of their yet to be committed crimes. But since we don't know who all the potential new criminals are, the police will have to be prepared for anything, and therefore, are morphed into a para-military state security force. Naturally too, the State will need to increase its monitoring of populace in order to anticipate an act of violence...all in the name of the nation's welfare of course.

The State too has reserved what it believes to be its right (which supersedes our individual right) against illegal entry and seizure. All the State needs is the hint of what it deems to be "probable cause"; that is, it suspicion there may be something illegal going on. What was once used only sparingly and after intense verification, military style entry has become almost commonplace. The same is true about electronic monitoring. The trouble is that when they've kicked down the wrong door (and usually injured or murdered the occupant in the process), there's not much that can be done. More recently, under the Patriot Act, the State can now arrest an individual without naming the charges and hold them almost indefinitely in a undisclosed location. No attorney. No phone call. No notifying their families. Nada. You simply vanish into the night. And in case you thing this applies just to terrorists or non-citizens, thing again. It applies to everyone. But don't worry, it's for your own good.

So, now don't you feel better? The State is here to protect us. Sleep tight.


President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/01/02/president-obama-signed-the-national-defense-authorization-act-now-what/

Few Companies Fight Patriot Act Gag Orders FBI Admits
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/05/nsl-challenges/

NSA Spying: How it Works
https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying/how-it-works

FAQ: What You Need to Know About the NSA's Surveillance Programs
http://www.propublica.org/article/nsa-data-collection-faq

They Can Hear You Now: NSA Taps Americans

"Nothing to about worry friends. It was all Bush's fault. Help yourself to free glass of Cool aid. Go back to playing your video games. Nothing to see here". That seems to be the message ABC, CBS, NBS, MSNBC, CNN, and the other media outlets are giving us. Even Obama offers us reassurance when he claims that the only data being seized is "mega data". No one's individual emails, phone calls, or photos were compromised. "Trust us" he implies. After all, "we can't have 100% security and 100% privacy" as the President says, and besides, it was only a "minor" infraction of Bill of Rights, and look how much we're getting for your patriotic sacrifice---we're capturing bad guys; you know, "terrorists". Why, the Feds have caught three or four by now using the millions and millions phone calls and internet site searches. So, just what the heck is going on here?

Well, it seems that a British news journal, The Guardian, published a leak that the National Security Agency, which is the American Government's version of the nosy neighbor, managed to get its hands on millions of phone records belonging to Verizon. The phone records include outgoing and incoming calls. That's right. Anyone using Verizon, or who called you through Verizon, got tapped. Of course, this comes just a few weeks after NSA Chairman, James Clapper (seriously, that's his name) testified before the Senate that they were playing nice and no one's records were being snatched. It seems, however, that he lied (to the collective "duh" of the American People). Now, it seems that not only did they go after Verizon, the NSA has also gone after T-Mobile, AOL, Google, AT&T, YouTube, Skype, and just about every other electronic media service out there. Yeah, we hear you now.

While Obama campaigned on ending Bush's use of wiretaps and electronic media taps of known or suspected terrorists, apparently he warmed up to the idea after being elected and has expanded the bugging to include everyone everywhere. Gee, does that mean the Feds think that all Americans are potential terrorists? Are now presumed guilty before even being charged? Think about it. Why else would the NSA be interested in your Facebook posts? Why would they care who you follow on Twitter? Are those family photos you posted a matter of national security? What about those amateur radio shows on Blogtalk radio? Secret Commie propaganda sites? (Never mind. Scratch that).

Right now, the Obama Administrations is scurrying around like proverbial wet rats trying to find where the leak came from. Only a very small handful of Congressmen, Senators, and selected bureaucrats, had excess to this kind of hush-hush screwing of the American Public. Of course, this follows on the cheeky admission of the Justice Department, Eric Holder (who gutted anti-illegal immigration enforcement with his buddy, Homeland Security Director, Janet Napolitano, and sued the State of Arizona for enforcing existing federal immigration laws) that they backdoored the Associated Press in trying to get a reporter's phone records. Why? Because of their investigation of the Benghazi Massacre and Cover-up. Oh, and that followed on a similar "oopsie" when it came to light that they did the same thing to Fox News. And while we're at it, let's not overlook the Infernal Revenue Service's harassment of the various Tea Party and other conservatives groups, including requesting overwhelming and often irrelevant information that sometimes included requesting the names and ages of members or mailing addresses of contributors, as well as holding up approval for tax exempt status for months. Not only that, but it turns out that some of this information was turned over their liberal opposites. Kinda handy information to have don't you think? And... (here comes the surprise)...they initially lied about it. Of course, just before all this, we had the Obama Administration wanting to curtail our ability to defend ourselves. "For our own good" they told us. There's that "trust me" again.

I don't care who you are or what your political leaning is, as an American, you've got to admit that this is not only (exceptionally) dirty and underhanded, it's criminal. It's a violation, if not outright, then the intent of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Republics and democracies throughout history have voluntarily surrendered their freedoms..inch by inch...in the name of security. No crimes. Complete economic stability. Peace. But no freedom of press. No freedom of expression. Limited freedom to travel. No freedom to think as you please. Economic stagnation. No dissention. Absolute conformity.

So, here's my take on the whole situation. First off, the head of the IRS need to be fired, along with the department heads and individuals involved. Not only that, they lose their federal benefits and are prohibited from working for any federal agency or from securing a federal lobbying job. And all those Tea Party and other groups need to be automatically granted tax exempt status and reimbursed in full any and all costs. Second, use the opportunity to overhaul the IRS. I would personally love to see either a flat tax or consumption tax. It would make life easier for everyone and would end much of the tax cheating, the reams of tax laws, and ensure everyone pays their fair share.

Eric Holder should be fired. While he should be brought up on criminal charges, that isn't likely to happen. However, he should received the same penalty as the IRS chief. No retirement. No benefits. Nothing. James Clapper lied to Congress. Ok, well that's actually part of his job as "Spy-in-Chief". However, he should be reprimanded. Understand too that the FBI was doing this. They need their hands slapped just as hard. Lastly, whoever was responsible for ordering the massive seizure of private and personal data should be pursued criminally for not only an unauthorized invasion of privacy, but for a blatant violation of our Bill of Rights. However, I don't think that will ever happen. "Messiahs" seem to be exempt somehow.

Clapper denied NSA Surveillance before Senate panel in March testimony
http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/304009-clapper-denied-nsa-surveillance-in-us-weeks-before-verizon-tracking-program-began-

NSA Collecting Phone Records of Millions of Verizon Customers Daily
http://visiontoamerica.com/15125/nsa-collecting-phone-records-of-millions-of-verizon-customers-daily/

Obama Administration defends 2nd mass surveillance project
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/07/intelligence-officials-reportedly-mining-data-from-us-internet-companies/

Press Blames George W Bush for Obama's Unprecedented Eavesdropping
http://visiontoamerica.com/15137/press-blames-george-w-bush-for-obamas-unprecedented-eavesdropping/

US, British intelligence mining Data from 9 US Internet companies
http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/us-intelligence-mining-data-from-nine-us-internet-companies-in-broad-secret-program/2013/06/06/3a0c0da8-cebf-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html