If I Had a Tooth With That Nerve ...

In the state of New York there has been, and still is, a mass

exodus of high earners leaving for states with much lower 

tax rates, and fewer taxes as well. Income taxes, sales taxes,

taxes for this, that, and the other have gone on a rocket ride

in recent years. In that period of time these financially 

successful people, wanting to protect their considerable fruits

of their industry, have spoken out against the state government

of New York railing against their frequently being assessed 

more and higher taxes; after all, they had worked long and 

hard to amass their rewards of their work. 

Katherine Hochul has been governor of New York in recent 

years, and has targeted these industrious citizens of this state

unrelentingly. Her response to these fed up businesspeople?

"Just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you 

belong, OK? Get out of town!" Florida is also a very low-tax

state. and in fact has no state income tax. The exodus, already

underway, had picked up steam in the wake of her arrogant 

words. So many big earners have fled the Empire State for

Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and other states 

with less rapacious taxation of individuals and businesses

that Gov. Hochul can no longer fund her state's social programs

as easily as she once could. "Maybe the first step should be to 

go down to Palm Beach and see who you could bring back home (!)."

It's hard, of course, to find what Gov. Hochul calls "patriotic

millionaires" who would return to New York to once again pay

the costs for the burgeoning social giveaway social programs

there (!!). 

Now folks, I have been a follower of our political scene for sixty

years --- man and boy. I have followed the news about the political

movers and shakers at all levels of government. I met some of 

these people, from school board members to a Vice President of

the United States. I have read about some eyebrow-raising, and to

be sure, some blood pressure-increasing things that some of these 

people have said or done. I have seen acts and have read and heard 

words of sheer arrogance, thoughtlessness, stupidity, cowardice,

double-dealing, hypocrisy, and vapidity. But what Gov. Hochul 

had said to the wealthy escapees, especially the pleading for them

to return to New York, wallets open, to "patriotically" give up a

large portion of their rightful earnings to fund her giveaway programs

is the all-time prize winner! How would you, my grand readers, each 

like to have a tooth with her nerve?

Must we now go over what the differences are between successful folk 

keeping more of their hard-earned rewards of their hard work, and a

greedy, grasping, grabbing, gobbling government which claims to 

know how best to allocate the tax revenue which comes in at an 

ever-increasing flow every year? The efficiencies of the former in 

job creation and career opportunities, and the resultant creation of 

new sources of revenue from an increase of employment and in 

the provision of goods and services, and a stagnated economy in 

which there are fewer employers and employees resulting in 

less goods and services provided while the government picks up 

more and more employees whose pay and benefits come from the 

tax revenues from the private sector despite its shrunken state and 

weakened shape, causing a slowing economic state of being all around?

These are things which half-wit Hochul has either forgotten or has 

never learned.

And her warping the meaning of the word "patriotic" to fit her selfish, 

short-sightened ends aren't aiding her sorry cause. She should learn  

what it means to be truly patriotic. Your helpful Peasant can assist 

Hochul here:

"Patriotism: The feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to 

one's country or state. This attachment can be a combination of dif- 

ferent feelings for things such as the language of one's homeland, and 

its cultural, political, or historical aspects."      Wikipedia

Notice that there is no mention of the urge to let the government take 

a significant portion of one's earnings. Furthermore, bear in mind that 

the top 1% of income earners already pay anywhere from 40% - 50%  

of the federal income taxes; they don't need to be mugged again by 

their home states. 

Finally, if anyone actually believes that the love or devotion 

for one's country or state includes wanting to let its government tax 

one into oblivion is a form of patriotism then that person is a prize fool!

MEM

 

Another Cluster of Events!

You're going to be quite sore at me for this, but I am not 

going to be able to get together with you this week or next. 

Among the things claiming space on my schedule are

some friends and one family member, all from Ireland,

coming in and of course we're going to get together. 

We see each other every one or two years, which is 

come to town on tour to play; they are the High Kings 

and we're closely knit, having known each other 

for years.  

