View online at: http://patriotpost.us/digests/24886 Right Analysis | Right Hooks | Right Opinion Patriot Headlines | Grassroots Commentary Daily Digest for Tuesday April 15, 2014    THE FOUNDATION "An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation." --John Marshall, McCullough v. Maryland, 1819 TOP 5 RIGHT HOOKS Reid Says Ranch Battle 'Isn't Over' Harry Reid weighed in on the standoff at the Nevada ranch after federal authorities at least temporarily retreated, saying, "Well, it's not over." He added, "We can't have an American people that violate the law and then just walk away from it. So it's not over." What's he talking about? People that habitually violate the law currently run the country. But that's not over, either. Comment | Share Stevens' Amendments Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has a new book titled, "Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution." Naturally, coming from a leftist jurisprude like Stevens, the recommendations are a bit out of line with our Founders' vision. For example, Stevens' Second Amendment would be amended to read, "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms when serving in the Militia shall not be infringed." That, of course, would gut the real meaning of the right to keep and bear arms. He has other changes, including virtually dispatching with federalism. All in all, we're glad he's no longer on the bench, even if his replacement Elena Kagen also leaves much to be desired. Comment | Share 'Hate Crime' in KC Glenn Miller, a KKK extremist and founder of the White Patriot Party, was arrested and charged for the murder of three Jewish Christians in Kansas City. The Leftmedia was quick to brand the crime a "hate crime," in part because he reportedly yelled "Heil Hitler" upon his arrest, and authorities will charge him with one. Of course it's a hate crime -- he murdered three people. Miller has a checkered political history, running for office as both a Democrat and a Republican at different times. He also wrote in 2012 that Israel was trying to "buy the presidential election for the neo-con, war-mongering republican [sic] establishment." There is no doubt some confusion about where Nazis and neo-Nazis fit on the political spectrum. The Nazi party of Germany was socialist, and therefore a party of the Left, though many Americans are under the delusion that Hitler was "far-Right." Neo-Nazis are better defined by their racial animus than by philosophy of government. But that won't get in the way of Leftmedia insinuation -- or worse -- that Miller is somehow on our side. Comment | Share Solar Firms Seek More Cash Two California companies, Sequoia Pacific Solar and Eiger Lease Co., are suing the Treasury for withholding $14.6 million in cash grants after the parent company, SolarCity, burned through $244 million in tax incentives dating back to 2009. Despite the quarter billion in taxpayer dollars, all they have to show for it is a whopping $166 million in debt. No wonder they're desperate. According to the lawsuit, Treasury "improperly changed the rules." Federal officials, however, say that SolarCity inflated sales contracts to retrieve more taxpayer dollars. They're also accused of deceiving its shareholders and releasing erroneous financial reports. The fact the feds are providing "green" incentives at all is ridiculous enough, especially in the wake of boondoggles like Solyndra. But as Hot Air's Jazz Shaw adds, "is this a private company which is intended to show a profit in the marketplace or a non-profit charity which is only expected to live off the teat of the taxpayer? Well, okay... the 'non-profit' part is probably pretty obvious." Comment | Share Coughing Up Climate Rhetoric It's spring, and that means allergies. So naturally, alarmists are attempting to identify a link between heavy pollen and global "warming." For most of the country, a continued cool pattern has delayed the allergy season. "With temperatures finally starting to rise, New Jersey may soon experience a compressed spring, causing an allergy season that's supercharged," says Christopher Maag of North Jersey.com. He later adds: "Erratic weather changes and intense pollen seasons are consistent with research on global climate change by Leonard Bielory, an allergist and visiting professor at the Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction. In a study presented last year ... Bielory predicted that annual pollen counts in many parts of the U.S., including New Jersey, will double between the years 2000 and 2040 as higher average temperatures bring longer pollination seasons." Perhaps Maag should examine his own contradiction. Bielory cites "longer pollination seasons" thanks to "higher average temperatures," while Maag's entire premise is on a "compressed" and "supercharged" season shortened by cold weather. Also, earth hasn't warmed in over 17 years. That's nothing to sneeze at. Comment | Share For more, visit Right Hooks. Don't Miss Patriot Humor Here's yesterday's edition, Fences. If you'd like to receive Patriot Humor by email, update your subscription here. Share LODGE YOUR TAX DAY PROTEST Unjust taxation was the catalyst for the first American Revolution. Today, once again, our fundamental rights are being violated by unjust taxation for purposes not authorized by our Constitution. One of the focal points of our mission is advocating the restoration of constitutional limits on government. This advocacy takes place in every edition, educating and reminding readers -- from grassroots Patriots to influential leaders -- of the threats to our Constitution. Lodge your complaint in Washington by supporting the leading conservative journal calling for a return to First Principles. Our voice is your voice -- make it heard. We still have approximately $44,625 left to raise by April 19th. RIGHT ANALYSIS Income Redistribution Day -- How Much, Where It Goes and Who Collects It Today is that most mirthless of days, April 15, tax filing day, or as we in our humble shop have long dubbed it, "Income Redistribution Day." It's the day each year when government confiscates money from about half the nation's citizens, and gives that money to the other half. (That's an over-generalization, but you get the idea.) But at least they didn't choose April 19 -- Patriots' Day -- for tax filing. In honor of today, here are a few things to remember about taxes and the IRS. It will take Americans 111 days this year to fully pay for the burden of government. In other words, when you pay your taxes today you'll still have to work another six days just to actually pay them off. Where did your tax money go? Just shy of half of all federal tax revenue goes to major entitlements -- Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other health care programs. Another 20% goes to various other wealth transfer programs like unemployment benefits and food stamps. That's more than two-thirds of the federal budget that goes from your pocket to someone else's. See why we call it "Income Redistribution Day"? National defense takes 18% of federal spending, but it's one of the few things the federal government is currently doing that's actually