Ramon Arias | May 20, 2013
At first, the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) “confession” of doing wrong to conservative groups seemed to be a distraction from the heat of the Benghazi Congressional hearings. As we now know, it has turned out to be bigger than originally suspected, it is a big scandal stacking up with the others which include the Department of Justice obtaining the telephone records of reporters and editors of the Associated Press. The American people should know there’s another scandal coming with the full implementation of Obamacare because most of it is to be handled by the IRS.
In the IRS’ Congressional hearings, Texas Representative Kevin Brady condemned former IRS Commissioner Steve Miller for the political persecution, to one of many citizens who have applied for tax-exempt status for their tea party group. Among the many questions posed to Miller was this one, “is this still America?”
Rep. Brady’s assessment that the federal government has become too powerful and intrusive into the lives of people does not go unnoticed by most Americans. His question: “Is this still America?” has a simple honest answer, NO!
If Rep. Kevin Brady was only thinking in terms of the overwhelming power of the IRS compared to the way the ex-Soviet Union, China, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia and Cuba (just to mention a few nations) have treated and continue to treat their people based on the Communistic ideology of total social control, this is not far-off. Neither Congress nor the people should forget who created the IRS in the first place, hello, Congress! Also, we must not forget who elects the U.S. representatives and U.S. Senators. Hello, people!
The IRS’ “birth” goes back to the Civil War during Pres. Lincoln’s term and Congress, in 1862, to collect income tax to pay war expenses. Taxation was to be temporary and ten years later it was gone. However, Congress brought income tax back to life in 1894, but by 1895, the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional.
In 1913, the 16th Amendment was born giving Congress the authority to legislate an income tax. So for 100 years, taxes have continued to grow at the local, county, state and federal levels. I know that some states are eliminating state taxes and they are having great success in their economies. For over 50 years, the voices that want to repeal taxes have grown louder to no avail. With this latest IRS “scandal ” the voices are saying: time for a flat tax, time for fair tax, time to investigate the IRS in depth, time to abolish the IRS, and time for the states to secede. Also, there are those who are not content with just firing the guilty parties and giving them jail time, as if that was the solution to the deeper problem. Even if some go to jail, do you really think putting them in prison solves the problem? Where do you stand on this?
I will tell you in a moment what my stand is. But before I do, let me ask you a question, what kind of nation did the revolutionaries and Founding Fathers of the 1700’s envision? Can you answer that question with all the facts that it requires? If you can, you will find that the America of the 1830’s up until the present is not what they had in mind.
At least for 183 years America has gradually been moving in the same direction as other great civilizations and nations of the past that have gone over the cliff and died. America’s problem is not only a powerful IRS or the executive office, U.S. Supreme Court, Department of Justice, U.S. Congress and all the branches that proceed out of all these institutions. America’s problem is much deeper than that. America’s problem is evil and evil is manifested in people’s actions as seen in everyday life. America is drowning in her sins.
On July 2, 1776, George Washington was ready to confront the British. In writing his general orders to his men he said:
“The time is now near at hand, which must probably determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them.
“The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of a brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer, or to die.
“Our own, our country’s honour call upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world.
“Let us, then rely on the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions.
“The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny mediated against them.
“Let us, therefore, animate and encourage each other, and shew the whole world that a free man, contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
“Liberty, property, life, and honor are all at stake; upon your courage and conduct rest the hopes of our bleeding and insulted country. Our wives, children, and parents expect safety from us alone, and they have every reason to believe that Heaven will crown with success so just a cause.
“The enemy will endeavor to intimidate by show and appearance; but, remember, they have been repulsed on various occasions by a few brave Americans. Every good soldier will be silent and attentive – wait for orders and reserve his fire until he is sure of doing execution.”
Washington clearly understood the following phrases: “under God,” “the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is,” “Heaven will crown with success so just a cause.” For him and all those who fought the war of independence with him, the outcome was not in their hands but in the hands of Almighty God, even though they had to suffer through the entire war until God gave victory.
In 1789, President George Washington, accepted Congress’s recommendation to issue America’s first federal proclamation for a day of prayer and thanksgiving:
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Thank God for George Washington!
If we want to see the blessings back in this nation and the nations around the world, then America has only one way out before she falls over the cliff; return to the true God of the Bible, Biblical Reformation is the answer! In this lies America’s greatness and the same goes for all nations. This is the side where I stand!
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.