One of the key qualities for any person must be Integrity. It is a return and commitment to the concept that “one’s word is his/her bond.” It is one thing to address issues in Washington, DC and a previous administration and Congress generating a “Culture of Corruption”, it is another to maintain a non-corrupt environment for doing the nation’s business. When a transition is taking place and a number of key individuals are seen to have evaded or avoided paying particular taxes, what should be done? How should a government of non-corruption act? Should the voices of non-partisan Integrity unite to condemn and correct unacceptable behavior – especially on the part of those who are being elected and chosen to “lead”?
This past week the House of Representatives voted – and on an almost unanimous party-line vote - the majority successfully killed a resolution that would have removed Charles Rangel as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is the Chairman in charge of drafting tax legislation. While writing the tax laws that govern the nation, Mr. Rangel has neglected and avoided the law for his personal finances. At least six (6) areas have surfaced so far: 1) Failure to report over $1 million in outside income and $3 million in business transactions as required by the House; 2) Failure to disclose at least $650,000 in assets he had previously failed to list on his House financial disclosure forms; 3) Failure to disclose to the IRS or on his financial disclosure forms $75,000 in rental income for a beach villa in the Dominican Republic; 4) Violation of state laws by claiming three primary residences and breaking New York City regulations by maintaining four rent-controlled apartments; 5) Violation of House rules by using congressional letterhead to solicit donations for an education center bearing his name at City College of New York; and 6) Delinquency in paying his property taxes on two New Jersey parcels and failure to report the sale of a $1.3 million brownstone.
How does a Congress whose spokes-person condemned the “culture of corruption” view such behavior. One view was stated on MSNBC and reported as follows: "Many members" of Congress suffer from the same disclosure issues as Rep. Charles Rangel (D.N.Y.), one of his allies said Wednesday. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) appeared on MSNBC and downplayed the seriousness of allegations against Rangel that he failed to disclose sources of income and pay taxes on some properties, saying that many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment when filing mandatory financial disclosure forms. "I want to tell you, there are many members who, if you go back over all of their records, over all of the years, you're going to find that there were disclosures that were not made," Waters said…” At least three significant phrases stand out in that statement: (1) Many members of Congress suffer from the same disclosure issues; (2) she downplayed the seriousness of allegations; (3) many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment. The Nealz News contains the following statement: "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." Frederic Bastiat.
Have you ever been audited by the IRS? Have you been extended any of the charitable assessment afforded the Chairman of both the IRS and The House Ways and Means Committee? Have you been extended the opportunity of paying past taxes with impunity – No Interest and No Delinquency Penalty payments? If you think so, dream on! The overall point is that the Bible gives basic principles and guidelines for proper and practiced behavior – Romans 12:17, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”; II Corinthians 8:21, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.; and these words by Jesus in Matthew 22:18-21, “Jesus knew their evil motives. You hypocrites! he said. Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Here, show me the Roman coin used for the tax. When they handed him the coin, he asked, Whose picture and title are stamped on it? Caesar's, they replied. Well, then, he said, give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." We should expect and demand integrity! We should all be champions of integrity. We should be committed to doing all things honest in the sight of all people! Consider these things with me!
This past week the House of Representatives voted – and on an almost unanimous party-line vote - the majority successfully killed a resolution that would have removed Charles Rangel as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is the Chairman in charge of drafting tax legislation. While writing the tax laws that govern the nation, Mr. Rangel has neglected and avoided the law for his personal finances. At least six (6) areas have surfaced so far: 1) Failure to report over $1 million in outside income and $3 million in business transactions as required by the House; 2) Failure to disclose at least $650,000 in assets he had previously failed to list on his House financial disclosure forms; 3) Failure to disclose to the IRS or on his financial disclosure forms $75,000 in rental income for a beach villa in the Dominican Republic; 4) Violation of state laws by claiming three primary residences and breaking New York City regulations by maintaining four rent-controlled apartments; 5) Violation of House rules by using congressional letterhead to solicit donations for an education center bearing his name at City College of New York; and 6) Delinquency in paying his property taxes on two New Jersey parcels and failure to report the sale of a $1.3 million brownstone.
How does a Congress whose spokes-person condemned the “culture of corruption” view such behavior. One view was stated on MSNBC and reported as follows: "Many members" of Congress suffer from the same disclosure issues as Rep. Charles Rangel (D.N.Y.), one of his allies said Wednesday. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) appeared on MSNBC and downplayed the seriousness of allegations against Rangel that he failed to disclose sources of income and pay taxes on some properties, saying that many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment when filing mandatory financial disclosure forms. "I want to tell you, there are many members who, if you go back over all of their records, over all of the years, you're going to find that there were disclosures that were not made," Waters said…” At least three significant phrases stand out in that statement: (1) Many members of Congress suffer from the same disclosure issues; (2) she downplayed the seriousness of allegations; (3) many lawmakers suffer from innocent lapses in judgment. The Nealz News contains the following statement: "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." Frederic Bastiat.
Have you ever been audited by the IRS? Have you been extended any of the charitable assessment afforded the Chairman of both the IRS and The House Ways and Means Committee? Have you been extended the opportunity of paying past taxes with impunity – No Interest and No Delinquency Penalty payments? If you think so, dream on! The overall point is that the Bible gives basic principles and guidelines for proper and practiced behavior – Romans 12:17, “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”; II Corinthians 8:21, “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.; and these words by Jesus in Matthew 22:18-21, “Jesus knew their evil motives. You hypocrites! he said. Whom are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Here, show me the Roman coin used for the tax. When they handed him the coin, he asked, Whose picture and title are stamped on it? Caesar's, they replied. Well, then, he said, give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God must be given to God." We should expect and demand integrity! We should all be champions of integrity. We should be committed to doing all things honest in the sight of all people! Consider these things with me!
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