As a Reserve Officer assigned to the Headquarters Department of the Army at the Pentagon, I've been to Washington many times. My trip last week during the 4th of July holiday however, held a much different meaning than my past visits to our nation's capitol.
While at the World War II Memorial, I read a quote by General George Marshall, which said, “We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle our flag will be recognized throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand, and of overwhelming force on the other.”
As I stood in front of the memorial, reflecting on General Marshall’s legendary words and the current state of our country, I realized that this is not the country that America’s greatest generation envisioned for their children and grandchildren, nor the legacy I wish to leave to my own children.
The United States has long been hailed as the land of opportunity, yet we are fast becoming the land of dependency. Nearly one-sixth of our population relies on food stamps. During the month of June, more people joined the Social Security disability rolls than found jobs. Nearly half of our population pays no federal income tax. Only 47 percent of the working age population is employed full-time and 53 percent of all young college graduates are either unemployed or underemployed.
When you look in your child or grandchild’s eyes, what is your hope for them? Do you aspire for them to become dependent upon the government for cradle to grave care? Or do you hope they will discover the cure for cancer, design a rocket that will take astronauts to Mars, or invent the next technological breakthrough that will improve the lives of millions around the globe.
Our ship has veered off course and is in danger of sinking. Over the past four years, we’ve seen the largest expansion of government in our country's history, and the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression. President Ronald Reagan said it best when he stated, “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.”
Government intervention is the problem, not the solution. It is time to change course from the big spending ways of Congressman Steve Israel, and instead encourage the entrepreneurial genius of everyday American's to create jobs, and get us back on the path toward prosperity. I want my children’s dreams and aspirations to be fulfilled through their hard work and ingenuity, not stifled by government.
This election is about solutions, fresh ideas and putting America back on the right track. Our problems can be fixed, and better days do lie ahead, but I cannot do it without your help. I ask you all to join me in this fight. Tell your family and friends about my message, donate your time as a ‘Labate for Congress’ volunteer, and if you are able, donate money. Even the smallest donation can help me spread my message. Together, we can usher in a better tomorrow that all Americans, past, present, and future, can be proud of.
"Question: So the reports that half the U.S. doesn't pay taxes are true? Answer: No, they're not. According to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington, D.C., 46% of tax filers will owe no federal income tax this year. But when you figure in payroll taxes — such as those for Social Security, Medicare and unemployment — more than 80% of tax filers pay some kind of federal tax. And that doesn't include sales taxes, state taxes, local taxes, gas taxes, etc., which catch just about everyone."
A: It's because of the way the tax code is written. In 2010, a married couple filing jointly didn't have to pay any income taxes if their income was less than $18,700; couples older than 65, if their income was $20,900 or less. And even if you make more than that, the standard deduction — which goes up each year — and a myriad of other deductions and tax breaks reduce income tax exposure. In 2009, the most recent year for which Internal Revenue Service data is available, filers with adjusted gross income of less than $30,000 made up 83% of all the nontaxable returns. According to the Tax Policy Center's calculator, a couple with two kids younger than 13 that makes $30,000 would get $5,000 back under current laws."