It's Hard Out There For A Senator

Who knew that Sen. Charles Grassley (R-JESUSLAND) was such a funny guy?

Oh, right...our system of taxation in this country has become ridiculously skewed towards the rich, particularly over the last 25 years or so, but Grassley thinks it’s important to go after pimps and prostitutes to try and make up the difference?

I can just see an IRS revenue agent conducting a “field audit” from the back seat of a 1985 Plymouth Mercury parked at 12th and Norris streets in North Philadelphia at 2 AM.

“So, Ms. – Sapphire, is it? – what are your holdings?”

“My holdings? Fool, I jus’ took off my halter top. Can’t you see Isis and Chlorine youself? You blind AN' stoopid too?”

“Uh, well…never mind. Exactly how many dependents have you declared?”

“Well, two from Slick, I’m lookin’ after Rashawn’s two boys too, an’ Trina’s little girl also.”

“I see on your 1040 you’ve listed a Mr. Roderick Tasker also?”

“Oh, you mean Nightmare. He’s my pimp.”

“Do you mean you are his sole source of disposable income?”

“Far as I know. An’ speaking o’ him, you’d better tell me what you want, sweet cakes, or else he’ll be all over my ass. You got a half hour, and I’m doin’ a volume business.”

I’ll leave it up to you, dear reader, to imagine the rest of that scenario.

For some perspective on how exactly we came to this sad state of affairs, by the way, I think it’s important to give a read to this column by David Cay Johnston, reprinted in the San Francisco Chronicle from the New York Times. I think this excerpt in particular is illuminating:

While millions of Americans in the last quarter-century debated about who shot J.R. and scurried for news about who would be Jennifer Lopez's next lover, Congress quietly passed tax laws that shift the tax burden from the 28,000 Americans in households with incomes of $8 million per year or more.

And what exactly do we do about this? Well, as Johnston said so very well...

All of this is having a devastating impact on America, which the preamble to our Constitution says was created to "promote the general welfare." Until Americans decide to take back their democracy and become actively engaged in politics, the super rich will continue to rig the tax system for their benefit only.

And Repugs like Grassley will continue to advocate persecuting those with barely any means to support themselves while “The Gilded Age Of Bushco” extends into remote posterity.