enumerated in the Constitution. Meanwhile, interest on the debt consumes 6% of the budget. And finally, the Heritage Foundation's Amy Payne writes, "Your 2013 tax dollars covered only 80 cents of every dollar spent by the federal government. The other 20 cents were borrowed from younger generations." Speaking of borrowing from younger generations, and also going back to our point about half the nation paying taxes, consider this: Some 80% of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than they do in income taxes. Payroll taxes "fund" the two biggest federal entitlements -- Social Security and Medicare. For those who don't think Social Security is an entitlement because you're entitled to the money you paid in, please note that today's workers are paying for today's retirees, and there are fewer workers per retiree now than ever. There is no trust fund. If you're retired, we're shocked -- shocked -- to say that politicians lied to you and spent your money a long time ago. Social Security is quickly headed for insolvency. Oh, and by the way, if your parents were overpaid for Social Security, the IRS might take your tax refund to pay that "debt." No amount of revenue is ever enough to quench Democrats' thirst for Big Government. In fact, while Barack "Tax Man" Obama likes to talk a good game about getting the "wealthy" to pay their "fair share" and sparing the middle class and the poor from a big tax burden, he has sought 442 tax increases since occupying the Oval Office. Fortunately, most of those never made it into law. He did, however, successfully raise taxes substantially on the top two income tax brackets, while at the same time ending the temporary payroll tax break, beginning in January 2013. The latter tax hike hit the middle class and especially the poor, while the former nailed small businesses, which in turn don't then hire workers. And ObamaCare, of course, is one of the largest tax increases ever foisted on the nation, Obama's lies to the contrary notwithstanding. The agency collecting your tax dollars, the IRS, has been guilty of serious malfeasance ever since Obama took office. Despite Obama's insistence that there's not a "smidgen of corruption" at the IRS, former official Lois Lerner admitted last May that the IRS was targeting Tea Party and Patriot groups for additional scrutiny -- all to aid in Obama's re-election. In fact, it just recently came to light that IRS employees were urging taxpayers to re-elect Obama. The whole episode has completely undermined any confidence citizens might have had in the impartiality of the agency charged with collecting federal revenue. In related news, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen announced Monday that the IRS will re-propose its rule change for tax-exempt groups after hearing withering criticism from both Right and Left. The change drew a record 150,000 comments. But does anyone think criticism from the Right alone would have done the trick? Koskinen then had the gall to complain about the agency's funding being "cut" by the sequester. What about the economic hit created by the higher taxes that his corrupt agency is collecting? All told, today is a day to take stock of how a government that provides everything for its citizens can become a massive burden. It's not just financial, either -- it's an issue of trust, power and the future of our great nation. Comment | Share Inheriting the Sebelius Mess Barack Obama has nominated Sylvia Burwell to head HHS. She's a veteran of management positions in government and the nonprofit sector. According to the Left, Burwell has served with distinction as global director for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. But she will now have to explain in public hearings what she plans to do with ObamaCare and an HHS that is riddled with bureaucratic incompetence. Read the rest of the story here. For more, visit Right Analysis. TOP 5 RIGHT OPINION COLUMNS Ed Feulner: Toward a Less Taxing April 15 Arnold Ahlert: The EPA's Science Problem Thomas Sowell: Statistical Frauds Cal Thomas: Kathleen Sebelius: Scapegoat Dennis Prager: What the Left Did Last Week For more, visit Right Opinion. OPINION IN BRIEF English philosopher and political theorist John Locke (1632-1704): "Freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society and made by the legislative power vested in it and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, arbitrary will of another man." Columnist Cal Thomas: "The question remains: Why do so many people put their faith in government, when it does so few things well and with efficiency and reasonable cost? We don't even seem to be able to win wars anymore, so why would anyone have faith that the government can do a better job of directing health insurance and inevitably dictating who gets health care and who does not than the private sector, or at best a private-public partnership? President Obama's nominee to replace Sebelius, budget director Sylvia Burwell, might turn out to be better at fixing websites, but she doesn't have the power to fix Obamacare. No one does because it is based on a weak foundation and the notion that government can do anything. Obamacare is the wizard behind the curtain, but without the glimmer of Oz to back it up." Comment | Share Former Heritage president Ed Feulner: "'The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has,' Will Rogers once quipped. Actually, most Americans try hard to fill out their taxes properly. Unfortunately, the tax code has grown so mind-numbingly complex that it seems almost as if the system is rigged to make them fail. ... As businessman Robert Half once said, 'People try to live within their income so they can afford to pay taxes to a government that can't live within its income.' It doesn't have to be that way. With the right kind of tax reform, we can help the American people -- and give our economy the right kind of stimulus." Comedian Argus Hamilton: "Obama signed an executive order to encourage salary equality for women last week. The administration can always point out that among twelve percent of Americans, men and women each receive the exact same pay. That's the beauty of unemployment benefits." Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis! Nate Jackson for The Patriot Post Editorial Team Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform -- Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen -- standing in harm's way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. *PUBLIUS* The Patriot Post is protected speech pursuant to the "unalienable rights" of all men, and the First (and Second) Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. In God we trust. Copyright © 2014 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved. REPRINTING, FORWARDING AND POSTING: Subscribers may reprint, forward or post original content from The Patriot Post, in whole or part, in accordance with our Terms of Use, with the following citation: "The Patriot Post (www.patriotpost.us/subscribe/ )" You have received this email because you are subscribed to The Patriot Post. To manage your subscription or to unsubscribe, link to http://patriotpost.us/manage/.