I'm also attending a memorial service for a friend 

who was a well-known member of our Greater Celtic

Community, being a musician in a local band that plays

Irish and other Celtic world music, and another friend

who was a fellow parishioner at my church who was

fatally injured in a car accident. I also have some 

medical appointments which will make sure that I

will not yet have my memorial service! No, I kid 

about that last bit, I have the medical appointments

but of late my doctors have given me some good 

reports on the state of my physical health. Now if I 

could just lose some weight ... but I'm grateful for the 

news that I shall be around for quite some time to come.

Furthermore, I shall be celebrating Saint Patrick's Day

at my favorite Irish pub, O'Donoghue's, in nearby Elm Grove

with more friends, including the proprietor Jamie O'Donoghue

who with his family runs the pub. Also, I'll be attending 

a meeting of the debate club I belong to, the Anti-Echo Chamber.

I will, of course, be busy preparing my argument regarding a

political topic. I never hurry with them; I always take my time

so as to craft my argument thoroughly and carefully, adding 

pertinent points and presenting them in a clear, sharp, and 

forceful manner. I'm having a ball with my fellow debaters,

and I only wish I could have gotten into debating sooner 

in life, but I don't mind being a 68-year-old rookie debater

and am enjoying every minute of it.

Tax time is here too, and The Peasant shall get together with 

my tax preparer and accountant, a good friend and fellow 

parishioner at my church.

Finally, I want to grab some time before it escapes me so I can 

write some letters to some family members and friends which I

have put off for far too long. So I have a full plate, as you all 

can see. But fear not, as your faithful Peasant shall be with you

again by around the end of this month of March. Thank you all 

for your patience, your understanding, and your kind indulgence.

I'll make it worth your while!

MEM

Lou Holtz, R.I.P.

The Peasant didn't play football in college, as I concentrated

on other activities and of course my studies. But if I wanted

to play football at that level I would have wanted Lou Holtz

for my coach.

Coach Lou Holtz had a wonderful way of developing players

and making them confident in their abilities and their game

without constantly being on their backs, berating and bellowing

all the while, as some coaches are wont to do. Holtz rarely got

angry at a player, only when the player did something 

monumentally stupid. Coach Holtz, a native of West Virginia,

had a homespun sense of humor and of viewing life which he 

passed along to his players, his coaching staffs, and to his

audiences he spoke to when he was on the lecture circuit.

Holtz kept football fun, and made it more so for not only his 

teams, but for the fans.

After some years as an assistant coach for the renown Ohio State

coach Woody Hayes, Coach Holtz was a head coach for six 

college teams and one NFL team, the New York Jets. While not

so successful at New York (the Jets won all of three games in his 

only season) he compiled a record of 249-132-7 in the college

ranks with his greatest success in reinvigorating Notre Dame's

program resulting in 100 wins and a national title in 1988,

going undefeated that season. It was the Fighting Irish's last

time they went undefeated as well as having won the NCAA-I

football crown. He left his position as the head coach there,

stating that he accomplished all that he wanted to and didn't want

to "maintain the program anymore", rather than growing it.

Seeing no room for that growth, he left and became the head coach

at South Carolina, taking a weak team with a weak program and 

getting it into bowl games which they won.

After retiring, Coach Holtz had more time for public speaking 

and was highly regarded as a motivational speaker, addressing 

business folk, athletes, athletic coaches and educators among

other audiences. One of his most famous sayings was what he

told many an audience: "You're never as good as everyone tells 

you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when 

you lose." He used this gem of wisdom to keep his players'

spirits up and their egos in check.

The coach was a devout Catholic, and therefore was a good fit

for Notre Dame, both the football team and the university.

Coach Holtz entered a hospice a few weeks earlier, and passed 

away there yesterday at 89. Lou Holtz left a legacy of success

tempered by humility, gratitude, enthusiasm, positivity, and 

love for the game, his teams, his family, and his friends, of 

which he had many. He was also very patriotic, and was a 

staunch conservative who was once seriously considered for

public office by the Republican Party. He was a supporter of

President Donald J. Trump, and had a warm friendship with

him. Godspeed Coach! Now you are coaching the saints (and I

don't mean New Orleans!) to gridiron success. 

Requiescat in pace. 

MEM